Alice Lockridge, Physical Activity expert, MS PhysEd, Exercise Physiologist
If you want to be in a good mood every day, it's a good idea to get moving. Being physically active is one of the most important steps to good health, a good body weight and a good mood. From the time you wake up in the morning until you finally go to bed at night, each step you take counts toward your goal to be physically active. Of course a trip to the gym, tennis court or jogging trail are all great ways to get exercise but there are other ways, besides formal exercise routines, to help set your mood.
How Much is Enough?
Research has shown that those people who are physically active throughout their lives are the healthiest. But just how active do you have to be? How do you know if you're doing enough?
The answers: 10,000 steps a day and a digital pedometer.
A pedometer is a tiny, battery-operated mechanism that you wear on your clothes that counts every step you take. A pedometer is smaller and lighter than a cell phone or pager and is easy to use. The pedometer works because it feels your foot impact the floor and has a screen that shows your daily step count. This immediate feedback on how many steps you've taken is a great motivator. You will feel good knowing that every step counts as you go about your daily activities.
How Far is 10,000 Steps a Day?
Research has shown that it doesn't matter how far you travel in a day it just matters how many steps you take. An average person takes a 2½ foot long step; if they do that 10,000 times (2.5 X 10,000 = 25,000 feet), the distance is just a little less than 5 miles! You can get all your activity steps in your home or office and still be active enough to meet the daily health goal of being "physically active."
You don't need to change your clothes and go to the gym for this part of the health prescription. You see, Every Step Counts, even if it's walking around the house behind the vacuum cleaner or across the driveway carrying your groceries. Of course, there are other things you need to do during the week to be healthy, like strength building and stretching, but we'll talk about those later.
Start Here and Now
The place to start in your good mood plan is with getting enough physical activity. If you don't have an accurate pedometer, check out the pedometers at PRO-FIT's Exercise Express.
Put on a pedometer when you first get up in the morning and find out how many steps you take during the day. Wear your pedometer daily for a week or so and write down the number of steps you take each day. This will let you know if you are meeting the health goal of getting 10,000 steps a day. If you aren't quite there yet, you'll be able to watch the step count each day and know how much more you need to do. As you start to average 10,000 steps a day, your mood should be good and your health will start to improve.