Samo Podgornik
Walking, as one of the most fundamental forms of movement, is omnipresent in our lives. Of course, this applies to the average healthy individual. We walk every day, even at night, some even in their sleep. We walk quietly, on tiptoes, loudly, stomping like bears, pounding with our heels, sliding with the soles, to the delight of some, rhythmically, as in a dance, while others appear as if they’ve had a mild stroke. We get on each other’s nerves, under each other’s skin, and can even step on each other’s toes. It’s fascinating how much we love treading on each other’s toes. Sometimes we walk on air, and some walk as if they’re walking on eggshells. Those who walk as if they’ve liberated something or someone are also intriguing. Would you like to walk with me?
There are numerous metaphors, but it's literally recommended to take at least 10,000 steps a day.
For those of you who don’t have much time and aren’t skilled at counting, I recommend buying a sports wristband or a sports watch that diligently records every step we take, signals us when we’re not active enough, and even rewards us when we reach our set goal. The reward may not be tangible, as you might have thought, but it’s similar to receiving a few hundred thumbs up on social media. For those who feel more at home in Scotland or, let’s say, in the Upper Carniola (Gorenjska), there are also free smartphone apps that perform a similar function. By this, I mean they count your steps without walking for you.
Most importantly, post-meal walking is essential. Even the ancient Greeks used to say, “Stand or walk after a meal.” There’s no need to sprint with a full stomach and pant after a couple of hundred meters, unintentionally revealing to passersby what you’ve just consumed. No, moderate walking is sufficient, around half an hour would be ideal. Keep in mind that to achieve 10,000 steps daily, you need about 1 hour of walking. You can distribute this hour throughout the day, for example, in four 15-minute walks.
Let’s look at an example of how simple this is to achieve (for women). In the morning: a 15-minute walk from the bathroom to the closet. After lunch: climbing the stairs, walking around the building to the pallet garden and back, another trip up the stairs to the cafeteria for coffee and a visit to the restroom – 15 minutes. After work: strolling through the grocery store aisles, remembering that you forgot to weigh the lettuce at the checkout, going back for another lap to the cashier – 15 minutes. That leaves just 15 minutes for a leisurely evening walk, and the daily quota is fulfilled.
