Walking is a convenient way to sneak in the exercise you need without having to find time in your busy schedule for a workout. Every step you take throughout your day adds to the recommended 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise needed for a healthy lifestyle. You can wear a pedometer on your belt as a convenient way of monitoring your steps or mileage. Consult a physician before starting any exercise program.
Adults
Two thousand steps is approximate to one mile says Harvard Health. By increasing your steps, you increase your cardiovascular health and get the recommended amount of daily exercise without having to find time for the gym. There are several ways to find more steps in your day. Try parking farther from the store, use the restroom on a different floor of your office building and use the stairs to get there, or walk to a co-worker's office to discuss a problem instead of emailing or calling. Harvard Health also advises that you can determine how fast you are walking by the number of steps you take. 80 steps per minute means you're walking at a leisurely pace; while racking up 120 steps a minute indicates that you're walking very fast.
Children
Since the much touted 10,000 steps a day refers to adults, you should ensure that your child takes even more to stay physically fit. This may seem like a large number of steps, but school-age children are full of energy and can easily reach this goal. Instead of sitting and watching a television show or playing a video game, purchase a pedometer for your child and challenge him to reach his goal each day. Try taking a family walk in the evenings or run relay races in the backyard.
Older Adults
Older adults with limited mobility should still strive for as many steps in a day as possible. Activities as simple as getting up to change the channel on the television instead of using the remote, walking to mail box or walking through the grocery store all count toward your daily goal. Set a goal by purchasing a pedometer and using it for several days to find your average steps per day. Increase that number each week by a few hundred steps.