The beginning of a new year often is a great time to set goals and make resolutions. In fact, almost half of Americans set New Year’s Resolutions at the beginning of each year. Here in the office, we’re putting our sneakers on and kicking off the year with another wellness challenge, and we’re hoping to inspire you to do the same.
Using pedometers to track everyone’s progress, our goal is to have every participant average 10,000 steps a day – a milestone generally touted as representing an active lifestyle, which actually arose as a marketing tactic to sell pedometers in Japan in the 1960s. The pedometer manufacturer nicknamed its product “manpo-kei” which translates to “ten thousand steps meter.”
The average healthy adult records between 6,000-7,000 steps a day without changing their lifestyle. However, in order to average 10,000 a day – the equivalent of approximately five miles – the typical person needs a bump in their exercise routines. This makes setting a goal and joining a challenge to reach this distance marker a great way to get people moving in the right direction.
The benefits of embracing this wellness challenge will ensure a better and healthier life by:
- Increasing your energy
- Decreasing your risk for Type II diabetes
- Reducing your risk for heart disease
- Improving your blood pressure and blood sugar levels
- Reducing your risk of coronary heart disease
- Wearing a pedometer can show how each opportunity to get moving adds up
Inspired, but not sure how to start? Jumpstart your year by reading our how-to guide, downloading our 66-Day Calendar, and committing to building new habits that will make this your healthiest year yet!
Original Source: http://www.the1thing.com/blog/kw-wellness-challenge/nows-the-time-to-join-our-latest-wellness-challenge/