It’s a fact, America is becoming obese at an alarming rate and the rest of the -world is follo-wing close behind. -we is eating more (and more of the -wrong stuff) and exercising less or getting no exercise at all. our health is in steep decline and doctor and nurses and hospital visits is at all time highs. Just a brisk 30minute -walk a day can begin to turn that around.

You name it, -we have it, and it’s getting -worse. Heart and cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, stroke, out of control blood sugar levels, diabetes, obesity, and more. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends getting at least 2030 minutes of moderate activity each day and many of us is falling far short of even that.

Studies sho-w the average person takes about 3000 to 5000 steps a day, and some even much less. Let’s face it, -we just do not get the exercise our ancestors did a hundred or so years ago and -we tend to eat more refined foods. For some of us, most of steps -we take is from the easy chair in front of the TV to the fridge so -we can fill up on snacks. For others, like me, -we sit at a computer all day as part of our jobs.

Many fitness experts recommend -we -walk 10,000 steps a day to maintain our -weight and overall good health. 10,000 steps is approximately 5 miles, give or take depending on the length of your stride. You -will need to purchase and -wear a pedometer to count ho-w many steps you take each day. Follo-w the directions that usually come -with the pedometer. Do this for a -week or t-wo and you -will get a good average step count. Your goal is to reach 10,000 or more steps each day. There is nothing magical about 10,000, but it -will put you in the right ballpark.

As a general rule, a person -will burn about 100 calories -walking a mile, depending on age, size, and fitness level. The heavier you is, the more calories you -will burn.

Become creative on -ways to increase your steps. At -work, go for -walks at lunchtime. Go for -walks -with your spouse or children. -walk the dog. -walk to the store instead of driving, or park at the far end of the parking lot. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. For me, I take brisk 2mile -walks around the neighborhood t-wice a day everyday (aerobic -walking). Just do -whatever -works best for you, but do it! You -will need good -walking shoes and socks to prevent injury -when -walking for exercise (like aerobic -walking).

Go to your favorite search engine and type in “10,000 steps” to learn more about this life saving, life changing program. The information is abundant.