I Tried 10,000 Steps a Day for a Month: Here’s What Happened
Photos by Marques Jackson Photography.
By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF-, RRCA-certified running coach
Taking 10,000 steps a day is a popular fitness trend that’s become widespread, thanks to fitness trackers. Many smartwatches set a daily goal with 10,000 as the ideal number of steps. 10000 steps a day has become a benchmark for people to gauge their fitness progress. As a running coach and trainer, I decided to try out this daily step goal and see what it takes to reach the benchmark and if the health benefits are worthy of the hype.
Health Benefits of Walking
My dog Kiyoshi loves to walk all over the city.
It’s no secret that walking has many health benefits, as it helps combat a modern sedentary lifestyle. Regular walking improves heart health and reduces your risk of many chronic conditions ranging from heart disease to high cholesterol and osteoporosis. In addition, walking strengthens your muscles and bones and helps with weight control and weight loss, warding off health problems linked to obesity.
Here are some of the health benefits of adding walking to your routine:
Going for walks releases endorphins boosting your mental health. Walking can improve your mood and reduce anxiety and depression.
Walking burns calories, which can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
Regular, brisk walking helps combat high blood pressure and reduces your risk of diabetes.
Walking strengthens your heart and reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Walking helps your joints and muscles stay strong and can prevent and reduce symptoms of arthritis.
Regular walking reduces all cause mortality, meaning it can help you live longer and reduce your risk of premature death from many diseases and conditions.
Why 10,000 Steps a Day?
But why walk 10,000 steps? According to researchers, 10,000 steps came about to market a pedometer in Japan by encouraging people to take 10,000 steps a day. Fitness trackers took hold of the marketing strategy and implemented a daily step goal of 10,000 for many devices. 10,000 steps are equal to about 5 miles (8 km) of walking for most people. But are there more health benefits to reaching the magic 10K number? I set out to find out, one step at a time.
For my step count measurement, I used my Garmin Forerunner 55, a GPS tracker that can count how many steps you take in a day. You can also use other fitness trackers such as a Fitbit or Apple Watch or even free GPS tracking apps on your phone to get a daily step estimate. A benefit of measuring your daily step count is that you can do the steps on your terms, whether on the gym at a treadmill or on a run outside, or walking around your home.
Related Post: 15 Best Free Running Apps
My Step Journey
As a runner, dog owner, and New Yorker, I thought 10,000 steps a day would not be too challenging to undertake. My Garmin running watch set that as my goal when I first got the device (and has since raised the bar to 12,000 or more steps per day based on my activity). But I do take days off and have lazy days, and meeting my goal on those days was more challenging. And the weather can also have a significant effect (torrential rain walks, anyone?)
However, monitoring my step count made me much more aware of my activity levels, and I was surprised at some of my findings. Here’s a recap:
Walking my dog gave me a big boost in daily steps. (Three cheers for rescue dogs!) Her stubbornness at not wanting to go home also proved to be a positive rise in steps.
Running also gave me a significant raise in steps. I still wondered if intensity mattered as some days I had shorter runs with speed work, and others I did longer, slow miles.
Rest days and non-running days are a challenge to get 10,000 steps. As I recovered from an injury, my rest days were especially important, but I found the low step count troublesome on rest days. Also, I did strength training without running on some days, and then I would need to do extra walking to reach my 10,000 steps a day.
Taking stock of my daily steps motivated me to get in more steps. I did more walking or run commuting for errands.
A daily step goal encourages competition. I tried to top my daily step goals or regularly checked out my Garmin rankings to see where I stood.
When your body needs a rest, a daily step goal can hinder you as it encourages you to do 10,000 steps a day regardless of how you feel. Other than doing a run streak, I think it’s essential for athletes to have rest days, especially during intense training programs. While walking is an excellent form of active recovery, walking as far as 5 miles is not necessary for recovery, in my opinion.
Pros and Cons of 10,000 Steps a Day
After trying 10,000 steps a day for a month, I felt energized and had less sedentary time spent in front of my laptop. Even though I had to walk more than I normally would on rest days, I found this doable since I did mostly slow walks with my dog.
Setting a daily step goal of 10,000 can encourage people to get more active. According to the American Council on Exercise, people who track their steps take an average of 2,500 more steps per day than those who don’t. There are many serious health effects of living a sedentary lifestyle, and a daily step goal helps people move more.
According to the Physical Activity Guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults should get a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week. This translates to 30 minutes, 5 days a week. Depending on your walking pace, you may get an average of 3,000 steps in 30 minutes. Since walking to do errands and daily activities also counts toward your step goal, you may still reach 10,000 steps in an active day.
However, the exact 10,000 number is rigid. Age affects how much physical activity we need for maximum health benefits. For instance, in studies of older adults, 5,000 to 6,000 steps a day offer the most health benefits, with no significant difference in people who did more steps. According to researchers, for adults ages 60 and older, the risk of premature death leveled off at about 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day, meaning that more steps than that provided no additional benefit for longevity. And for adults younger than 60, the risk of premature death stabilizes at about 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day.
See my article on Recommended Steps Per Day by Age for more details on the best step count for your age.
To Walk or Not to Walk 10,000 Steps? Final Verdict
While 10,000 steps a day may be a worthy goal for many people, no magic number works best for everyone. When setting a daily step goal, consider your fitness level and current step count and build steps gradually.
Also, depending on your age and activity level, you may not need 10,000 steps daily. For example, if you swim, bike, run, or do other cardio exercises, then you may be meeting your body’s daily physical activity requirements even if you don’t total 10,000 steps per day.
Have you tried walking 10,000 steps per day? Share your workouts by following and tagging us on the @Runstreet Instagram to get cheered on. Do you need a fitness or training plan for your next big race goal? Check out the Runstreet Training Center for customized training programs designed by me, a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach. I enjoy helping people live happier and healthier lives by creating fitness programs that challenge and motivate them.
Happy moving to you!😊
Related Posts: Walking 2 Miles a Day: Benefits + 10 Tips to Start, Walking Shoes Vs. Running Shoes
Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.
