According to data from the National Observatory of Physical Activity, 47% of women and 29% of men are physically inactive. And among children and adolescents, the figures remain very worrying since 73% of young people aged 11 to 17 do not meet the recommendations in terms of physical activity. This is why prevention messages continue to advocate movement. And especially walking. Take 10,000 steps per day is part of recommendations regularly issued by official authorities.
And for good reason. There is an avalanche of scientific studies proving the benefits of walk for the health. This helps reduce the risks of diabetes, breast cancer in particular and strokes. It even helps to better irrigate the brain, which would promote the production of new neurons and maintain our memory in particular. In addition, it is an activity within the reach of all budgets and which can be practiced at any age, both indoors and outdoors.
“The number of 10,000 steps per day is a basic indicator. But you can vary the speed with acceleration, or increase the effort by walking on sloping terrain. For older people, you can walk more slowly, the main thing is to move! “, precise Maël Dec, researcher for the National Observatory of Physical Activity and sedentary lifestyle. The ideal is to have a pedometeror its cellphone which offers specific applications for counting steps. But how do you go about achieving this daily quota without even realizing it? Our answers.
1/ Determine sessions of 50 steps
Whether outside or inside, the idea is to proceed in sessions. Even in a small apartment, 50 steps are programmed at specific times of your choice. For example before or after breakfast, before or after the shower, in the afternoon, in the evening, etc. Of course, in a small space, you clear a path, no matter how small. The important thing is to break the 10,000 steps into small sessions that won’t make you feel like an effort.
2/ Walk while calling
For the talkative among you, simply make your calls standing up and pace around the room while talking. You will quickly notice that the quota of 10,000 steps is much easier to reach at the end of the day.
3/ Use daily means of transport
Getting off a bus or metro station earlier, parking your car (bike or scooter) far from your meeting place is the best way to skyrocket your daily step count.
4/ At the office, take every opportunity to walk
Go see a colleague at the other end of your office, make calls while walking, take your breaks while walking, go get a drink on another floor, walk after your lunch break, put your personal bag down far from your desk work so that you have to get up: work days are full of opportunities to make your legs work.
5/ At home, increase the number of walking episodes
Clear the table by making several trips back and forth and not by using a tray, place the remote control far from the sofa, go and help yourself to water glasses by glasses instead of keeping your bottle nearby… Here again, you can quickly achieve a good number of steps just by changing your daily behaviors.
6/ Program your phone
Set reminders that it’s time to go for a few steps. You can thus divide 10000 by the number of sessions you can perform daily
7/ Play it collectively
Walking can be even easier if you do it in pleasant company. If possible, choose someone with whom you can both walk and talk, and organize regular walks (after or before work, after or before school if you have to look after the children, etc.)
8/ Optimize your weekends
Go shopping, flea markets, garage sales or markets, walk the dog (of your friends or relatives if you don’t have one), explore the surrounding green spaces: opportunities for walking should be increased on weekends. end to break the routine of the week.
Thanks to Maël Dec, study manager for the National Observatory of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle.
