Top 5 Reasons to Take the Stairs

Let’s face it, the elevator gets used more than the stairs in most places. The elevator may be faster and more convenient, but taking the stairs can have a big impact on your overall health. I used to look at stairs as menial exercise, but now I am convinced it can deliver benefits that last years. Plus, it is super simple to add to your daily life. Stairs are everywhere for the taking. How often do we walk right past them? Now I Make it a game to hit all the stairs in my path, and here is why:

Climbing stairs can be a crazy good stress reliever.

It’s NO secret that exercise energizes by releasing endorphins, which increases your overall health and reduces stress. On days that I know I will be crazy busy and scattered, I look for those stairs and do a lap or two before I get started for the day. It reduces any tension I may feel about my packed day. Breathing deep up those stairs gets oxygen to my brain to help me focus on the tasks at hand.

Climbing Stairs is Crazy Good Cardio.

Did you know that running stairs burns more calories than your morning jog? I am out of breath after just a few flights of stairs for good reason….Incline, incline, incline, nothing works the heart better than a good incline. And the only way to really work the heart is to get good and out of breath. Stairs are guaranteed to get you out of breath quick. And that’s a good thing!

Climbing Stairs is Crazy Good Strength Training.

Hauling your own bodyweight up stairs is a great way to build lower body strength, while maintaining healthy bones, muscles, and joints. Trust me, you feel the strength in your legs, especially if you skip a stair as you climb. Give it a try and feel the burn!

Climbing stairs is usually Faster than the Elevator.

This doesn’t surprise me. When my children were little, I used to “race them to the top”…they took the elevator and I ran the stairs and BOOM! I beat them to the top every time! Think about it…no waiting for a door to open and no multiple floor stops. Instead, you eliminate wait time and add minutes and steps of exercise to your day. What’s the question? I’ll race you to the top!

Climbing stairs Kicks a Sedentary Lifestyle to the Curb.

Ever look at your day and add up how long you sit? Your body is designed to move and functions so much better in everyday life when you plug in movement. Think how easy it is to add movement to your day at the nearest staircase! It is such a perfectly simple exercise that you don’t need a gym to do. Indoors or outdoors, stairs are the answer to my movement quick fix in daily life. Even on vacation, I skip that elevator and work those hotel steps. Imagine coming home from vacation 5 lbs. lighter? It’s not crazy. It’s genius.

I encourage all my peeps to add simple movements to their day, every day to make a difference in their heart health, leg and glute strength, and their oxygen intake. That’s code for better self-confidence, better mood and better health.

Take the one-week challenge. Look for stairs and take them every time for 7 days. I just know you will feel a difference worth climbing more for!