Each day I wake up with a quest to reach 10,000 steps. It is not a simple goal, but it is accomplishable...and that is the beauty of it.I started at the end of December when I got a pedometer for Christmas. I asked for it after starting on an account at work that involves obesity.
Did you know that the average U.S. adult will gain about 22 lbs between ages 20 to 50, and as little as 125 calories (e.g., a can of soda, a candy bar, a glass of wine) excess per day leads to 13 lbs weight gain in a year? Kind of scarey, but totally believable. After being engulfed in stats like these, learning about the impact this weight has on your health, and listening to doctors in market research talk about how sedentary we are - the quest began and there is no turning back.
So why 10,000 steps? While there may not be any proven studies that make 10,000 steps a magic number, some sites have said it classifies someone as 'active.' Think of it this way, less than 5,000 steps is sedentary and this is what the majority of us (with no additional physical activity) accomplish in a day.
So everyday I wake up with a quest to 10,000 steps. It means I walk at lunch, at night with the dog, and whenever I can (to the local store vs. driving, to meet a colleague vs. calling). Sure, I could be running (which I dislike tremendously) or doing a DVD exercise video (I guess I forget to push play), but there is something so peaceful and gratifying with a walk and reaching a goal of 10,000 steps a day. It is something that I can feel good about everyday. And...I think I lost 2-3 lbs (but who is counting?).
