Happy National Move More Month! By now, we’ve all heard that we’re supposed to strive for a minimum of 10,000 steps daily of walking for optimal health, right? But did you know where that number came from? (Because I didn’t.) The idea dates back to a successful marketing campaign for a product called a manpo-kei (translates to 10,000 steps meter) which resulted from the research of Dr. Yoshiro Hatano and ingenuity of Japanese watchmaker Yomasa Tokei. In an effort to combat the increasing inactivity of the average citizen, this innovative step-counting device was launched in tandem with the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Since that time, many studies have tinkered with the magic daily number. For example, getting below 5,000 steps a day has been identified as “dangerously low” and linked to a higher incidence of heart disease and depression. A goal of 7,500 steps a day, by contrast, has been labeled the “minimum ideal dose,” reducing the risk of not only heart disease and depression but also diabetes and other health issues. Ideally, we’d all get 15,000 or more steps a day, but the bottom line is we need to stay active to stay healthy.

So, besides taking a 5-mile walk (the rough equivalent of 10,000 steps), how can we sneak our steps in every day? Here are just a few ways to help you check them off your to-do list.

Set mini goals throughout the day. For example, try to get 1,000 steps before work, 3,500 by lunch or 6,500 before you go home. These gradual victories prevent you from returning at the end of the day and falling short of your numbers because you’re too tired to get them all in.

Take phone calls on the run. With 8 out of 10 U.S. adults now operating wirelessly, getting steps in while on the phone can be a great exercise hack. Next time you’re making a call, checking texts or even just scrolling, stand up and get moving. The time and the steps pass quickly.

Maximize your chores. Make more trips from the car to bring groceries inside. Put each clean laundry item away individually as it’s folded. Straighten up the house by returning things to their places one at a time. And turn on some music in the background to make it more fun.

Turn waiting time into walking time. Microwaves, washing machines, dryers, TV commercials … we wait on so many things throughout the day. Instead of staring at the wall or rotting on the sofa, get on your feet and use that downtime to get some extra steps in.

Distract yourself with entertainment. With Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and HBO Max (to name only a few), we’ve never had more options for TV, movies and sports. But that’s a whole lot of sitting. Using a walking pad/treadmill or even just marching in place while watching television can turn that spare time into care time.

Happy National Move More Month!

Michele Robert Poche