How Many Steps per Day are Enough

[nyadrn]

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

[BenjaminM550041]

It's interesting to learn about the origins of the 10,000 steps goal and how it became so widespread! While it's true that it wasn't initially based on scientific research, it's encouraging to see that it does align with recommendations for physical activity to reduce health risks.

Setting a goal of 10,000 steps per day can be a great way to ensure you're staying active and moving throughout your day. However, it's important to remember that everyone's fitness level and lifestyle are different, so what works for one person might not be the best fit for another.

What matters most is finding an activity level that feels right for you and supports your overall health and well-being. Whether it's 10,000 steps, 8,000 steps, or even just a little bit more movement than you're currently doing, every step counts towards improving your health. Keep listening to your body, staying active in a way that you enjoy, and making gradual progress towards your goals. You're doing great!

[BenjaminM550041]

Counting your steps is a fun way to stay active and healthy!

Whether you're strolling in the park or hitting the pavement, every step counts towards a happier, healthier you. 😁

[DonaldP308359]

I think people should count steps only when they are unable to do more strenuous exercises. I light jog is better, in most cases, than just walking. But after a long day of working, walking can be a relaxing form of light exercise.

[BettinaY576063]

I walk about 8,000 steps a day, and I only walk more on weekends, because I have enough time. Every time I see the number of steps recorded on my bpdoctormed smart watch, it will motivate me to walk more next time.

[NinaA455301]

I'm not interested in counting steps.  I'm up and moving about most of the day.  Besides, this counting steps thing was just invented by a company wanting to sell people devices to count their steps!

[nyadrn]

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@NinaA455301 wrote:

I'm not interested in counting steps.  I'm up and moving about most of the day.  Besides, this counting steps thing was just invented by a company wanting to sell people devices to count their steps!

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Well that’s great for you.  Congrats but whatever motivates people to get moving is a valuable tool and step counting devices have sold in the hundreds of thousands. So for those that use them and it is working good for you!!

[ReTiReD51]

.

If you’re able walking is a perfect exercise because you can do it anywhere.

@nyadrnsuggests set your own goal only you know “what motivates” you. Remember any number of steps walking is better than none.

@Epster “Healthy eating plus exercise remains the key to good health” 

Good advice by both ladies. 

[nyadrn]

How Many Calories Does Walking Burn per Mile?
See how many calories you can burn walking different distances and speeds

WIN-Initiative/Getty Images
By Wendy Bumgardner
Updated August 31, 2017
Do you want to know how many calories you burn walking one mile, two miles, or more? How much does your walking speed matter?

Your weight and the distance you walk are the biggest factors in how many calories you burn while walking. A rule of thumb is that about 100 calories per mile are burned for an 180-pound person and 65 calories per mile are burned for a 120-pound person. Your walking speed matters less.

Calories Burned Walking 2.5 to 3.5 mph by Miles and Weight
Pace: 17 to 24 Minutes per Mile (10 to14 Minutes per Kilometer)
Weight (lbs)

Chart at link.  https://www.verywell.com/walking-calories-burned-by-miles-3887154?utm_campaign=fitsl&utm_medium=emai...

If you use a Fitbit or other tracker you may see this information as you go.

[Epster]

@ReTiReD51  One of the great things about walking is that it is free. No membership, no special equipment. Just start walking. 🙂

[j490036w]

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 

[nyadrn]

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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 

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Hi @j490036w. 

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

[Epster]

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-...

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-fo...

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! 🙂

[wilful]

Hey Epster - Is that gausy looking thing on your hat a mosquito net?  Wouldn't think you get many of them in Co.

Also - Big congrats on the  "good health" program and results.  Never forget - you have been, are, always will be - A work in progress. 

[Epster]

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@wilful wrote:

Hey Epster - Is that gausy looking thing on your hat a mosquito net?  Wouldn't think you get many of them in Co.

Also - Big congrats on the  "good health" program and results.  Never forget - you have been, are, always will be - A work in progress. 

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@wilful LOL!  I'm wearing one of those wrap-around visors. So my hair is pulled through the top. That gauze, then, is really just my bangs getting caught in the wind. 🙂

But yeah, we get mosquitos here in the summer. We do carry nets for slipping over the head while hiking. Some summers are  b a d. 😞

And thanks. It's been a fun and weird journey, all this changing. I'm about 3 pounds away from an entirely new wardrobe: even my smallest sized attire is beginning to hang on me.  The best part: I feel like a 20-something. I sleep great, have a ton of energy, and no body parts complain when I move. And of course my vitals continue to be excellent. So yay! 🙂

[HammH]

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@Epster wrote:

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:

I 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:

I'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. 🙂

 

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@Epster  You are fearless. I swear you have superhero genes.

[annles12]

I will be 90 in January and take NO prescriptions.  I eat healthy .  Lots of veggies. Have not had beef in years except when invited to someone's house .  I also walk at least 1 mile a day with my little dog.  I do other exercise programs like Taichi, Yoga, chair pilates, and I am in a bowling league in the winter.  I am busy all day,  Do my own cooking, cleaning, yard work.  etc.  Get up and move and eat less.  AnnM

[JasonB206182]

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[Epster]

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@HammH wrote:

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@Epster  You are fearless. I swear you have superhero genes.

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@HammH  LOL!  You mean because I posted a pic of myself AFTER having consumed 3 glasses of eggnog and 1 whole pie in the previous 2 weeks? And that I'd not been lifting weights in like 8 weeks?

Meh: what's a little pride measured against a great opportunity to make a point about fitness?

(Yeah, I see that belly now I'm back to crunches and weights and cringe. But, whateves .... :))

[j508905s]

  15000

[nyadrn]

@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.  

[m302276v]

i do 8000 steps a day

[Epster]

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@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.  

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@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!

[nyadrn]

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

[jamesf213534]

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.

[Epster]

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@jamesf213534 wrote:

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.

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@jamesf213534  People like you; stories like yours inspire me so much!  We have a group of senior athlete friends with whom we chat about other senior athetes and their exploits. 🙂 I call it the 'What Is Possible' club. 🙂

Absolutely agree about riding bike outside: so much more fun than a stat bike. (I gave away my stat bike last year). We ride (and race) recumbent trikes. Fantastic exercise. I have literally cycled my butt off this year. We got in 129 miles in the past 3 days, for an expenditure of 6,200 calories! That's nearly two pounds worth of calories we worked off since Thanksgiving.

That said, I also believe in walking. It's a fantastic exercise as well. Doesn't burn the calories that cycling (like a maniac) does, but it's a good overall workout. We have a hilly 4.85 mile neighborhood route that we take 3-5 times a week.

[nyadrn]

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@jamesf213534 wrote:

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.

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@jamesf213534  Great..  enjoy.  I personally love stationary biking.   Each of us has so many options in regard to what type of activity that we choose that there should be no one without an option..  unless of course the choice is none of them  

Question..  have you been active for most of your life ?

[jamesf213534]

Retired martial arts instructor and kickboxer. Too many broken bones to continue so I kicked up my biking pace and rollerskate at least three sessions weekly. Nothing matches the running though, especially off-road up and down hills (deep ditches). Make sure you protect muscle mass by lifting weights...or else! Us older folk lose muscle fast while dieting so be careful.

[nyadrn]

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@jamesf213534 wrote:

Retired martial arts instructor and kickboxer. Too many broken bones to continue so I kicked up my biking pace and rollerskate at least three sessions weekly. Nothing matches the running though, especially off-road up and down hills (deep ditches). Make sure you protect muscle mass by lifting weights...or else! Us older folk lose muscle fast while dieting so be careful.

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Good for you!

Everyone is different and works out in ways that best achieve the goals that they have.  The single most important factor inho in working out regularly is enjoying what you are doing.  If we find something we enjoy we are more likely to continue doing it.  Looks like you found yours. Thanks for sharing : )

[nyadrn]

How to Keep Track of Your Steps
by Lisa M. Wolfe

Walking your dog is a fun way to increase your daily steps.
If you need motivation to get off the couch, try keeping track of your daily steps. The American Council on Exercise reveals a link between increased body fat percentages and time spent sitting. One way to keep your body fat within healthy limits is to develop an active lifestyle. Simply increasing the amount of steps you take in a day will improve your health. The International Council on Active Aging recommends 6,000 steps a day for general health and 10,000 steps a day for weight loss. Those numbers are too high to count each individual step, so use a pedometer or an average-step calculation to track your progress.

https://healthyliving.azcentral.com/keep-track-steps-5779.html