by Michelle Wilkinson

Created on: April 06, 2009

People, in general, are not getting enough exercise to stay fit and healthy. They may think they are getting enough exercise from the small amount of walking they do each day, little realising that the recommendation for achieving the maximum health benefits from walking is to walk at least 10,000 steps a day, or approximately five miles. Individuals may find themselves being overgenerous in their assessment of their activity levels because they don't want to face up to the fact that they are not getting enough exercise, and that they need to make changes to their lifestyles. However, walking can play an important part in enabling people to develop their fitness, and there are many ways to increase the number of steps they take each day.

Most people take walking for granted because it is free, it doesn't require any skill or technique, it is low impact, and it is an activity which features in their everyday lives but which they don't have to think too much about. Consequently, a pedometer can be useful for helping individuals to track how many steps they are actually taking a day. Once they know how many steps they are taking on average, it will then be possible to strive for more so that they can feel the benefits of walking. They will be able to see the progress they make as it becomes easier to take more steps each day.

Many people have abandoned walking in favour of taking their cars everywhere. Obesity has been on the rise in the past couple of decades, as people have been consuming more empty calories, and becoming less physically active. Choosing to walk rather than take the car is one way of getting individuals to become more active, and will save them money in the long run, as well as reducing carbon emissions. Those taking public transport, such as buses, may want to consider getting off at an earlier stop than they need to so that they can walk that little bit further.

The number of steps a person takes each day can also be increased by taking the stairs rather than a lift in multi-storey buildings, by walking around the shops before actually shopping, by gardening and playing with their children. These are all ways to increase the number of steps a person takes each day. Walking 2,000 extra steps a day could help prevent weight gain, and can be seen as the first step towards increasing health and fitness levels. This is clearly important at a time when obesity rates are rising, in part because of the sedentary lifestyles which so many people have today.

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