Feeling a bit lazy one evening, I decided to set myself a challenge – do 10,000 steps every single day. I didn’t set a timeframe, but I’ve done it for more than a month now and I’m not stopping there.
It’s a guideline that’s heard time and time again, but what actually happens when you do 10,000 steps every day for a long period of time? I decided to find out, and the results certainly speak for themselves.
The 10,000 step guideline
The idea you should walk 10,000 steps every day dates all the way back to 1964, when a successful marketing campaign was launched ahead of the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
A Japanese company made a device called Manpo-kei, which translates to “10,000 steps meter” and was one of the first wearable step counters.
The early pedometer was hugely successful and sparked the worldwide idea that everyone should be trying to do 10,000 steps.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends walking at least 10,000 steps per day, and the number has become ingrained into our minds.
The results speak for themselves
As someone who works at a desk all day, getting in that many steps wasn’t easy at first, and I had to change my entire lifestyle. Most days I had to go for two walks a day, do my usual gym workout and potter around doing housework at home to hit my goal.
Sometimes, it would reach 10pm and I still wouldn’t quite be there, so I’d be walking in circles around my bedroom like a crazy person to get to 10,000. The weekends were easier, and I was surprised by how many steps I racked up walking around a shopping center.
My Fitbit has been permanently attached to my wrist for the past month and increasing my steps has changed my life. The results speak for themselves!
I feel fitter, have shed a few pounds, and have been sleeping so much better. My head hits the pillow and I’m asleep straight away! On top of that, I feel so much more energised and am in a far better mood. It’s been great for my mental health too.
MedlinePlus explains that walking for just 30 minutes a day decreases the risk of heart attacks, stroke, hypertension, some cancers, osteoporosis, depression and obesity.
Not right for everyone
For me, 10,000 steps has become second nature and will definitely be a new part of my everyday routine, but it’s important to remember it’s not right for everyone.
We spoke to certified personal trainer Tom Berry, who told The Focus: “10,000 steps is a general guide and provides a realistic goal for a large percentage of the population. If most people in society achieved this target daily, the population would be much healthier.”
“However, we shouldn’t get too carried away with figure. If you are someone who has been very inactive for a long time, achieving 1,000 steps per day might be a great achievement leading to significant improvements in health and happiness,” he continued.
When those 1,000 steps become the norm, you can increase this and could eventually be walking 10,000 steps per day. However, if you tried to do that many from the start, you may be “setting yourself up to fail”.
At the other end of the spectrum, some people might have very active jobs where they comfortably attain 10,000 steps per day, but they might still want to go for a walk at the end of the day to wind-down and de-stress.
“Just because this walk takes them well beyond their 10,000 step target doesn’t mean they shouldn’t do it,” he said.
Berry explained that it’s important to be in-tune with your body and set targets that are sensible for us, with realistic goals.
Tom Berry is a certified personal trainer with 13 years of experience who focuses on holistic health and fitness. He has a Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training, amongst other qualifications, and founded To Be Personal Training, based in the UK.
