Walking for at least 30 minutes a day, on most days of the week is great for your overall health; it’s good for heart and lung health, reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, improves management of conditions like high blood pressure and cholesterol, makes you and your bones stronger and helps you manage weight. While getting 30 minutes a day is important, it also helps if you incorporate small bursts of activity across your day, to combat being sedentary for too long.
So here are some tips to incorporate more walking into your lifestyle:
- Go for a walk with friends rather than a coffee or a drink
- Keep sneakers at work or in the car so you can make the most of any spare time
- Get off the bus or train a stop or two early and walk to work or home
- Walk to your colleague’s desk rather than emailing them
- Take your meetings outside for a walking meeting
- Leave the car at home and walk to the park, shops or café instead
- Take the dog for a walk, or offer to walk a friend or neighbour’s dog
- Use ad breaks on TV to move more
- Choose the stairs and avoid elevators, escalators and travelators whenever possible
- Walk to a healthy restaurant instead of using the drive-thru or using home delivery services
- Take your work lunches outside for weekday picnics.