Never Walk Without a Goal
Walking shoes — check. Pedometer — got it. But do you have a goal?
No goal? Better set one. It doesn’t even matter if you hit the mark. People who put a target on their radar — like walking 10,000 steps a day — walk a whole lot more than people who don’t have a goal. Studies prove it.
The End Game
Walking 10,000 steps a day is an ideal physical activity goal, according to new guidelines. (Find out how many steps the average person really takes.) And in a large review of the research, scientists discovered that people with this goal — or a personalized step plan — literally walked the extra mile, logging about 2,000 extra steps a day. Plus, when people tracked their progress with a pedometer, they lost weight and improved their blood pressure. (Use this tool to learn what your ideal waist size should be.)
A Few More Motivators
In addition to your comfy shoes, your daily-steps goal, and your pedometer, here are a few more tools to help you keep on keeping on:
- Some tunes: This is why you should take your iPod.
- Your furry friend: Discover the impact that Fido will have on your walking routine.
- A buddy:
