Easy Ways to Get More Exercise

"Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far." ~ Thomas Jefferson

My daughter Amy taking a selfie on a walk

Are you walking enough every day? If you are a full time student or have a sedentary job, there's a strong chance that you're not. One recommendation is to take 10,000 steps a day. A good way to see how far you're walking every day is with a fitness tracker. I use the Garmin Vivosmart 3 to track my steps, my heart rate, my minutes of exercise per week, and even my stress level. I picked this one in particular because it's waterproof, so I can wear it while I swim and track my heart rate in the water.

In any case, whether you use a tracker or not, you can add more steps to your day without a whole lot of effort. Here are some ideas:

1. Park farther away. Instead of looking for the closest parking space, look for the farthest. Extra benefit - you'll get less door dings from people smashing their doors into your car.

2. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. My husband does this one very well; he works on the 23rd floor and often walks up all 23 flights of steps!

3. Walk around the block at lunch hour. This is also a great way to get some sunshine during some prime vitamin D producing hours.

4. Get up 15 min earlier and go for a short walk to get your heart pumping and your blood flowing. It will put you in a great mood and increase your energy level for the day!

“An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

5. Take a walk after dinner. Not only will you get more steps in, but you will also help your digestion.

6. If you're close enough to walk to where you need to go, then walk instead of drive.

7. Leave early and park several blocks away. This one is especially nice for those times when you are going to meet someone for dinner (or for coffee). Then you get a nice little walk in after dinner, too, on the way back to your car!

Are you following along with my 52 Simple Changes That Will Transform Your Life? #12 on the list is "Park farther away to add more walking, and take the stairs more often". Write this down and hang it up on your mirror. You can get the whole list by clicking here. If you implement all 52 simple changes this year and make them habits, by the end of this year you will have significantly improved your diet, your fitness, your mental, emotional, and spiritual health, your house will be cleaner and more orderly, and you will make some serious strides in your financial situation as well. Who doesn't want all that? Get the list, and make those changes! Small changes add up to big wins!

If you're not habitually walking, don't miss out any longer! It is the simplest way to increase your fitness level, improve your mood, and spark your creativity. Here are some of my favorite quotes about walking; these are things that I have found to be absolutely true.

“Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move my thoughts begin to flow.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Family walk after dinner

“Above all, do not lose your desire to walk; every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one can not walk away from it.” ~ Soren Kierkegaard