You’ve got to learn to walk before you can run, so, this article will cover the health benefits of walking, why the recommended number of steps a day is 10,000 and some handy tips to increase your daily steps.
Health Benefits of walking
One Harvard study looked at the 10,000-step recommendation by placing activity trackers on more than 16,741 women across the US. The researchers logged the daily user's steps between 2011 and 2015. The results showed that the current recommendation of 10,000 steps may be over-zealous. Results showed that users who completed more than 4,400 steps a day had a 41% reduction in mortality rate. For every additional 2000 steps/d taken, risk of developing cardiovascular events decreased by 10% and diabetes by 5.5%.
Other ways it can improve your wellbeing:
- Encourage normal immune system function
- Improvements to your mental wellbeing
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
- Increase fat metabolism
- Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
- Improved sleep
- Walking is associated with lower risk of depression and anxiety
How to increase your daily step count?
Results suggest that with each increase in a number of steps you do, the more health benefits you feel. The important message to take away is that you do not need to reach a certain step goal in order to gain benefits
Here are some tips for increasing your step count:
- Find a walking group to join
- Joint Virtual walking events such as those hosted by the Conqueror -https://www.theconqueror.events/ you even get a medal if you complete the challenges.
- Invest in walking equipment for the home
- Plan an activity-based holiday such as in the Brecon Beacons or Lake District.
- Look into walking fitness classes:
- Leslie Sansone’s 1 mile Home Walk Workout - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njeZ29umqVE
- Grow with Jo’s 3 mile Home Walk Workout- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk7i_0S8MhM
- Invest in an pedometer or fitness watch
- Start a steps challenge with your family or work colleagues
- Set yourself a monthly target, that way you can walk as many steps as you can manage that day dependent on commitments and work.
- If you work at a desk, stand every hour and march for 5 minutes
- If you take a phone call, walk around rather than sitting down.
Products to help your step count
Vytaliving has a number of product recommendations for all walks of life and abilities. Check out the following products if you'd like to increase your daily step count.
The Electrical Elliptical Bike
Exercise, strengthen, tone and burn calories whilst seated, with our motorised seated elliptical trainer. Designed to promote “active sitting”, this motorised leg exerciser is easy and comfortable to use from your sofa or under your desk.
The Vytaliving compact elliptical strider is an at-home workout machine that can be used standing or seated making it suitable for all fitness levels. This smart fitness device will help you up your daily step count and increase your overall fitness.
The Mini Stepper from Vytaliving is an at-home aerobic cardio workout machine. This is an excellent way to give your legs and lower back a gentle workout and increase your daily steps. Comes with an LCD display easy-grip handlebars and adjustable resistance.
