Article by: Fitness Guru
Do you feel like you're definitely not moving enough, but can't motivate yourself to start running or sign up for a fitness class? You don't need to! There is a much simpler solution: take a walk. Regular walking is the best and easiest form of physical activity. You can use it without restrictions at any time of the day or night anywhere in the world. Find out the benefits of the 10,000 steps a day formula.
And then... get up and go for a walk!
10,000 steps in km 7
It is assumed that walking 10,000 steps (10,000 steps is how many kilometers? approximately about 7 km) is the minimum activity. Each of us must do it daily to maintain health and well-being. Regular walks prevent diseases caused by a sedentary lifestyle. They improve heart function and blood circulation, normalize blood pressure, strengthen bones and muscles, relieve stress and improve mood.
Walking is the best activity on vacation
How to walk 10,000 steps every day?
- Wherever you can - to work, to the store, to the doctor, to kindergarten, to the cinema, for coffee with a friend - on foot. You don't have to walk 10,000 steps at a time. The pedometer counts the number of steps for the whole day.
- If you take a bus or tram to work, get off at the stop early and walk the remaining distance. This has the added benefits of waking up in the morning to start with more energy, and in the afternoon you'll be stretching your muscles after a day of sitting. However, if you arrive by car, park further away. The same effect is guaranteed!
- Choose the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Every time you take a break from work, get up and walk 10,000 steps at home. Go to the kitchen for tea or to the store for snacks. Instead of ordering lunch to the office, go to a nearby cafe.
- Every time you answer the phone, get up and walk around talking - even wall to wall.
- Relax actively. You can also listen to audiobooks, podcasts, or Spanish lessons while walking around the area. Instead of drinking coffee or watching a movie, take a walk to the park or the zoo.
- Install a step counting app on your phone or buy a pedometer - tracking your progress will help you break more records.
- Always carry athletic shoes (for example, in the trunk of your car) in case you want to go for a walk.
Why exactly 10,000 per day?
Have you ever wondered why exactly 10,000 steps a day? Where did this figure come from, what is its scientific basis? Usually, articles simply state “that’s what scientists say” and that’s it, there are no further clarifications.
And in vain, otherwise people would know that this recommendation appeared completely by accident in 1964. Yoshiro Hatano invented the world's first electronic pedometer, and called his unique device “man-po-kei”, which literally translates from Japanese as “thousand step sensor”.
Why exactly 10,000? There is no clear answer; most likely, it’s just a successful and very working marketing ploy. The pedometer has become popular despite the fact that there is no evidence of the health benefits of ten thousand steps, says Professor David Bassett, director of kinesiology, recreation and sport research at the University of Tennessee.
Overall, pedometers are a great way to stay motivated. Many people speak extremely positively about them and say that this simple gadget helps them think about movement and lifestyle every day.
“You see some pathetic figure of 100 steps and you understand that you need to walk for at least 15 minutes. And then the excitement begins, you want to go further and better all the time” - here is a real review from one of the users.
In this regard, we completely agree with the users - a sedentary lifestyle does more harm than diabetes and smoking (you can read the details at the link). Therefore, it is worth purchasing this device, especially since it can even be ordered on AliExpress.
For example, here is the original Xiaomi mi Band 4 Smart , which recognizes and calculates your activity and calorie expenditure in 6 sports (cycling, free training, running, swimming, treadmill, walking, swimming).
Photo from a real person from reviews of
the product.
Also inside there is a stopwatch, a smart alarm clock (will wake you up at the biologically best time for you), a timer, and a reminder of events. The screen is covered with glass, not plastic, the bracelet holds the battery perfectly, charges quickly, and naturally is not afraid of contact with water. The colors are also stylish, not just banal black.
But let's return to our topic. How many steps do you really need to go through? Do scientists have an answer to this question?
A research team at Kyushu Health and Welfare University began investigating the potential benefits of following the 10,000 steps per day guideline. They concluded that on average Japanese people take between 3,500 and 5,000 steps per day, and that if these people increased their daily steps to 10,000, they could reduce their risk of coronary heart disease.
It sounds worthy and interesting, but again - why is everyone hooked on ten thousand? Why didn't you choose 15 or 9?
Even the World Health Organization, the American Heart Foundation and the US Department of Health and Human Services have adopted 10,000 steps as a recommendation for daily activity, although the validity of this number has been questioned.
The fact is that all the studies that are conducted on this topic are based on the principle described above: they compare people who took 10,000 steps a day with those who did much less, for example, 3,000 or 5,000, and then measure the calories burned, blood blood pressure and glucose levels.
It’s not surprising that those who were more active showed better results, this is logical. But why not compare this group with those who walk 8, 11, 15 or even 20 thousand steps daily?
“This number continues to strengthen because of the way research is conducted,” says Professor Catherine Tudor-Locke of the Center for Personalized Health Monitoring at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
“YES, a study may find that 10,000 helps you lose weight more than 5,000, and then the media sees it and says “you should walk exactly 10,000 steps, that's what the scientists said,” but that could be because the study only tested these two numbers. This is not a test for 8,000, for example, or 12,000.”
Some studies examining the protective nature of exercise against chronic diseases, ranging from heart disease to stroke and various forms of cancer such as breast and reproductive cancers, show that between 6,000 and 8,000 steps is the bare minimum for health.
Scientists who tried to calculate the exact number of steps that equate to public health guidelines, which is about 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, found that we should aim for a minimum of 7,500 steps.
This kind of activity is the norm and, according to experts from the EU, reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and even cancer by 30-40% .
Today, WHO makes the following recommendations on the necessary minimum of movements to maintain healthy heart muscle and blood vessels for adults aged 18 to 64 years:
- 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week (22 minutes per day - please note, the load should be continuous, i.e. 20 minutes at once, and not 4 times 5 and not 150 minutes in one day);
- or 75 minutes of intense exercise per week (10 minutes per day);
- You can also combine both types of load.
Experts from Kalmar University (Sweden) recommend taking 12,000 steps a day for men under 50 years of age and for women under 40 years of age. Men over 50 and women over 40 are recommended to walk 11,000 steps, then this figure decreases with age.
Short
The optimal number of steps, if there is no other load, is approximately 15,000 per day. But counting them is not so important; it is more important to walk regularly, every day, and intensively, that is, quickly. Adults should choose a speed greater than 100 steps per minute. But this is approximately: the intensity of the load depends on physical capabilities. An appropriate pace should slightly increase your heart rate and breathing rate.
To this it is worth adding something that develops strength, agility, speed and flexibility: strength training, jumping rope, yoga and training on unstable platforms. Or you can simply move more during household chores: cleaning, cooking, gardening.
How much is this
Kilometers
The number of steps is the same - but the distance and time are different.
Of course, it’s impossible to say for sure - it all depends on your personal parameters: height, leg length, step width. That is why this figure haunts active scientists: how can you take it if for each person these notorious ten thousand steps will have a different mileage?
It is customary to take the interval from 6 to 8 km as an approximate result. - women have smaller and more frequent steps, which means they will cover less distance than men, but again, this is all speculation and guesswork.
Some march in formation, taking steps as much as a meter, others mince and feel comfortable. If you really want to know the length of your step, then determine it using this approximate (yes, again) formula - divide your height in centimeters by 4 and add 37. For example, with a height of 180 cm, we use the following formula: 180/4 + 37. The result is 82.
Approximate stride lengths
By time
And again, this is a super individual indicator. It all depends on the speed at which you walk and the length of your step. It is believed that on average you can walk 5 km in an hour, i.e. It takes about 12 minutes to walk a kilometer. Calculate, taking into account your step length, how many kilometers your ten thousand are, and multiply by this value.
Are there any contraindications?
There are restrictions. Age doesn’t matter, but health status does. Walking for a long time at a fast pace is a serious load that must be adequately applied.
It is important to monitor your condition while walking. If shortness of breath appears or your pulse goes off scale, you should rest or even stop exercising. Over time, the body will get used to it and begin to accept the load more calmly.
Of course, do not go out for a walk if you have a cold or immediately after an illness.
Pavel Evdokimenko: “If a person has sore joints, then you need to put them in order (for example, with therapeutic exercises) and only then load them with long walking.”
Benefits and Benefits
So, what are the benefits of 10,000 steps a day? The question is incorrect, of course, because it makes sense to talk about the benefits of any number of steps and activity, and not just 10,000.
Due to incorrect research and populist slogans, people sometimes think that it is after 10,000 steps that some mysterious healing and weight loss process begins, but this is absolutely not the case.
For good health
In order to describe all the benefits that physical activity brings us, you need to write 3 huge articles. Movement is literally life, and not an exaggeration for the sake of a catchphrase! What does it give us:
- Energy and good mood . Probably everyone already knows that when playing sports, joy hormones are released in the body - endorphins and endocannabinoids. Plus, fresh air, wind, and sun in themselves improve your well-being.
- No equipment or learning complex techniques required . Everyone can walk. For this you do not need any special equipment, equipment or even sportswear and shoes - you can walk in ordinary ones.
- Walking is much easier than running or, for example, working out in the gym. The loads are moderate, so the musculoskeletal system will not suffer, and the risks of fatigue or injury are minimal. There are no contraindications: absolutely anyone can walk, regardless of gender, age and health.
In addition, it’s easier for your willpower: plug in headphones with your favorite audiobook or music, dress comfortably and go for a leisurely walk, you don’t even need to force yourself.
- Bonus for losing weight: when you leave the house, the refrigerator disappears from reachability
