Technology has taken us leaps and bounds forward while at the same time creating a much more sedentary lifestyle. Nowadays it is commonplace for individuals to walk less than 5,000 steps a day. Many of us drive or take public transportation nearly everywhere and then are virtually sedentary all day long. Perhaps you hit the gym each morning, in addition to walking back and forth to the water cooler throughout the day, but is this really enough movement each day to support your health goals? Everyone wants fat loss but no one is doing the easiest, cheapest thing to attain it. Are you getting your steps in?
The fitness industry has become more and more obsessed with high intensity interval training and bashing long duration cardio, we have forgotten about walking. I’m not talking fasted AM cardio sessions in the gym, but rather daily walks outside in addition to your weekly strength training sessions. I see my friends with children or dogs that actually will walk on a leash getting their steps in more than their childless counterparts. Along with nutrition, strength training, quality sleep and adequate water intake, we should be adding regular walking into the mix.
As someone who runs her own business I do my fair share of sitting at the computer in addition to running around. I recently updated my heart rate monitor model and to my surprise the new version included an automatic pedometer function. On days that I am working on the business as opposed to working in the business, my step count is dramatically lower. When my watch finds me sitting for a decent amount of time it beeps and the word MOVE! appears on the screen. Needless to say in just a few short weeks I am loving this little reminder. Whether its a FitBit Flex or Force, a standard pedometer or a heart rate monitor, this technology can bring awareness to your movement or lack there of.
Are you sedentary for the majority of your day? Walking is easy, free and accessible virtually anywhere, anytime. It is not taxing on your body, it clears your mind and its AMAZING to get outside and move! Before you go adding additional rigorous exercise into your training regimen see if you are even taking 10,000 steps in a day. Get your steps in daily and see your fat loss increase with little to no additional effort. Remember we want these changes to be sustainable and realistic.
