• Park in the far back of the parking lot and walk further to the door.
• Get off the bus a stop or two before your usual stop and walk the rest of the way.
• Use the furthest entrance into your workplace from your parking spot or bus stop, and walk through the building to your work area.
• Don't stand, pace - when waiting for the bus, waiting at an elevator, etc. pace around in circles rather than just standing.
• Circle the room when waiting for meetings to start.
• Use the restroom, copy machine, water fountain, break room, etc. that is further from your work area.
• Take the stairs rather than the elevator, especially for one to three floors, both up and down.
• When making a phone call, stand up and pace around as you talk.
• Rather than phone or email, walk to a coworker's office or neighbor's house and talk to them live.
• When people stop to talk with you, make it a moving meeting and walk around together while chatting.
• Hide the TV remote and walk to the TV to change channels.
• During TV commercials, get up and walk around the house.
• When doing errands, park in a central location and walk to your store destinations.
• Return the shopping cart all the way into the store after grocery shopping.
• Never drive through - get out and park and walk into the bank or fast food stop instead.
Short Dedicated Walks
• Marching Minutes - every 30 minutes get up from your desk or easy chair and do 1-5 minutes of walking in place and stretching your arms, shoulders and neck.
• Before eating lunch, take a 10 minute walking break.
• Walk the dog.
• Look over your usual trips in the car - are there any that you could do as walks instead, such as to the post office?
• If you take your kids to sports or activities, dedicate 10-20 minutes of that time to walking around after dropping them off or when you arrive early to pick them up.
• When waiting at the airport - secure your bags and take a good walk around the terminal area. Don't take the people-mover sidewalks.
Walking Together - Two or More
• Form a workplace walking group and meet to walk together during lunch or break.
• Form a neighborhood walking group and meet to walk together in the morning, noon, or after work.
• Make a family habit of taking a 10-20 minute walk after dinner together, or first thing in the morning.
• Use the Webwalking USA Programfor a family or workplace walking challenge.
• Chart your walking and set a reward when you reach your walking goals.
Fun Walking Activities for the Weekend
• Charity Walks - usually 5-10 kilometers (3-6 miles) and lots of fun.
• Visit local parks and enjoy the trails. Set a goal to visit them all in the next couple of months.
• Seasonal walks: Holiday lights, flowers and gardens, nature trails, local festivals, historic home tours, autumn leaves.
• Volkssport walking events and clubs: These free or inexpensive walking events and self-guided walking routes are open to everyone and held in locations throughout the world. Volkssport walking
Walking Steps Equivalents
1 mile = 2100 average steps.
1 block = 200 average steps
10 minutes of walking = 1200 steps on average
Bicycling or swimming = 150 steps for each minute.
Weight lifting = 100 steps per minute
Rollerskating = 200 steps per minute
Step Counters Pedometer Walking Program: This free 28-day program gives you daily tips on using a pedometer and adding more steps to your day.
