Trust me we get it, there are 1,000 different reasons why you can’t go to the gym today. At this point, we have exhausted nearly all of them. Either the gym is too far, the weather is too cold, the membership is too expensive or our personal favorite: “I just don’t want to go.”
Do you know what is free though? Our legs. Exercising has always been that simple, but fitness influencers will try to tell us that a $450 dollars-a-month Solidcore membership will change lives. While these workout classes can be fun, it is a little unrealistic.
A more attainable fitness goal is to get a minimum of 10,000 steps per day. This is a great way to casually burn calories, strengthen the core and leg muscles and get the validation from checking the health app on our phones.
The Casual Fitness Gurus
Walking around and getting 10,000 steps can still involve a cute workout set, weights and cute shoes. Strap on some two-pound weights, lace up the Hokas and wear that matching set! As simple as walking is, no one said it couldn’t be glamorous.
However, you might be thinking that there is no way 10,000 steps are enough to keep in shape. When in fact, with a balanced diet and hydration, it is the perfect amount of physical activity.
The University of Kansas Medical Center actually referred to this exercise technique as the “magic pill” to a healthy lifestyle.
According to Dr. Kay Hawes, in the midst of certain celebrities glorifying an expensive new obesity drug, you might have missed the best drug of all — walking 10,000 steps.
The health benefits are simple and complex. Walking that much is simply better for your joints, heart rate, stress levels, immunity, energy and blood pressure. However, when seeking long-term health benefits, walking 10,000 steps reduces the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease.
So even though right now most of us are concerned with looking hot in our formal dresses, you will probably thank yourself at 65 for making this exercise change.
It Starts with a Step
We know it is harder than it seems to get yourself off the couch when the cushion is cushioning just right. You can get these steps by walking around a college campus which requires no form of membership (except the tuition you pay).
Invite a friend to come with you, catch up on your favorite podcast or call a family member who hasn’t heard from you in a while. Time passes so much quicker when our brains are working. Before you know it, 30 minutes will have passed and you’re over halfway to the goal.
Something people need to do is normalize basic exercising. It is more fun than you think!
Tag us on Instagram @VALLEYmag the next time you hit 10,000 steps!
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