Walk this way to protect your future health 

Increase your step count in the lead up to winter by making movement social and by incorporating steps into your working day.

Older women who walked around 4,000 steps a day once or twice a week reduced their risk of early death by 26% and their risk of heart disease by 27%.

NEW research has found that older women who walked around 4,000 steps a day just once or twice a week reduced their risk of early death by 26% and their risk of heart disease by 27%, compared to those who were fairly sedentary.

The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, tracked the steps of 13,547 women — who were free from heart disease and cancer and typically aged 72 at the start — for nearly 11 years. The researchers concluded that the number of steps, rather than the number of days participants walk, is important for slashing death rates and the risk of heart disease.

As the weather gets colder and darker, we spoke to personal trainer Lauren May, who has shared seven simple ways to increase your step count this autumn.

Why is staying active so important this time of year?

“As the nights and mornings get darker, this can impact people’s motivation to stay active and many people are affected by Sad (seasonal affective disorder),” says May. “However, when you exercise, you get a massive release of endorphins, which makes you feel great.

“Being active can help boost your mental health as it can reduce anxiety and depression in those months where you might feel more prone to feeling that way. Getting that oxygen flow to the brain can also help you feel more alert.”

Here are seven easy ways to increase your step count, whatever the weather conditions:

1. Make it social: “Getting out into nature and doing more steps in a social setting with friends can be really great as there is so much power in being with someone and having that face-to-face contact,” says May.

“If you know that there’s someone else waiting for you to go, that helps with keeping you accountable.

“Things like local walking groups can also be really great as you can meet other like-minded people in your area and might end up expanding your friendship groups. These groups can help you feel part of a community, which can help you feel more motivated.”
2. Incorporate extra movement into your working day: “If you have a really sedentary job and are sitting at a desk all day, you could set a timer to go off every 30 or 45 minutes to remind you to get up and walk around for a little bit,” suggests May.

“This can help boost productivity, because you get more oxygen flow to the brain when your heart rate’s slightly elevated. So, try a quick pace around the office or if you’re working from home maybe consider walking up and down your stairs a couple of times in your breaks.”

3. Make the most of the hours of sunlight: “If you can, get outside for a walk in your lunch break or after work and get a bit of sunlight onto your skin,” advises May. “Getting that extra vitamin D into your system by being outside, especially in the winter months, can be really beneficial.”

4. Park further away from the shops: “Park your car a little bit further away when you’re going food shopping rather than parking as close as you can to the door, so you have to walk further to get into the shop,” recommends May.

5. Take the stairs instead of the lift: “If you’re in a shopping centre, instead of getting a lift or an escalator, opt for the stairs,” suggests May.

6. Make chores count: “There are so many things that you can do around the house, like cleaning and gardening, which can get your body moving and increase your step count,” says May. “Hoovering the whole house, for example, requires quite a lot of effort.”

7. Put on a YouTube video: Increase your step count by trying out a new workout video on YouTube.

“There are so many different free workouts you can do online, especially on YouTube,” says May. “For example, my mum loves a step class. She will just get a step out at home and do a step class online.

“However, anyone can put anything online, so try to find someone who’s fairly reputable. Make sure that you Google the instructor first and figure out what their credentials are.”