Posted by Dr Michelle Wright
It’s Health Matters time once more on WRS. Dr Michelle Wright, British-trained GP living and working here in Switzerland, back with you after the summer break.
As memories of summer holidays fade and the new school year begins, many of us notice that the long days of hiking, swimming in the lake, or cycling start to slip away.
But the changing seasons doesn’t have to mean losing all those hard-earned fitness gains. Today, I’m sharing some practical tips to help you keep moving, plus the latest research on why aiming for at least 7000 steps a day could be a game-changer for your long-term health.
It’s natural to be more active in summer – the warm weather, lighter evenings, and holidays outdoors all encourage us to move. But as the days shorten, temperatures cool, and routines tighten, it becomes harder to fit exercise in. Motivation drops, and before we know it, our daily step count has halved.
What are some practical ways to stay active?
The good news is you don’t need to replicate your summer adventures to maintain your health. It’s really about weaving in movement to your everyday life, and a few small adjustments can make all the difference.
- Take short walking breaks. Even a five-minute stroll after a meal or during a work break can help with digestion, clear your head, and add to your step count without feeling like ‘exercise.’ If you work at a desk, set a timer to remind yourself to get up regularly.
- Use active transport. If you commute, think about walking or cycling part of the journey. Get off the tram or train one stop earlier, or park a little further away. These extra minutes of movement soon add up over a week.
- Make weekends your movement anchor. In Switzerland, we’re lucky to have incredible landscapes on our doorstep. A Saturday morning walk through the forest, a vineyard trail, or even a stroll along the lakeside can be both restorative and social. You don’t need to climb a mountain every weekend to stay fit – unless that’s your thing (!) – shorter, regular outings can be just as beneficial.
- And have a rainy-day plan. Autumn usually brings wet, chilly weather, but that doesn’t have to stop you. Simple bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, or planks at home, or even walking while you’re on a phone call, keep you moving indoors. Your living room can be just as good as a hiking trail for keeping your body active.
The key message is that: consistency matters. Regular small bouts of movement, spread across your day and week, can still keep your health on track – and they’re easier to sustain than one big workout that you dread.
How many steps a day really make a difference?
Now – something really encouraging. A major study published in The Lancet Public Health this August looked at daily step counts and health outcomes. The researchers found that walking around 7000 steps a day is linked to:
- almost halving the risk of early death,
- lowering the chances of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression,
- and also reducing the risk of dementia and falls.
The benefits do increase with higher step counts, but if you’ve felt discouraged by the old ‘10,000 step rule,’ this is good news: 7000 is enough to make a big difference.
I hope this gives you a little motivation to carry your summer fitness into the autumn months. Remember – it’s not about chasing perfection, it’s about small, sustainable actions. Aim for at least 7000 steps a day, and weave movement into your daily life wherever you can.
