How many steps should you take?

No matter what your age, gender, or physical activity level, wearing a pedometer can be an interesting experiment. The idea of simply tracking how many steps you take may make you more active.

The common goal that gets thrown around by fitness experts, pedometer companies, and walking enthusiasts is 10,000 steps. The 10,000 step threshold is where many would consider someone to live an active lifestyle. If the average person has a stride length of about 2.5 feet, this means that on average, a person takes about 2,000 steps to walk a mile. So, the goal of 10,000 steps could also be considered a goal of five miles per day.

Sound like a lot of mileage?

Try wearing a pedometer for a week and tracking your steps. If you walk less than 5,000 steps per day, it is considered a sedentary lifestyle. Between 5,000 and 7,500 steps in a day is considered low-activity, and between 7,500 and 10,000 is considered to be a somewhat active lifestyle.

For people that walk an average of over 12,500 steps in a day, that is considered to be a very active lifestyle.

However, these constraints can be rather arbitrary. When you take into consideration age, weight, and general fitness level, the goals for steps in a day can be altered. Does a ten-year old boy take as many steps as an 85-year old woman with arthritis? Should they?

Perhaps a better way of setting goals for an active lifestyle is to take a baseline reading of the amount of steps we take in a day, and add a certain amount to that baseline as a goal. For instance, if you take an average of 6,000 steps in a day, shoot for a goal of 9,000. This is an extra mile-and-a-half, on average, or about 20-30 minutes of walking.

For someone that is already at 10,000 steps per day, maybe shoot for 13,000.

Of course, adding a certain number of steps in a day is no easy task. The first thing you’ll need is a pedometer, followed closely by a pair of comfortable walking shoes.

If you’re looking for easy ways to add steps to your day, try some of these:

· Take the stairs instead of the elevator

· Park far from the door when you’re going somewhere – this can easily add anywhere from 100-500 steps, depending on the size of the parking lot.

· When you’re at work, try taking a five minute break every hour to stand up and walk around.

· When you’re at work, you can also try walking a message over to your co-workers rather than emailing or calling.

Central Florida Foot & Ankle Center, LLC
101 6th Street N.W.
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Phone: 863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com