TIP: Take the stairs.

I am not a person that particularly likes to take the stairs; I’d much prefer to wait for the lift to come. Even when I used to travel into London for work I would wait patiently on the right hand side of the escalator as it slowly moved upwards to get out of the tube station.

But taking the stairs is a simple but effective way to get a little bit more active. So this week I chose to take the stairs wherever possible, this included my trip to London over the weekend, shopping and at university.

” Though she be but little she is fierce” – Shakespeare.

Taking the stairs seems like a fairly small, insignificant task but it has a great impact on your health.

Benefits

• There is absolutely no extra or special equipment that is needed.
• Climbing stairs can help you maintain a healthy body weight.
• It’s a quick and easy way to fit exercise into your day.
• Taking the stairs is classed as an aerobic workout, which benefits your overall health.

Taking the stairs makes no major disruption to your day; it won’t cost you anything or make you change your plan!

“Every journey begins with just a single step”

Taking the stairs for a week could be the first step in your journey to moving more for longer periods of time.

Saving Time

At one tube station it took around a minute for someone on the escalator to reach the top. When walking the steps on the escalator, I could reach the top in 20 seconds.

In the end:

Overall the small change affected my lifestyle in a positive way, I felt better about myself for taking the stairs. It made me realise that if I make small changes to my lifestyle then I may see big changes to my health.

Taking the stairs is a sustainable change that you can make to your lifestyle.

Lauren Miranda
Journalism Student
Canterbury Christ Church University