How To Get Extra Steps

Walking is one of the best exercises for keeping your body in basic shape and for helping to keep the pounds off. Simply eating less calories each day, and adding some walking into your daily routine can go a long way in helping you to shed many of those unwanted pounds. Trying to squeeze some extra walking into your daily routine can really make a big difference.

Of course, getting enough walking in can often be easier said than done. As a parent, you have a lot of additional responsibilities that you must take care of. Kids add a lot of extra work that you don’t normally have otherwise. This will often lead to less energy to get up and move around. Don’t let having a kid be an excuse for walking less. Use your kids as a reason to actually get up and move.

In order to walk enough in the day, below are a few ideas for how to get up and move, even for busy parents. Some of the ideas below may not work for you - find ways that work for your schedule and responsibilities. You may find yourself pacing back and forth before bed, but if that’s what works for you, then great.

• Go on a walk every day. Get outside, pull out the stroller, and go for a walk with your child. Your child will generally love going for a ride in the stroller, and it will allow you to move your legs. Walk as much as your child will allow you.

• Go to the park. If you are close enough, walk to the park. If not, drive to the park so that you can walk around the park. If there’s a playground your child wants to play on, let them play and walk around the playground or pace along the side. This allows you to keep an eye on your child while also getting some steps in.
• Park further away at stores. Don’t waste your time trying to find the closest parking spot you can to the doors. Just park further away and walk a bit further to get inside. If you’re at the grocery store, park near a cart return station so that you walk further to get in and out of the store, but you can leave your child in the car while returning your cart.
• Walk around couches. When you’re at home, walk around the couches when you have some extra minutes. Perhaps you’ve got the television on - just walk around the couch (or other furniture) while watching. You can even just pace back and forth. There’s no reason you have to be sitting down while watching television.
• Walk back to a specific location every few minutes. Set a timer, and walk back to a specific location when that timer goes off. You can make this a game with your child and have them walk there with you. Kids can often enjoy watching the timer or waiting to run to the location.
• Walk up and down stairs. Similar to the above, you can walk up and down the stairs more than you really need to. If you need to walk upstairs, walk up the stairs, walk back down, and then walk back up them. You can also simply add the stairs to your timed walks and your kids can go with you.

• Play games outside. Get outside and play with your kids. Soccer, basketball, football, frisbee all force you to move around a bit. Quality time with your kids is one of the things they will remember as they grow older, and it helps you to increase your step count.

Walking and getting some extra steps each day can sometimes require being creative. However, if you’re motivated to do so, you should be able to meet your daily goal without much issue. Get up and get moving.