Walk your weight off

"Shape Up America!" promotes the 10,000 Steps Program, a national initiative to promote increased physical activity and healthy weight management.

Your everyday activities do not provide you with enough physical activity to maintain a healthy weight.

To get the right amount of activity you should take 10,000 steps a day. The average person takes between 700 and 2,500 steps a day!

To reach the goal of 10,000 steps a day, you can walk, jog or run.

For one week, check how many steps you take every day by wearing a pedometer. (It will count slow and fast steps.) Keep track of your steps.

Thirty minutes of nonstop exercise is the same as taking 10,000 steps. If you like to swim, bike, ski or work out at a gym, you can use those exercises in place of walking, running or jogging.

You may want to choose other types of exercises if you are getting bored with your regular routine.

Related resources

Source: Allina Health's Patient Education Department, Prediabetes: Reducing Type 2 Diabetes Risk Through a Lifestyle of Good Nutrition and Activity, first edition, dia-ah-94403
Reviewed By: Allina Health Patient Education
First Published: 04/02/2009
Last Reviewed: 01/28/2019