After a family trip made me realise how much my weight was holding me back, I started following a low-carb diet, weighing my food with a scale, and walking at least 10,000 steps a day. I've now lost 80 pounds (5 stone and 10lbs, or 36kg) in under 11 months. I have been overweight most of my life.
Remember: 1500 steps equals about 15 minutes of walking & 3000 steps equals about 30 minutes of walking. Your aim for week 1 is to add in an extra 1500 steps on three or more days this week to your baseline steps.
Experts recommend we aim for 10,000 steps a day. If you drive, park further from your building. Set an alarm to buzz every hour to remind yourself to stand up and take a brisk 1-2-minute walk. Leave your desk at lunch, even if you're just walking somewhere else to sit down - at least you're walking.
Tick off your weekly chores while getting in your daily step count. Your weekly 30-minute food shop clocks in at 2000 steps and an hour of housework scores you on average 4800 steps. If you don't own a dog, you can always volunteer to walk your friends or neighbours.
Walking Speed & Time
How long it takes to walk 10,000 steps depends on your speed. At a pace of 3-4 mph, it usually takes 90 to 120 minutes. Find a speed that feels right for you and make it a habit.
Taking a stroll around the house may seem like an odd method for getting your steps in, but it is actually a legitimate way to meet your daily step goals! Whether you live in a small apartment or a large home, simply taking the time to move throughout the house can add up.
The Bottom Line
Walking 10,000 steps daily offers a slew of physical and mental health benefits. For example, it can support healthy weight loss, improve joint health, boost mood and brain function and aid recovery. Also, walking is a low-impact exercise that's accessible to most people.
A research study states that regular walking helps reduce belly fat, which improves the body's response to insulin. Walking for at least 30 minutes every day allows you to prevent weight gain. It can also strengthen the muscles in your legs and tone your legs.
For losing 20 pounds, increase your daily step count to 14,000 to 16,000 steps, along with healthy eating habits. For more tips, learn how many calories does your body burn at rest.
That 60 minute walk would cover about 3 miles, giving you between 6,000 and 7,500 steps. You can estimate around 6,600-7,000 to be safe. By adding an hour a day of walking to their daily lives, most people will already be over 10,000 steps a day.
Therefore, for you to hit 10,000 steps, you need to walk 4 to 5 miles a day, or around 1.5 to 2 hours of activity.
Walking in place does contribute towards overall step count.
Rovzar recommends walking the 8,000 steps throughout the day, such as in the morning and evening and after each meal. For example, you could split the 8,000 steps (80 minutes of walking) into four, 20-minute walks. If you stick to the 10,000-step goal (100 minutes of walking), that breaks down to five, 20-minute walks.
"If you have a way to track your steps, 7,500 steps is a great goal to aim for each day," Potter says. "If you are mostly sedentary, I would start with 30 minutes per day on your walking pad and build up from there," she adds.
Using 2,000 steps in one mile as an average benchmark, 10,000 steps is approximately 5 miles.
Yes, cleaning the house is exercise! From sweeping to scrubbing dishes to dusting, all that moving around is definitely burning calories. Of course, not all forms of cleaning and exercise are created equal.
The Journal of American Medical Association performed a study that found significant health benefits to older people walking 10,000 steps, reducing cardiovascular disease, cancer, and overall chance of premature death.
This all depends on your size, stride length, how quickly you walk, and how fit you are when you start. All of these factors will influence how difficult you find walking 10,000 steps and how your body reacts to your new routine. Generally speaking, walking 10,000 steps will mean you travel around 5 miles.
While the popular goal of 10,000 steps a day is considered the gold standard for fitness, doubling that number to 20,000 steps unlocks a whole range of benefits. From accelerating weight loss to boosting sleep quality, energy levels, and stamina, walking 20,000 steps has multiple benefits.