This is probably old hat to many people, or just not needed for your lifestyle. But if this helps, here’s a life hack: I love reading, and the experience of seeing and digesting the written word. Audio books or podcasts or lectures are nice, but don’t really do the same thing for me. But the problem with reading is that it is very sedentary.
However, I also know that I need more steps in my life. Research continues to show that getting 10-20K steps per day is necessary to compensate for our largely sedentary modern life. As an educator and priest, I probably get more walking and standing in than most office jobs. But still not enough. And I work out 3-4x per week with weights, but that’s still not the same. The research shows that sustained moderate cardio activity over time has a number of health benefits that aren’t found in short duration high intensity exercises. Both are needed, they just do different things.
Now, the problem is that on nights when I could spend 30-60 minutes walking or reading, I would much rather read. That may help my brain, but not my body. However, my wonderful wife got me a midsize Kindle for Christmas. It allows me to read Books without the distractions that come on my phone. But I have recently found a bonus: It is extremely readable while walking. It is backlit, so it is readable in low light environments. But it is also readable in sunlight (unlike a phone). And with the right kind of case it is easily held in the hand while moving.
All of which means that I can go to a track or a treadmill or any place that is level and flat and low traffic, and walk at a moderate pace while reading. So, if you’ve ever wanted to actually read while getting your steps in, this works pretty well.
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