St John’s Wood: Increase Steps by Walking a Few Stops

By Louise Miller, Clinician, St John’s Wood

If you want to increase your number of steps per day, I find the most sustainable approach is not to aim for an all or nothing target like 10,000 steps a day, which often fails. Instead, I recommend looking at where you are currently at and making small tweaks to your daily routine in St John’s Wood that you can actually keep doing.

A simple way to add steps without overhauling your day

My practical tip is straightforward. Get off the tube or bus a few stops early and walk the rest of the way. It is an achievable shift that can build into a habit.

At work, or when out and about in St John’s Wood, take the stairs not the lift. These small changes are often far more sustainable than setting a big daily step goal that feels off putting.

Why this works

Unrealistic goals can put people off entirely. When you start with what you are already doing and make modest changes, it becomes much easier to stay consistent. Over time, that consistency can make a world of difference to your overall health.

A useful stat to keep in mind

You can improve your cardiovascular endurance by doing activities that increase the amount of oxygen you breathe in. With modest aerobic exercise you can improve your maximum oxygen consumption by 10 to 15%. This will improve your heart and lung health.

Cautions before you increase activity

If you have known heart issues or respiratory complaints check with your doctor first, that this is appropriate.

Look at where you are currently at and make small tweaks to your daily routine.

If you are in St John’s Wood and want to discuss whether increasing your daily activity is appropriate for you, you can book an appointment at Mayfield Clinic. You can find more details on the St John’s Wood location page here.To book a general practice appointment, click here.