A Step in The Right Direction

May is National Walking Month, and one Hampshire resident, Colin, has been walking at least 15,000 steps every day! Now, he's sharing what his motivations were and how he achieved this.

As a child I was fit, really fit. I played tennis and golf, but also tried my hand at anything sporty.  Fast forward 30 years and over time, I will confess, I have become less and less active in sporting terms and in the last 10 or so years gained quite a lot of weight.  My motivation for walking has been to lose weight and regain some level of fitness.

Walking 15,000 steps a day (approximately 10km) may seem challenging, but it’s about setting a goal that works for you and your routine. For me, I would put my walking into a 3 different categories:

When I am not working at home, I pretty much always walk to and from work. This is about 2 miles each way which I do (on average) 3 days a week. Not only does it help towards my step count, but saves on petrol and parking costs too. It’s my little bit to be more environmentally friendly!

I think this is the most enjoyable form of walking – exploring the Hampshire countryside (and beyond). I even manage to get my wife and children to join me on these walks. Most weekends, I get out for a longer country walk. Some of these I have done many times before, but I am always looking for new adventures and like to explore new routes.

This final branch is about getting my steps done. When I work from home, I find I can do very few steps during the day. So, at lunchtime you might find me walking round the deck in our garden. This isn’t a large space, but I can clock up a couple of thousand steps without going anywhere! You may also see me pounding the streets in the evening.

When country walking isn’t really an option, (too dark or wet) and I simply need to get my steps done, I have a walking circuit from our house that takes me around the local streets. I try to walk for an hour, which will easily bring me towards my 15,000 target, but sometimes that isn’t possible and that’s OK too.

Walking has had its obvious health benefits for me. It helps me keep my weight down and is good for my mental health. It’s also given me the time to listen to a lot of audiobooks as well. You don’t have to copy my routine. Everyone’s goals are personal. But if you’re looking to get more steps in, hopefully my experiences can help you find a starting point.

• If you’re looking to make walking social, there are plenty of walking group opportunities on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight activity finders.
• Our walking page has links to apps that help you set personal goals, and routes so you can explore your local area.
• If you have a disability or are anxious about trying new routes, a project funded by Energise YOUth helped young disabled people to create virtual tours and videos of walks so you know what to expect.