In general, I’m not a fan of blanket rules because rules are meant to broken and numbers are meaningless unless they are personalized.
However, acquiring 10K steps per day as a matter of promoting your health trajectory and building health momentum is a great plan. One that I would back up 100%.
The average American takes between 2500-3000 steps per day.
I can verify that in my own life when I am in the office, if I did not consciously exert effort to get steps in or get a workout in, I would barely make it over 2500 steps per day.
Now if you are a nurse or in retail, you are likely getting in 10k steps with ease each day. For the rest of us, increasing our step count could transform our risk of heart disease and cancer, while simultaneously increasing our ability to maintain skeletal function into our golden years.
One of things I love about tracking steps during the day is that it makes us aware of our activity level and energy output.
Maybe you’re currently taking 2,000 steps per day, 10,000 steps a day may seem out of reach.
The key to success is to focus on increments.
When you’re starting out, instead of 10,000 steps, focus on 4,000 steps per day.
By getting in 4,000 steps per day you literally just doubled your daily movement and caloric output. Is that not wild to think about?
Take the 10,000 step rule and make it your own.
We live in the age of convenience and comfort.
This means it is going to require conscious effort on your part to get the health results you want. Which is exactly why I suggest getting a $20 pedometer or getting a step counting watch. This will ensure that you don’t succumb to a lifestyle of convenience and comfort.
Convenience and comfort lead to rapid aging and the loss of personal freedom.
Walking is so under-rated yet it is available 24-7 to all of us. No gym, no equipment required.
The fact that some people do not have legs and so physically cannot walk, makes me want to walk even more to show them that I am not taking for granted the gift that is walking.
The benefits of walking include the following:
- Reduced risk of cancer.
- Prevention of depression and anxiety as well as being therapeutic for mental emotional illness.
- Joint lubrication.
- Reduced risk of arthritis.
- Decreased pain sensations.
- Improved blood pressure.
- Decreased risk of heart disease.
- Quicker recovery from stroke and heart attack.
Just 12 minutes of walking per day has demonstrated a significant increase in vigor, self-confidence and ability to enjoy humor compared to sitting.
How about brain tissue? Simply walking has been shown to improve memory and prevent the deterioration of brain tissue.
Whatever your current walking situation is during the day, I dare you to add one extra lap around your house, around your grocery store, around your neighbor or around the track.
Add some measurable steps to your daily routine. Literally every single one of us can do this and all of our lives will be better served by taking this simple action.
