topic Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough in Healthy Living

How Many Steps per Day are Enough

nyadrn — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 13:21:15 GMT

How Many Steps per Day Are Enough?
What should you set as your pedometer goal?

By Wendy Bumgardner | Reviewed by a board-certified physician
Updated June 20, 2017
Is 10,000 steps per day the right number to set as the daily target on your pedometer? You may wonder where that number came from and whether it is a good goal for most people. Does it really indicate that you are getting enough exercise for fitness, enough to reduce health risks and support weight loss?

Why Is 10,000 Steps the Magic Number?
A goal of 10,000 steps per day was created as a promotion by a pedometer company in Japan in the 1960s and it became popular as it was adopted by walking clubs.

It wasn't based on research. It just sounded good.

Once the goal of 10,000 steps per day was established, researchers played catch-up and found it was a good indicator you were getting somewhere near the recommended amount of physical activity during that day to reduce health risks. Now many activity monitors and pedometer apps use it as a standard goal.

Are 10,000 Steps Enough or Too Much?
Many of the more sophisticated pedometers and activity trackers also measure whether the steps you take are brisk enough to meet the standard of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity. They include a daily goal of 30 minutes of this enhanced level of activity, as recommended to reduce health risks. If 3,000 of the steps you take each day are at a pace of 100 per minute for at least 10 minutes, you will meet this goal.

Even a small increase in steps per day above being inactive can make a difference in health.

https://www.verywell.com/how-many-pedometer-steps-per-day-are-enough-3432827

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

nyadrn — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 13:30:13 GMT

Do you find yourself saying ... I don't care what they say. ?

Only you know what will motivate you. What you will do and what you won't.

I like working towards a goal. 10k a day works for me I like the 250 steps per hour motivator for regular activity.

if you don't do you have an alternative walking goal?

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

r18266v — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 12:42:33 GMT

My girl gets in face everymorning for her walk. We normalley do 2 miles in just under 1/2 hour.

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

nyadrn — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 13:20:24 GMT

@r18266v wrote:
My girl gets in face everymorning for her walk. We normalley do 2 miles in just under 1/2 hour.

Hi and welcome... is your girl your doggie? Sounds like a good walking companion!

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

Epster — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 13:49:08 GMT

Just pointng out that a person can walk 1, 2, 3, 4 or whatever miles per day, sit the rest of the day eating junk food and still be unhealthy.

For years we've seen 3 local gents out walking or biking nearly every time we leave the property. They each have a gargantuan belly. Like the size of two basketballs! This is not healthy. No matter how far they walk, or how many steps they take, that gut is unhealthy and is almost certainly kiling them.

So yes, do start somewhere. But don't think health will be found in counting steps. Health will be found in sweating until you build muscle, eating right every day and maintaiing a healthy weight. (which for women means a waist measurement of 30 inches or smaller)

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

Epster — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 13:53:15 GMT

BTW one of those gents walks over 10 miles a day, rain or shine. I cannot imagine what he eats to maintain that bulbous belly of his, but I can tell you it is not healthy!

He's been walking like that for over 10 years. And it does not appear he has lost a single pound.

Healthy eating plus exercise remains the key to good health.

Best wishes to anyone seeking to improve their health through walking! Just remember to make diet adjustments so you'll achieve success! 🙂

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

nyadrn — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 13:59:06 GMT

@Epster wrote:

So yes, do start somewhere. But don't think health will be found in counting steps. Health will be found in sweating until you build muscle, eating right every day and maintaiing a healthy weight. (which for women means a waist measurement of 30 inches or smaller)

>>

Thanks for your opinion but I will continue to count my steps.

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

Epster — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 14:01:58 GMT

@nyadrn wrote:

@Epster wrote:

So yes, do start somewhere. But don't think health will be found in counting steps. Health will be found in sweating until you build muscle, eating right every day and maintaiing a healthy weight. (which for women means a waist measurement of 30 inches or smaller)

Thanks for your opinion but I will continue to count my steps.

@nyadrn Not, as it happens, my personal, original, opinion. This is the often published opinion of health researchers and doctors. But, certainly, do what you want. 🙂

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

annles12 — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 17:39:52 GMT

I decided once I hit 80 years of age, 7000 steps a day was enough but sometimes I just happen to hit 10,000.

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

nyadrn — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 17:58:48 GMT

@annles12 wrote:
I decided once I hit 80 years of age, 7000 steps a day was enough but sometimes I just happen to hit 10,000.

Wow @annles12 that's great! How long have you been counting steps? and what do you use sto count them?

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

leslye1949 — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 22:51:55 GMT

I have always been told 10,000 steps, however I set my vivofit for 12,000 steps. I rarely get there since I retired. Most days I walk for 30-45 minutes, and I eat really healthy food. Having said that, I am overweight, and slowly losing pounds. Exercise and diet go hand in hand. My problem is portions. I love food, so cutting down on portions and eating five times a day instead of three helps me lose weight as long as I keep walking.

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

Epster — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 23:04:40 GMT

@leslye1949 wrote:
I have always been told 10,000 steps, however I set my vivofit for 12,000 steps. I rarely get there since I retired. Most days I walk for 30-45 minutes, and I eat really healthy food. Having said that, I am overweight, and slowly losing pounds. Exercise and diet go hand in hand. My problem is portions. I love food, so cutting down on portions and eating five times a day instead of three helps me lose weight as long as I keep walking.

@leslye1949 Good for you! Keep it up and you'll get there. We find that using smaller dishes really helps with portions. 🙂

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

nyadrn — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 23:22:23 GMT

leslye1949 wrote:
I have always been told 10,000 steps, however I set my vivofit for 12,000 steps. I rarely get there since I retired. Most days I walk for 30-45 minutes, and I eat really healthy food. Having said that, I am overweight, and slowly losing pounds. Exercise and diet go hand in hand. My problem is portions. I love food, so cutting down on portions and eating five times a day instead of three helps me lose weight as long as I keep walking.

@leslye1949 Good for you going for the 12k. I agree that it may be harder to do 10k easily when you are not working. I have been off for some weeks and saw the difference between the activity level you take for granted vs what you need to do when your routine is different.

Thanks for sharing. Do you do your walking at one time or broken up?

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

j490036w — Sat, 25 Nov 2017 08:43:41 GMT

I heard that 10,000 steps are enough so I set my fit bit for 10k and that's what I do every day but Sunday

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

nyadrn — Sat, 25 Nov 2017 09:36:53 GMT

j490036w wrote:
I heard that 10,000 steps are enough so I set my fit bit for 10k and that's what I do every day but Sunday

Hi @j490036w.

How long have you been doing the 10,000 steps? Have you noticed any change in your health?

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

Epster — Sat, 25 Nov 2017 13:24:46 GMT

Yes, please keep taking those steps. But know that 10,000 steps a day (that's about 5 miles a day) had me looking like this:

Me 2 years ago: 10,000 no sweat steps a dayI was 56 years old, had gained weight due to the perfect storm of menopause and a couple of years of debilitating leg and foot injuries. At this time I was walking 3.25 community miles every day, plus another 2 or 3 miles running our hillside farm AND taking 6-10 mile hikes or bike rides on weekends. While my vitals were perfect, my weight was way up, and my body fat was embarrassing.

I wanted to get back into shape, but clearly the 5 miles a day (10,000 steps) were not working. So, I switched up my exercise routine. I began walking 4.5 community miles at a heart-pounding pace, got a hula hoop, hand weights, an ab roller, a magic circle, a mini trampoline and a recumbent trike and slowly, built up to where all exercises combined, I was working out to the tune of 900 minutes a week. (That's an average over 2 hours a day, most of that on 4-5 hour weekend trike rides.)

Also importantly, I have, in this past year, changed my diet. My portions are reduced and I have reduced carbs while increasing the fruits and vegetables I eat.

And this is what I look like now:

Me: Black Friday 2017; working out to sweat every dayI've lost 55 pounds since I started working out hard enough to sweat and to raise my heart rate. My vitals are still perfect, btw, but now my risk of developing heart disease, breast and other cancers, diabetes, et cetera, are greatly reduced as my waist now measures less than 30 inches. (The new fitness standard for women)

I'm not espousing opinion here, I'm telling you what I have experienced. I did this with the help and support of my DH, but otherwise did not follow any program or plan. I simply decided I didn't want to live in pain, that I wanted to remain prescription-free and as healthy as possible for as long as I possibly could. 🙂

Here are a couple articles about 10,000 steps to consider:

Why 10,000 Steps A Day Won't Make You Thin: https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2014/05/21/why-10-000-steps-a-day-wont-make-you-thin

What Walking 10,000 Steps A Day Does And Doesn't Do For You (hint: it doesn't change your diet) https://www.inbodyusa.com/blogs/inbodyblog/99465793-what-walking-10-000-steps-does-and-doesn-t-do-for-you

Bottom line: yes, start moving! Get moving and keep moving. Make friends with sweat and don't let your diet undo all your good exercise work! 🙂

I wish everyone embarking on a fitness program absolute joy and success! 🙂

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

nyadrn — Sat, 25 Nov 2017 13:58:03 GMT

@Epster Great story And thank you for sharing it.

The 10,000 steps a day walking goals and programs are followed by thousands of us! It is one of the most successful programs out there with thousands of us wearing our trackers and sharing our goals and progress through walking groups and online social media sites!

This program has been a huge success in getting people going. I love it and will continue to follow it along with other health related activities. ❤️

Once you you get to 10000 steps a day, you have committed to working out regularly in a way that fits your lifestyle. Many do add more activities at that point because they are then able to. But the regular monitored and shared counts are the foundation and it is a successful one. All those people wearing trackers could be sitting on the couch.

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

Epster — Sat, 25 Nov 2017 14:07:13 GMT

@nyadrn wrote:
@Epster Great story And thank you for sharing it.

The 10,000 steps a day walking goals and programs are followed by thousands of us! It is one of the most successful programs out there with thousands of us wearing our trackers and sharing our goals and progress through walking groups and online social media sites!
This program has been a huge success in getting people going. I love it and will continue to follow it along with other health related activities. ❤️

Once you you get to 10000 steps a day, you have committed to working out regularly in a way that fits your lifestyle. Many do add more activities at that point because they are then able to. But the regular monitored and shared counts are the foundation and it is a successful one. All those people wearing trackers could be sitting on the couch.

@nyadrn Right. No quibble with the program's ability to get people started. Not one quibble.

But I didn't return to fitness until I started working out like a senior athlete (and then, amusingly enough, I became one! :))

It is not enough to walk 10,000 steps. You must exert yourself in order to gain muscle. You must change your diet in order to attain metabolic health.

And I must get my fanny out to the bike trail in order to burn off another 3,000 calories today! 🙂 Woo hoo! See ya!

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

jamesf213534 — Sat, 25 Nov 2017 16:48:40 GMT

Yes indeed, you are so correct. Biking is such a pleasure compared to stationary bikes, please do more of it! Running as a senior will run heartrate up to big numbers also, get a fitness watch and heart strap like Garmin...then you can accurately track your progress. I love my Garmin. I am 66 & in great shape thanks to my bikes.

Re: How Many Steps per Day are Enough

nyadrn — Sat, 25 Nov 2017 17:02:38 GMT

For those of you who are doing the 10k walking goal.. keep walking : )