8 Simple Ways To Reach 10,000 Steps Milestone Everyday

Walking is one of the simplest and most effective forms of physical exercise. It is also one of the most popular public health messages in circulation today. Along the same lines, the concept that we should hit the milestone of 10,000 steps daily has been around for ages.

The idea of hitting the 10,000 step milestone took birth in 1965 when a Japanese Company built a device named Manpo-Kei. It was a simple steps meter, and the name of the device itself translated into “10,000 steps meter.”

While it may seem that the concept of walking 10,000 steps a day was born out of years of scientific studies and research, it was actually a marketing tool. However, with time and years of consequent studies, it has been proven that walking 10,000 steps a day is better than lazing around on your comfy couch.

We all know that moving around is much better than cozying up on your couch and fiddling with your phone for hours. So, if 10,000 steps a day is the figure we should reach to achieve better health, there’s no reason to deny that. After all, we all deserve and must work towards good health.

While the 10,000 steps milestone may seem big, we will try to ease the process down for you through simple techniques that are sure to work. However, before we go into these techniques, let us first walk through the health benefits of following this simple 10,000 steps a day lifestyle.

Brisk walking for just half an hour a day improves your cardio muscular fitness. It helps reduce anxiety and stress, improves bone function, burns fat, enhances energy levels, boosts metabolism, strengthens muscles, and increases endurance.

Moreover, when you walk for 10,000 steps a day, you drastically lower the risk of falling prey to heart conditions, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and some forms of cancers. It also helps enhance your stamina and endurance, which can visibly improve the quality of your life.

Besides the physical benefits, there are numerous mental health benefits of walking every day. It changes the way you feel and brings clarity to your thoughts. It improves your mood and boosts concentration levels.

Walking is a great form of exercise because just about anyone can do it, including even pregnant women. It is free, and there’s no need to buy expensive gym memberships. You can walk just about anytime, anywhere! Elderly people and even young adults who hate high-intensity workouts can walk.

Less than 20 per cent of adults in Australia reach the 10,000 steps a day mark. It may seem difficult to reach this figure if you lead a sedentary lifestyle with very little physical activity and are bound to a desk for most of your workday.

So, let us look at some effective ways to help you achieve your 10,000 steps a day milestone and reach those fitness goals.

First of all, remember that you don’t necessarily have to walk 10,000 steps all in one go, and it can be in parts. The best way to track your daily progress is through a fitness tracker or a step tracker. Using a smartphone application, a fitness tracker, or a step tracker can help you do that.

So, if you’ve only taken 2,000 steps by afternoon, it will help you realise that it’s a good time to clock in another couple of thousands of steps. Most of all, using a tracker would help you stay accountable.

How many times have you received a call and realised you’ve been walking or moving around for an hour without taking a seat? Whether you’re calling a friend or colleague, it’s suggested to put on your headphones and take a walk.

By the time you disconnect the call, you may have crossed halfway through the 10,000 steps. And, in some instances, may have crossed it all on the one go.

Every few hundred meters matter when trying to reach the 10,000 steps a day mark. Whether you’re parking around your office, at a mall, or when going for a business meeting, park the car a bit further away.

Every step counts, and these tiny contributions add up at the end of the day to help you reach the set milestone. This technique may also help you find the parking space easily if that’s any incentive!

We are so used to elevators and escalators that many don’t even think of taking the stairs. Many of us wait for the elevator to reach even the lower levels, no matter how late we are. Get out of this comfort zone and push yourself to take the stairs instead.

It is one of the most subtle yet high-intensity workouts you can give your body. This way, you will score steps and flights on your tracker and know that it’s highly beneficial to your body.

So many of us email our colleagues sitting just around the corner on the other end. While it may seem convenient, and there’s no doubt it is, choose to walk to them and have face to face conversation instead.

Doing these a few times a day whenever possible would help you fill the 10,000 steps milestone bucket.

Add daily reminders on your mobile phone or fitness tracker to take a moving break. While it may be impossible to take long breaks frequently while working, fitting in short breaks is possible.

Take a short break every couple of hours for a brisk walk for 15-20 minutes. You may even want to go outside and take a short walk. It would boost your mood, energy levels, reduce stress and help you replenish depleting Vitamin D levels.

Whether we meet an old friend, partner, or date, most of us plan to go to a restaurant, mall, or a café. It is a much better idea to plan an active date, where you can walk around the block or in a nearby park.

You can even plan to go hiking with your friend if you feel adventurous. This activity can easily add a few thousand steps to the total count, bringing you closer to the 10,000 steps goal.

Household chores are one of the most efficient ways to get some physical exercise while being productive at the same time.

For example, doing yard work for around 30 minutes equals 2,500 steps, vacuuming your house for 15 minutes equals 1,400 steps, mopping your house for 15 minutes equals 1,500 steps, and grocery shopping for around an hour equals around 4,000 steps.

Instead of seeking help or ordering groceries online, add these activities to your routine. It will help you get better results while keeping your health in tip-top condition.

Walking builds character as it gives you time to introspect and retrospect, providing you with the clarity to go about life with more confidence. It helps you clear any air of confusion, boosts your mood and is a subtle way to lower stress and anxiety.

If you want to add some fun to the mix, wear headphones with soothing or heart-pumping music playing, and you won’t even know when you crossed your steps goal for the day. You can even challenge your friends, partner, or family to take the 10,000 steps goal challenge along with you.

It is a great way to keep yourself accountable while spreading the health benefits of walking to your loved ones. Everyone wants to stay fit, but due to the kind of lifestyle we lead, many of us need that extra push to get moving and a personal trainer is another way to keep your motivation levels high to keep reaching those 10000 steps.

And, the sooner you start moving by yourself, the lesser is the chance of that ‘Push’ coming from a doctor, which is something you don’t want...

Hi, I'm Gary Wagner (Coach Gaz).

I help business leaders get out of pain so they can dominate their profession & get all that they want out of life. I guide professionals passionate about achieving new levels of performance. I enable them to forge an effective and resilient physical form that feels unstoppable, enabling and empowering their personal and professional success in Melbourne.