Love hitting Mustafa Centre for late-night bargain hunting, or shop-hopping along Orchard Road for the latest fashion? You may well be on your way to a healthier lifestyle.
Shopping is an easy way to add to your 10,000 steps per day — just visit your favourite mall and spend an hour or two window shopping!
Related: A Thousand Ways To Walk 10,000 Steps
The Perks of Being a Mall Walker
For those of us just starting to get more active, shopping at the mall is a good activity to ease us in. Here are some more reasons to try walking the malls.
Shop and Safe
Walking the malls is safe — the ground is flat, there are no vehicles to look out for, and you’re sheltered from the scorching sun (there’s nothing more shiok than air-con on full blast on a 30-degree day) or pouring rain.
Health Promotion
Frequent walks will improve your stamina and fitness, and help you burn calories and manage your weight. This in turn helps reduce your risk of diabetes.
Spot the Deals
Attention all bargain hunters: the activity is also a good way to spot the latest deals and sales, so bring out the kiasu in you and start combing the malls!
Related: Walk the Mall to Better Health
Make the Most Out of Malls
Ready to walk the shops? Let’s look at some ideas to turn your shopping trip into a good workout.
Brisk business
Instead of strolling, brisk walk. Brisk walking is a moderate-intensity activity that counts towards your goal of 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.
How brisk is brisk? When brisk walking, your breathing and heart rate should increase slightly, and you should be able to chit-chat but not sing.
Track, Track, Track
Use a pedometer (on your phone or tracker) to monitor your number of steps and distance covered. Keep a log, and challenge yourself to keep breaking records.
Bargain Buddies
Want more motivation? Grab your buddies for a friendly competition to see who can take the most steps. Winner gets to pick something from their favourite stall as a prize.
Or plan a fun day out! Spend time with your family after walking: hit the arcades for some intense bishi bashi, and treat them to a nice (and nutritious) dinner.
Plan Your Route
Know where you’re walking and have a rough idea of the distance you’re covering. For example, the entire stretch of Orchard Road (from Wheelock Place to Dhoby Ghaut station) is about 2.2 km or 2,800 steps.
And if you turn back and browse the shops on the opposite side of the road, it’ll double your step count to 5,600 — more than half your 10K target!
Or choose one of the bigger malls so you have more ground to cover: Vivocity, Ion Orchard, and Mustafa Centre come to mind.
Make it A Routine
If you’re up for a challenge, make mall walking part of your regular workout routine.
The workout involves brisk walking along the corridors of a shopping mall in the morning before the shops open for business.
Do consult your doctor before starting any exercise regime, and practise caution when exercising. Remember, safety first!
Preventing Diabetes: Move More
For more information on how to prevent diabetes, visit our Diabetes Hub.