Walking 10,000 Steps a Day -- Five Tips for How to Do It

If you want to walk 10K steps/day, here are five how-to tips: Tip #1. SOCIALIZE WITH WALKERS. Walking with others -- or at least sharing your walking experiences with others -- as you pursue your goal of reaching and sustaining taking 10K steps/day can be very motivating. To find a group, check your local bulletin boards, ask at your gym, or search online. Tip #2. WEAR COMFORTABLE CLOTHES FOR WALKING. Get a good pair of shoes from a specialty store, where the expertise is more than worth the slightly higher price. Look for "wicking" material -- not cotton -- in your shirts and shorts or long pants. Dress appropriately for the weather; there is no sense in making yourself miserable! Tip #3. ALWAYS WEAR A PEDOMETER. You can get a pedometer or step counter for as little as ten to twenty dollars. Put it by your bedside. Attach it to your clothing as soon as you wake and dress each morning. Record your day's total steps -- online or on paper -- at the end of each day. Prior to falling asleep, compare your day's total steps to previous days and weeks. Tip #4. MAKE A GAME OUT OF TAKING EXTRA STEPS. Park at the far end of a parking lot. Take stairs instead of elevators or escalators. Walk up and down soccer or football sidelines. The list could go on and on! Tip #5. FOLLOW A 10K-STEPS/DAY PROGRAM. Tips 1-4 are only the basics of what you need to reach and sustain walking 10K steps/day. For a truly successful start as well as long-term benefits, get and follow a 10K-steps/day program.