Let’s talk about steps. Something so simple but so many struggle with just the basics of stepping. Whether it be the type of steps you take or how many steps you take its just unfathomable for some to reach a goal or be consistent with said goal after they’ve met it. Why is that?
I’ve asked myself this same question several times. Whether it was regarding me or a client. And through the years I’ve only come to one conclusion. Our society has conditioned everything we do to require less work, hence requiring less steps. Even if you have a job that requires you to move around a lot, how do you get there and what do you do with the rest of your time due to moving around a lot at work? You sit, like many would say I need to rest my feet! In our quest to become more efficient we have become completely inefficient, and our bodies are suffering because of it.
I’m sure you would like to know how the lack of steps play such a huge part in the health crisis we are facing today! So, let me explain. Stepping whether it be stationary, forward, backward, sideways, up, or down is movement. It is a full body workout if done properly. Think about it. Obviously, you are using your feet, but keep in mind your ankles are connected and control the flex and dorsiflex of your feet which are required to step. Then of course your calf muscles help support your ankles. Your knees are needed to slightly bend and lift your feet of the ground to move in the desired direction. You can’t lift your knee without using your hip and for your hip to have the correct support and strength to lift your knee and thigh you need a strong core. From There your spine is needed to keep you upright and your chest is needed to keep your shoulders back, your shoulders control your arm movements, and your neck (cervical spine) is needed to keep your head from bobbling around. Lastly, a healthy functioning brain is needed to orchestrate all of that.
So, what’s the real problem and how do we resolve it. I believe that answer is education of how the body and the brain functions. If everyone understood what’s happening with their own body and their own brain and could put into context how their external world affected this very simple but complex function, then I believe that more people would be either getting more steps or figuring out ways to get them. I refuse to believe that people are just lazy. The combination of overworking, under exercise, stress, and time management is the cause. So how can we fix this?
Here are a few simple ways to start.
- get a step counter (Fitbit, apple watch, Garmin watch etc.)
- add 200-500 extra steps daily (start small)
- park at the back of the parking lot
- take the stairs
- walk around for 5 mins every hour you aren’t sleeping
- do more outdoor activities
This list could be infinite, but you get the picture. Aim to get about 10,000 steps a day and focus on strengthen any parts of your body that make the process challenging you. Don’t just sit around allowing your body to decay.
Get out, Get moving, and Get to Stepping!!!!
Treneice McNeil is a mother of two beautiful young girls, an ACE certified personal trainer and owner of CUTIE FITNESS LLC. CUTIE is an acronym for Courageous, Uplift, Triumph, Inspire, and Encourage. treneicemcneil@cutiefitness.com