Fitting exercise into daily life is challenging. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, even brief periods of physical activity throughout the day can improve your health, especially if the activity becomes part of your daily routine. Taking the stairs, walking from the far end of the parking lot to your destination, walking or biking to work, to school, to the bus stop or while on errands – these are all ways to be physically active!

Go! Chapel Hill is implementing a Town wide 10,000 Steps program with way signs that mark the number of steps to key points around Chapel Hill. Wear a pedometer and watch your steps accumulate in both routine and recreational activities. See below for ways to increase your level of physical activity.

Download your own walking logs

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Easy ways to get physical activity during your work day:

1. Use the stairs instead of the elevator when ever possible.
2. Get up from your desk and take a three-minute walk every hour.
3. Park your car in a space farthest from your destination.
4. Go for a walk during your lunch break.
5. Don’t call your office colleagues; walk over to their offices whenever possible.
6. Hold walking meetings – walk and talk!
7. Go to the fitness center at work during lunch or use available resources – create a suitable 15 minute workout.
8. Find a buddy to exercise with.
9. Stretch – take 5 at work.
10. Walk to lunch.
11. Walk to the break room or restroom farthest from your office.
12. Walk your children to school.
13. Walk every supermarket aisle, whether you need to or not.
14. Use a cordless phone and walk while you talk.
15. Take a walk after dinner.
16. Exercise or stretch while watching TV. Use the commercials as a cue to move!
17. Ride the bus, bike, or walk (instead of driving) to detonations that are close.
18. Walk the perimeter of the field during sporting events.
19. Play music and dance around the house.
20. Take a walk with your spouse, child, or friend.
21. Take your dog for a walk, rather than just letting the dog run around in the yard.
22. Walk to the store.
23. Get up to change the channel (lose the remote or turn off the TV.)
24. Do a couple of laps around the shopping mall, window shopping along the way.
25. Walk over to visit a neighbor.
26. Get outside to walk around the garden or do a little weeding.
27. Walk into the bank or restaurant instead of using the drive-in window.
28. Take a walk while waiting for your doctor’s appointment or for a restaurant table.
29. Create a Family Fun Step Challenge: Choose a destination for a family trip and calculate the number of steps it would take to get there (average: 2,000 steps per mile). Post the goal on the refrigerator and log each member of the family’s daily steps.
30. Plan a Weekly Family Fitness Outing: Regardless of the weather – hike local trails or just take your dog – or the neighbor’s – for a walk around the block