Walking is not supposed to be an exercise
Human beings are hard-wired for movement. This fact is apparent in infant children who can walk before they can string a sentence together. This bipedaler motion has been our primary mode of transport for thousands of years. Since the industrial revolution, however, our need to walk or run has diminished. Modern-day transportation can get us further in a shorter period. As a result, the time we spent on our feet, is now spent in a chair. Walking and running are no longer thought of as a means of transportation, but rather physical exercise and sport.
Accumulating the daily 10 000 steps is the goal. Ironically, it is difficult for most to even achieve this.
We must start viewing walking as the purest form of locomotion. This change of perspective can significantly improve peoples perceptions of how much movement we require for health and wellness.
Don’t get me wrong, 10 000 steps are better than nothing. It’s a start in what is now the most sedentary time in history.
10 000 steps must form the staple of your everyday routine. This movement is just part of being a human. Anything over and above these actions can then be recorded as exercise.
What do you guys think about this topic? How can we move more in this deskbound lifestyle? Let's start a conversation Stemians.
This post has been very general, and I haven’t mentioned how spine health is affected by our sedentary lifestyle. This will be the topic in the next post, so stay tuned.
See you real soon,
- Chris -
Check out my previous post: The spine's real purpose (explained)
(Drawing by Exercising Health)
We most definitely need to design walking into our day intentionally and not just for exercise like you say. A lot of that comes from urban design especially around America where the car rules as the supreme transportation method.
If we are able to live outside of isolated suburbias then there would be a higher chance of walking somewhere that you actually want to go. The other big issue is over stretching ourselves time-wise and feeling that we can't afford the time to walk.
If those two factors are corrected then there will be much more walking incorporated within your lifestyle.
I agree with you. By design, urban living has made it more difficult to move more. The fast pace nature has also pressed us for time.
We can, however, make small incremental choices every day, that, make a huge difference in the long run. For example, take the stairs at every opportunity. Park your car up the street and walk the last 100m to work. Go to the further bathroom on your toilet break. Walk the dog every day. Walk around the office during a call, instead of sitting. There are a hundred more examples. Once you make these micro adjustments, you realize that a little effort every day goes a long way.
I wouldn't say that it is urban life since I live in a rural area and everybody has to drive most places if you don't live in town. Most people don't like walking on the road because of traffic and not having a sidewalk to travel on.
But yes it is all about changing your lifestyle rather then scheduling in your gym time especially if you dislike the gym.
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STOPHmm well said. Walking can be seen as a means of locomotion, and that will do us a lot of good. Some people might want to oppose this view because they think walking is slower than other means like cars, but we should also not forget that cycling is also slower than cars but yet use of bicycles over cars has been really encouraged. Also, we advice people to use stairs above lifts, but yet lifts are faster. So it's not a matter of how fast, but the benefits associated with such means.
You are spot on. The convenience of being able to move around faster has compelled us to use modern transportation too often. The results are sedentary lives. I think we can all agree that a sedentary life is not healthy one.