MIM: Extra Steps

We’ve all heard that walking is important to our health.  We sit down far more than we should, especially if you work at a desk most of the day.  So how do you get those extra steps in?  We have a few ideas and some are great for your pup, too…

-Park as FAR AWAY as possible from where you are going!  Whether it’s to the store, to work, or a friend’s
house, parking a little ways away is an easy way to get lots of walking in!  This works great with Fido, too: by parking further away from the park, daycare, or a friend’s house, the extra walking gives your pup time to decompress a bit from the excitement of getting to their favorite place (or not so favorite place, like the vet’s office).  They can sniff, potty, and get some of their wiggles out before going into an exciting situation.  Plus extra steps for them too!

-Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.

-Schedule walking dates with friends instead of sitting and eating or drinking.  Bringing your pup is an added bonus!  They get socialization and practice on the leash.

-Make extra trips to bring in groceries from the car instead of trying to load up on one trip (this will save your back, too!).

-Try “stand up” or walking meetings at the office.

-Train your dog – practice “stay” by walking away from your dog.  Practice “come” and if they don’t come, walk to your dog and guide them to where you were standing.  All of this training activity adds up to lots of steps for you!  Get creative with your dog!

-Check out our Leash Your Fitness classes and events!   Not only will you get extra steps and socialization for your doggie, but there are exercises along the way to multitask on your walk to get a workout in too!

Any small changes you can make will add up, so never think that one time isn’t going to make a difference!  There are lots of great activity trackers out there now, or you can get a simple pedometer to help motivate you to walk more.  Or simply just walk as much as you feel you can!  

Ask yourself: did I do as much as I could today to get extra steps in?  How do YOU get extra steps into your day?