Walking is another form of physical activity that anyone can do to keep their bodies healthy. It is cheap and can be done anywhere. Now more than ever, as people are cooped up in their homes due to the pandemic, walking is more important to move muscles and increase heart rate.
If you are one to use fitness trackers then most likely you are pushed to walk 10,000 steps every day. Although reaching this goal is helpful in your daily activity, does it mean this is the best way to measure physical activity?
Couple walking with their dog.
10,000 Steps is Not For Everyone
Exercise greatly reduce chronic diseases and improve health. Having a consistent activity can help reduce blood pressure and improve insulin insensitivity, Massive Science reported.
The concept of walking 10,000 steps a day has been mainstream for some time, but Cnet reported that it did not emerge from a medical source or government health agency.
According to sports medicine physician Dr. Jordan Metzi, the 10,000 steps number is arbitrary. Its roots came from the Japanese walking club that adopted the term as part of its marketing slogan.
Moreover, an article in JAMA Internal Medicine points out that there is a limited scientific basis that backs up that walking 10,000 steps a day is good for the health. Although the study showed that those who took more steps a day were less likely to die early than those who do not.
Exercise physiologist Professor Paul Gordon, the chair of Baylor University's Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, said that an average person usually takes about 3,000 to 6,000 steps a day during commuting, shopping, and doing other activities. He added that walking more steps is always better.
The Ladders reported that the concept of walking 10,000 steps a day is equivalent to walking five miles a day. However, that seems to be a lot especially for those who sit at a desk all day. Experts suggest that instead of putting pressure on yourself by reaching all those steps, exercising for a certain amount of minutes daily would be enough.
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How Many Minutes Should You Walk Every Day?
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends doing 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week. That is equivalent to 75 minutes of vigorous workout a week, such as running or dancing. Also, they recommend doing strength training exercises like lifting weights twice a week.
Furthermore, Harvard Health stated that a person should aim to walk for 30-45 minutes a day. "Do it all at once or in chunks as short as five to 10 minutes."
They added that a brisk pace of three to for miles an hour is also recommended but strolling at a slower pace is more beneficial as long as people stick with it.
Keep it in your goal to walk or do exercise more than the standard of 150 minutes if your goal is to lose weight.
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