Prairie Fare: Moving day makes every step count

I grabbed a somewhat heavy box in my arms, walked down the ramp, up a few steps to a landing, up a flight to the second floor and then down the hall. I repeated this process at least 75 times.

We were moving our daughter to a new place. I coached myself on good body mechanics to avoid injury: lifting with my legs, not my back, and keeping the boxes close to my body.

My daughter helped for a while, but she had to work. My husband was recovering from knee replacement surgery, so he was not allowed to move heavy things. I was the primary mover until my daughter’s friends finished work and returned to help.

I am quite persistent about getting work done. I finished unloading everything except two sofas, a dresser, a table and some heavy boxes.

As I walked back and forth repeatedly, I tried to think on the bright side: I was getting a lot of physical activity. My phone has a step counter, and I amassed more than 20,000 steps that day – way more than I do during my sedentary office job. My arm and leg muscles were protesting by the end of the day.

We all know that physical activity is good for us on several levels. We adults need at least 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity, preferably spread over five days, not all on one day. We also need two days of muscle-strengthening activity.

Unfortunately, I could not “bank” my eight hours of moderate-intensity and strength activities for a few weeks.

Physical activity can help us maintain a healthy blood pressure and decrease anxiety. Granted, I was a little anxious about returning the truck to the rental company on time, which helped motivate me to keep moving.

Over time, getting enough physical activity can improve our heart health and lower our risk of stroke, Type 2 diabetes and the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis.

Physical activity is also good for our brain health. Moving more can reduce our risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

In past years, we heard a lot about accumulating 10,000 steps, or five miles, per day. Is 10,000 steps considered the goal for everyone?

If you are accumulating 10,000 steps per day, good for you. However, many of us probably do not need quite that much.

Researchers have put step counts to the test. Published research has shown that 10,000 steps might be a little high. For adults under age 60, the positive results level off between 8,000 and 10,000 steps. For adults over the age of 60, the risk of dying from any cause decreases when a person accumulates 6,000 to 8,000 steps.

If you do not have a phone that counts your steps, then try a watch, bracelet or inexpensive clip-on pedometer. A 30-minute walk equates to about 3,000 steps, depending on your pace.

Remember that any movement is better than no movement. In an analysis of 17 studies, every 500 steps added to your routine can reduce your risk of heart disease by 15%. Researchers reported that walking at least 3,900 steps reduced the risk of dying from any cause.

Set a goal and find something you enjoy, such as walking a dog, playing pickleball, taking a break from a meeting or TV show, or parking your vehicle at the back of a parking lot.

If I worked as an apartment mover getting 20,000 steps per day, I might be setting records for longevity based on this research. However, I do not think I will quit my day job. Recovering took some time. Next time, I might hire some burly guys to help us.

After moving, we rewarded ourselves with a trip to an ethnic restaurant. This Asian-food-inspired recipe was tested by one of my former interns. “Food on a stick” is popular at food festivals and fairs. If you have leftover cut vegetables, make a stir-fry or salad.

Spring Roll on a Stick with Peanut Sauce

4 ounces chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce, divided
⅓ cup red cabbage, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium carrot, sliced into ¼-inch slices
1 medium cucumber, sliced into ¼-inch slices

Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce*
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
¼ cup milk

*Hoisin sauce is usually made from soybean paste, sesame oil, garlic, vinegar and spices.

Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch cubes and place in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce, toss to coat and set aside to marinate in the refrigerator. Reserve the remaining 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce. While the chicken marinates, prepare the cabbage, carrots and cucumbers on a separate cutting board. Slice the carrots and cucumbers into ¼-inch rounds, and cut the red cabbage into 1-inch pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. Add the remaining teriyaki sauce to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring to coat the chicken with the glaze.

While the chicken cools, combine hoisin sauce and peanut butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Once all ingredients have been prepared, assemble each kebab by alternating between chicken cubes, carrot slices, cucumber slices and pieces of red cabbage. Drizzle peanut sauce over kebabs before serving.

Makes six servings. Each serving has 110 calories, 6 grams (g) fat, 7 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber and 475 milligrams sodium.

(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)

NDSU Agriculture Communication – Sept. 10, 2026

Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, 701-231-7187, julie.garden-robinson@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu