The ideal number of steps you should walk each day (real: it’s not 10,000)
How many of us think hitting the 10,000 marks on our fitness band is enough to keep us healthy for an ideal number of steps?
Step 1
The idea of walking 10,000 steps per day was started when a Japanese company developed a pedometer called ‘Mono-Kei’, which means ‘10,000 step meters’. The idea was inspired by marketing, not science, which raises the question of what if walking 10,000 steps per day is the norm to maintain our fitness? Well, a new study reveals that you need to walk 4400 steps every day to live longer. Let’s dive deeper into the idea.
Step2
According to experts, their movement should be counted not one minute and not kilometers. It sounds easy but it shifts the way you train yourself. For example, if you concentrate on running for 45 minutes, you will have a longer and more productive workout than you would consider walking just five kilometers. Experts say the focus should be on the legs and not on the speed and distance.
Step 3
According to a 2018 survey published in the journal Scientific Reports, the same thinking should apply to walking, which negates the popular notion of walking 10,000 steps per day. Contrary to popular belief, walking 10,000 steps a day is neither ideal nor an accurate indicator of physical health, experts say.
Step 4
You only need to take 4,400 steps a day to significantly reduce your risk of death, according to research conducted by Harvard University-based Brigham and Women’s Hospital and published in the JAMA Internal Medicine Journal. The risk of death decreases as the number of steps increases but ends at about 7,500 steps per day. Even more important is that you are supplementing your walk with more practical exercises.
In addition to walking, practicing for at least 20 minutes every day should be the goal of staying healthy and fit.
Step 5
According to a new report published by the Wall Street Journal, in order to maximize health benefits, you should focus on the time you walk outside rather than the steps you take and the distance you cover. In addition, spending time with nature has linked to blood pressure, heart rate, and stress hormones. It helps manage anxiety, depression, and fatigue.
So, next time when you walk for your exercise, focus on spending more time walking and less on the number of steps you are taking. To reap more benefits, add 20 minutes of intense exercise to the walking routine.
