Step Count: Worth The Hype?
Short answer, yes! It is worth the hype… BUT what about 10000 steps?
10,000 steps a day was a marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer during the 1964 olympics. The pedometer was called the manpo-kei, which means 10000 steps. And to make this even sexier, the Japanese character for 10000 looks like a person walking.
But the science of 10000 steps isn’t really there, even though it’s still a fantastic thing to aim for. Let’s look at the science:
In 2015 The George Institute for Global Health did some analysis back which proved this. Their study published in PLOS One was the first time researchers made the link between exercise, measured through pedometers, and reduced mortality over time in people who appeared healthy at the outset.
The study which monitored 3,000 Australians with pedometers over five years found:
A sedentary person who increased his or her steps from 1,000 to 10,000 per day had a 46% lower mortality risk
A sedentary person who increased his or her steps to 3,000 per day, five days a week had a 12% reduction in death.
In 2022, the University Massachusetts’ department of kinesiology, published a study that involved over 2,000 middle-aged adults who had to wear a step-counting fitness device. Those who clocked in 5,000 steps had a lower risk of death than those who walked only 3,000 or 4,000 steps. However, the optimal amount of steps was found to be 7,000, and anything more was not associated with any additional benefits, with returns tapering off exponentially past this sweet spot. At 7,000 daily steps, the risk of death was between 50% and 70% lower from all causes compared to people who barely walked.
So, it looks like increasing step count is healthful across the board. I personally still aim for 10K steps a day, and love to push beyond that for the extra caloric burn.
If you’re a sedentary person, or someone just looking to get more steps in, here are some tips:
Taking calls while walking, or having in-person walking meetings is a fantastic idea to get your step count up.
I use a walking treadmill underneath a standing desk (I KNOW, I’m one of those people who walks on a treadmill while on zoom calls). Here’s the treadmill I use under a desk: https://amzn.to/4hroyxM
And the adjustable standing desk: https://amzn.to/3YQ6x51
You don’t have to get your steps all done at once, a 10 minute walk after a meal for instance, has multiple advantages. Obviously, you get your steps up, but you also reduce the blood glucose spike, which happens after larger meals. This will help with steady energy, mood swings and general metabolic health.
Here’s a few ways to increase the burn of your walks if you’re looking for a little extra spice:
Weighted vest walking increases the caloric burn of your walks, and also has been found to increase muscle mass and bone density. I use heavy vest, but just adding a 20lb vest will be enough to start with. I use this one: https://amzn.to/4edN1nt
Uphill walks, for obvious reasons, a little extra strain from a hill walk is fantastic for your heart rate and caloric burn.
Walking backwards is a great way increase the strength of your knees, by stimulating the seldom used muscles around the knees. Walking backwards is also fantastic for improving the mobility of your feet. There’s a reason the Chinese Tai Chi masters have been practicing this for thousands of years. For more on knee health and mobility, check out @kneesovertoesguy on IG: https://www.instagram.com/kneesovertoesguy/?hl=en
