When you’re renovating your lifestyle, it can be easier to focus on small daily changes. These changes seem barely noticeable, so it’s not overly difficult to make the commitment. But over time the results can make a significant difference in how you feel (and look).

One such modification is skipping the elevator, and using stairs whenever you can. You might be surprised at how this simple change can help you improve your health over time. For example:

Your legs will get stronger. Climbing stairs works your quads, butt, and calf muscles. So, you’ll tone up… But you’ll also promote healthier joints, and the added muscle can boost your metabolism a bit.

You will avoid cardiovascular disease. While cardiovascular disease is linked to a genetic predisposition, whether or not you actually develop the disease depends mostly upon your habits. Frequent exercise, particularly involving the large muscles of the butt and legs, can help you lower your risk of heart disease.

It’s an easy way to burn calories. Time spent at the gym can also be important, but often what we really need to do is burn more calories throughout the day. Humans aren’t really meant to sit in desk chairs all day, so including more movement throughout your regular routine is important.

Start your day in a good mood. Even just a few minutes of moderate exercise can help you arrive at your office, or other destination, feeling rejuvenated and ready to focus.

Climbing stairs can be modified as you get fit. We often talk to patients who made a few lifestyle changes, lost a bit of weight, and now they’re “stuck” on a weight loss plateau. That’s because as we get fit and lose weight, our bodies need a bit fewer calories to function every day. So, we need to increase our calorie burn slightly, by modifying our workouts. If you’ve been skipping the elevator to opt for stairs, and you’ve gotten into better shape, now you can increase the difficulty just slightly. Each morning, instead of climbing straight up to your office floor, go up a few more floors and then come back down. Or, take the stairs two at a time, or go for a “stair walk” on break. You can gradually add more stair climbing into your daily routine without noticing a big difference in the time spent… But you will  eventually notice a difference on the scale!

For more information on weight loss, and the small daily changes that will really add up over time, give us a call. We can help you renovate your lifestyle, whether you want to lose weight, prevent disease, or simply fight back against the aging process.