Get up and walk! How many steps do you need?
Most of us know the health benefits of walking but do you know around how many steps should you be walking daily to maintain a healthy lifestyle? Experts believe that adults should walk at least 10,000 steps every day to prevent certain health issues like cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure. But it can be broken down further based on age and your goals.
Why does it matter?
Experiment-based studies have found that adults can walk anywhere between 4,000 to 18,000 steps every day. However, 10,000 steps/day is a reasonable aim. Working toward this number can help regulate your blood flow, improve joint stiffness, breathing, elasticity, and mood. In fact, approximately 10,000 steps a day can also prevent problems like obesity and age-related memory loss.
How many steps should you walk for weight loss?
Different bodies react differently to weight loss practices. Since one pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories, to lose one pound a week, you need to burn around 500 extra calories per day. Even though 10,000/day is a reasonable target for weight loss, aiming for 15,000 will keep you safe from metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions including heart diseases, stroke and diabetes.
Want to improve fitness levels? Set higher targets
If your aim is to improve your fitness levels, start setting higher goals. First calculate how many steps you are currently averaging. Add about 250 extra steps to this daily. Once you are consistently achieving this number for a few weeks, increase the target by 500. Follow this consistently until you reach 10,000 steps daily. Increase your target steps for better results.
What experts suggest for kids and adults
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that children between 6-17 years should engage in at least 60 minutes of cardio exercises/physical activities daily. An experiment found that adult females who walked over 4,000 steps every day had a reduced mortality rate. Another study found out that mortality rates are highly decreased if adults walk approximately 7,500 steps a day.
Simple ways to walk more
Wondering how to walk this much every day? Start with mini walks. Walk for 15 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the afternoon, and 15 minutes in the evening. Take the stairs and walk while talking on the phone. Research says people who start their day with a walk feel more energized as compared to those who kick-off with a cup of tea.
