|
Note: This competition is now closed.
We’ve all heard the excuses time and time again – I don’t have enough time to exercise, it’s too cold in winter, the gym costs too much… Well time to kick those excuses to the curb! You can add a spring into your step each and every day by aiming to get your walk on! Did you know that it’s recommended you walk at least 10,000 steps a day? According to Jenny Craig, research shows that if you clock up this many steps every day, chances are good that you’re getting many basic benefits of physical activity. If you’re trying to lose weight, you may need to do more, say 12,000 to 15,000 steps a day*.  A recent Jenny Craig study put fourteen occupations to the test, giving each participant a pedometer to see how much they walked during a typical day’s work. Results found that nurses were streets ahead of the pack, doing the most steps, with postmen second (just under 14,000 strides), waiters third with just over 9,000 steps and policeman were fourth with 8,333. Well behind the pack were office-bound secretaries, walking a measly 2,500, and last were builders with only 1,182 steps a day!
nzgirl Roadtest
nzgirl editor Ramarea, and nzgirl reader Kelly, both took on the pedometer test, donning one for an entire working week to find out how much they’re really walking.
Find out how they did and what Jenny Craig Weight Management expert Angela Berrill had to say – and if you want to take the test for yourself, we’ve got 10 pedometers to give away!
 Name: Ramarea
Job: nzgirl editor
The most I walked in a day was: 7,000 steps
The least: 3,500 steps
Average steps after five days of work: 4,900
I walk up the road and around the corner, where I met Liss and catch a ride to work with her. Then I’m pretty much stationed at my desk all day – unless there’s a launch or event to attend. Then maybe I’ll pop out for the two minute walk to the dairy across the road, and won’t leave my desk again except for mini tea breaks and home time. Angela says: Ideally you should be aiming to complete at least 10,000 steps per day to experience the benefits of undertaking physical activity. To increase the number of steps in your day, try ‘talking’ an email, going for a walk at lunch time or taking the stairs rather than the lift. You can even use shopping to your advantage; the steps taken to walk around the shops soon add up. Being active not only helps to reduce your risk of chronic disease and assists weight management but it can also help to boost your energy levels.
 Name: Kelly
Job: Banker
The most I walked in a day was: 12,480 steps
The least: 10,400 steps
Average steps after five days of work: 13,084
I love walking; two to three times a week I walk to work (if I get up early enough), which takes about 40 minutes and at work I’m pretty much running around all day long. If I don’t walk to work, I go after work; just around the block before it’s too dark, then start again in the morning!
Angela says: A great result. By walking at least 10,000 steps per day you are ensuring that you experience the benefits of undertaking physical activity.
These include reducing the risk of chronic disease, assisting weight management and boosting your energy levels.
Angela’s tips for busy nzgirls to up their steps... - Look for opportunities to stay on your feet and move during office hours
- Speak rather than email (e.g. walk down the hall to ask the question)
- Walk to work
- Get off the train or bus one stop early or park your car a little further away
- Avoid escalators and lifts and opt for stairs
- Go for walks in your lunch break
- Wear a pedometer. Angela says, “Wearing a pedometer is an easy way to track your daily steps and is particularly helpful when trying to shed pounds or maintain weight loss. If you wear a pedometer every day for a week, from morning to night and record your daily steps by the end of the week you might be surprised or shocked about how much exercise you do in a day.”
How many steps do you do each day? Are you doing enough? Get a little spring back in your step! Thanks to Jenny Craig we have 10 pedometers to giveaway! To get in the draw just tell us one of Angela’s tips for walking more…
*Blair, Dunn, Marcus, Carpenter, Jaret, Cooper. “Active Living Every Day – 20
Weeks to Lifelong Vitality” Human Kenetics 2001 |
