Develop Your Personal Walking Schedule
This program is for beginner walkers who average 4,000 steps a day. The goal is to get to 10,000 steps a day!Anyone can use this program by adjusting the numbers. First, you need to buy a pedometer, which is a small device that counts steps. It can be bought at Walmart, Target, or any sporting goods store. You will wear it on your waist for one week while you perform regular activities, and the pedometer will record the number of steps you take each day. This will provide a baseline number of your current level of activity.
Once a baseline is determined, you want to add 500-1,000 steps each day, each week! Aim to increase steps gradually.
Example: If you are currently averaging 4,000 steps each day, then the following week, try to get your average to 4,500-5,000 steps each day. Continue to add each week!
How to add steps to…
Your work day
For advice about your medical care, consult your doctor.
Posted June 2009
| Total (add up the total steps):______divide by 7 days. This is your average steps per day.AVG STEPS PER DAY____________ | ||||||||||||||||
Example: If you are currently averaging 4,000 steps each day, then the following week, try to get your average to 4,500-5,000 steps each day. Continue to add each week!
| Week | Sun | Monday | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat |
| 1 | 4000 | 5000 | 4000 | 4000 | 5500 | 3000 | 6000 |
| 2 | 5000 | 6000 | 4500 | 5000 | 4500 | 3500 | 6500 |
| 3 | 5000 | 6500 | 5500 | 5500 | 5000 | 4500 | 6500 |
| 4 | 6000 | 7000 | 5000 | 6000 | 6000 | 5000 | 7000 |
| 5 | 6000 | 7000 | 6500 | 6500 | 7500 | 5500 | 6500 |
| 6 | 6000 | 7500 | 7000 | 7000 | 7500 | 6000 | 8000 |
| 7 | 7500 | 8000 | 7000 | 7500 | 8000 | 6000 | 8500 |
| 8 | 8000 | 9000 | 8000 | 8500 | 9000 | 7500 | 9500 |
| 9 | 8500 | 9500 | 9000 | 9000 | 9500 | 7500 | 10000 |
| 10 | 10000 | 10000 | 10000 | 10000 | 10000 | 10000 | 10000 |
Your work day
- Get off the bus or T stop early and walk the rest of the way
- Instead of emailing a coworker, get up and ask them a question
- Go for a walk on your lunch break
- Set an alarm to get up and move every half hour or hour from your desk or computer screen
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Do a lap around the mall before and/or after your shopping
- While watching TV, get up and move during the commercials
- Get your group (knitting, reading, social) to do a 20-minute walk before your meeting
- Park further away from store entrance
- Walk around the outside perimeter of the grocery store before actually going up and down the aisles
For advice about your medical care, consult your doctor.
Posted June 2009
