Increasing Your Steps While At Home

With a little creative thinking, you can find easy ways to add steps at home. The following tips are provided to help you gain steps while you are at home.

• Take several short 10 minute walks during the day.
  
• Take the long way when walking to a store in the mall.
  
• Walk your dog or walk your neighbor's dog.
  
• Park further away in the parking lot.
  
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
  
• Walk to grocery stores, video stores or bookstores within a one-mile radius of your home.
  
• Put on music and dance while cleaning your home.
  
• Try to take half of your goal steps by noon.
  
• Walk to your neighbors/friends instead of calling.
  
• Plan walks into your day with a friend at the beginning of the day and with your family at the end of the day.
  
• Start a walking club with your neighbors/friends.
  
• March in place while talking on the phone.
  
• Walk while talking on a cordless phone.
  
• Walk during the commercials on television.
  
• Walk the terminals at the airport while waiting for your plane.
  
• Avoid the people movers at the airport.
  
• Plan active weekends (long walks, hiking, go to the park).
  
• Garden.
  
• Unload your shopping bags from the car in four trips instead of juggling four bags in two arms and avoid back injury.
  
• Take a walk and pick up litter in your neighborhood.
  
• Walk about your house once a day to make one tiny home improvement.
  
• Walk up and down stairs with no purpose in mind.
  
• Quit using the remote control to change TV channels.
  
• Never sit for more than 20 minutes straight.
  
• Return your supermarket shopping cart to its proper storage location.
  
• Think footsteps -- anytime, anywhere.