Pick Up the Pace!

by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

We all have to fight our inner “couch potato.” But how many people are actually succeeding in walking 30 minutes a day, a national guideline for good health? The good news is that it’s gone up, since 2001. The bad news is that’s it’s gone from 7.2% to 8% of people – hardly a major jump. According to the American Journal of Public Health, less than 1 in 10 Americans get 30 minutes of activity daily!

If you’d like to pick up your own pace – become what I call a “mindful mover.” That’s adding extra steps in your day. Walk around when you’re on the phone, park further away from your destination, or deliver a message in person instead of sending an e-mail. It’s this activity of daily living that can help boost your effort, and help you accumulate 30 minutes daily.

Too tired to exercise? Most of us have a hard time separating “physical fatigue” from “mental fatigue.” An easy way to figure this out is by wearing a pedometer to track your daily steps. If you’re exhausted at the end of a day, and clocking 2500 steps, it’s likely mental tiredness. If you’re closer to 10,000 daily steps – your physical activity is sufficient.

But don’t stop at 10,000 steps if you have more energy. Many people don’t realize that 10,000 steps is a goal meant to be exceeded! Do more if you can, and find ways to enjoy moving more. Of course, get your doctor’s okay before you change your activity pattern.