‘Walking 10,000 steps a day can make you fit’

Desk jobs, long hours and lack of exercise have made corporate India very lethargic and unfit. Our sedentary lifestyles have led to various health ailments even in youngsters and this coupled with smoking, drinking and unhealthy eating habits are causing further damage. Stepathlon Lifestyle Pvt Ltd (SLPL), a global wellness company which promotes corporate health, fitness and productivity, has a unique initiative called Stepathalon which encourages activity in a simple, inclusive, fun and relevant manner to complement hectic lifestyles. Ravi Krishnan, CEO and Co-Founder of SLPL tells us how he plan to make corporate Indians fit.

What is the 100-day Stepathlon programme? 

Stepathlon is a pedometer based, mass participation event for companies across all industries and countries which aims to break the ‘cycle of sedentary behaviour’ and transform the sedentary into active, and the active into more active. It encourages walking 10,000 steps a day, the number recommended by Global Health Authorities in order to stay ‘active’.

Behavioural scientists note that it takes approximately 66 days to create a habit. We have therefore specifically chosen 100 days for Stepathlon, which provides not only immediate positive impact but is designed to create habitual change impacting long-term health benefits.

We were delighted with the plethora of positive feedback that we received from participants. The post event survey for Stepathletes suggests that 77% of participants lost weight during the programme. Other results include reduced smoking and alcohol intake, decreased stress levels and increased energy plus fitness levels.

Who should undergo it – obese people or just about anyone who wants to shed some kilos?

The Stepathlon tag line is ‘anyone anywhere anytime’.  Our brand encourages the everyday athlete – the 99% of the people who don’t run marathons. It is for everyone irrespective of age, gender, designation, location and fitness level. There are so many advantages, of which weight loss is a significant one.

What diet will people have to follow when undergoing this programme?

Stepathlon is a wellness movement that emphasises daily activity and healthy eating habits. While there is no prescribed diet, Stepathletes have access to a plethora of simple and relevant expert content on health and wellness to help them in this endeavour. This includes information on a balanced and healthy diet.

How can 10,000 steps a day make you fitter? Is that all people have to do or do they also have to hit the gym apart from walking 10K steps?

According to Global Health Authorities, 10,000 steps (6.4 km) is the prescribed number to place an individual in the ‘active’ and ‘fit’ category.  This can be achieved by anyone, anywhere, any time and so, participants will not need to supplement their steps with any additional gym time. Stepathlon allows individuals to achieve a healthy and active lifestyle within their time and space constraints.

Many people do not realise how little they need to do to be markedly fitter, healthier and happier. Thirty minutes of walking every day can reduce your exposure to type II diabetes, heart disease, obesity and many other chronic diseases. Through consistent positive reinforcement, everyone can achieve the 10,000 daily steps requirement.

How does one keep a count of the number of steps they walk? Is there any app or device that you recommend to count them?

Stepathlon uses a pedometer, a step counting device, to count a participant’s daily steps. A participant can play sports or participate in other activities. The Stepathlon website uses a unique formula to convert such physical activities into steps, giving an individual a chance to measure their activity levels. It also gives individuals the opportunity to track their daily statistics (steps walked, km travelled, calories burnt). For example,   it takes 2309 steps to walk off a can of Coke but it only takes 1714 steps to walk off a glass of orange juice.

You may also like to read:

• Fun ways to exercise and lose weight
• Lose belly fat with exercises by Hrithik’s trainer Kris Gethin
• Can weight training help you lose weight?
• Walking for weight loss
• Get fit at your workplace with these expert recommended exercises and tips
• Why is high intensity interval training better (HIIT) for weight loss?
• 4 sexy and unusual ways to lose weight    

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