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Do you really have to walk 10,000 steps a day for your health?

WRITTEN BY: COACH SAMRA S. | EDITED BY: KRISTEEN WARD

You’ve probably heard—from your office wellness program, maybe?—that you should walk 10,000 steps a day for weight care and health—it’s become a gold standard. But where does this number come from, what’s the science behind it, and do you really need to hit that 10K? Are you cheating your long-term health on the days you don’t? (10,000 steps, by the way, is about 5 miles for most walkers.)

The history of the first pedometer

First, the background: According to Dr. I-Min Lee, a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and an expert on step counts and health, 10,000 as number became popular back in the 1960s. A Japanese clock company made the first pedometer to hype the Tokyo 1964 Olympic games. The pedometer was named Manpo-kei, which translates to "10,000 steps meter." And that’s it. Studies since have both praised and debated its benefits.

The benefits of walking 7,000 steps a day

The latest research suggests that you may be able to cut a few laps around the block and still support your health.

One study looked at the relationship between physical activity and health in older women and came to the following conclusion:

Women who averaged 4,400 daily steps had a 41 percent reduction in mortality.
Mortality rates progressively improved before leveling off at approximately 7,500 steps per day.

So, if long life is your priority, you can support your goal with 2,500 fewer steps. But, this study only looked at mortality and not quality of life. It also didn't look at the intensity of the steps.

However, even with these limitations, other studies show that walking between 7,000-8,000 steps lowers the risk of mortality by 50 to 70 percent. Increasing to more than 10,000 steps isn’t associated with further reduction in mortality. (And let's face it, getting 10,000 steps in one day can be challenging.)

Time exercising may be a better health goal than steps

In addition to that (and as you probably remember from your 7th grade fitness class), the U.S. government’s recommendation for movement uses time, not steps. It's recommended that you exercise 150 minutes a week or 30 minutes every weekday. Converted into steps, that comes out to around 16,000 steps per week, which is about 2,000-3,000 steps a day. The average American takes approximately 3,000 to 5,000 steps a day from normal daily activities. Adding those extra 2,000-3,000 steps per day gets you to a sweet spot of 7,000-8,000. The good news is you don’t have to do it all at once—you can break down taking those additional steps during the day.

15 ways to get your 7,000 steps every day

Go for a walk after each meal. If you have an hour for lunch at work, you probably only need around 30 minutes to eat, and you can spend the rest on getting in those extra steps. If you walk 1,500 steps after each meal, you've walked 4,500 steps.

Go window shopping. Strolling through a mall can easily earn you several thousand steps toward your daily goal. If a mall’s not your thing, take an extra lap around the grocery.
Change up the way you do your meetings from seating to standing meetings. Have a walking meeting with colleagues around the office block or if you spend a lot of time on calls, walk around your office while on the call.
Invest in a standing desk with a treadmill. Another great option is to put a stepper under your chair desk. Amazon has several stepper options.
Love listening to podcasts and/or music? Then download your favorite tunes and listen to them while walking.
Every hour, take a short 3-minute walk around the house or the office. Set a reminder so you don't forget.
Turn your sedentary screen time to active time by watching television or your favorite Netflix binge series while using an elliptical or treadmill.
Another option while watching television is to walk during commercials. Every time you see a commercial, get up and take a walk around your house. The time will pass much quicker by taking a walk rather than scrolling on your phone while you wait for your favorite show to begin.
Start by gradually increasing your steps by no more than 10 percent per week. You don't want to get injured or overwhelm yourself. If you currently walk 5,000 steps per day this week, make a goal to walk 5,500 per day next week. The week after? Another 10 percent increase for 6,050 per day.
While waiting to pick up your kids from school or afterschool activities, arrive a few minutes early and take a walk around the block instead of just sitting in your car.
Use the stairs instead of escalators or elevators.
While parking at your office, shopping mall, or grocery store, park as far away as you can from the entrance. Please use caution and be careful parking at night if there's poor lighting.
Instead of standing in just one spot while brushing your teeth, try walking around your bathroom to get those extra steps in.
Get a dog that loves to walk. New dog owners get an average of 22 more minutes of walking time a day compared to people who don’t have a pup.
Buy your food from a farmer’s market. You’ll get some extra steps in walking from farm stand to stand.
Tie your walking to a good cause you’d like to support. Apps like Charity Miles let your turn your steps into a fundraiser. Every mile earns money. Now your walking isn’t just good for you—it makes the world a better place, too.

Take some time to log your meals, movement, and other dailies in the app to track your progress. It gives you time to reflect, and science shows it supports your success.

About Coach Samra S.

I'm originally from Europe and now living in Maryland, I have over 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry spanning from pharmaceutical, health insurance companies and now Found. I joined Found to pursue my passion to help people elicit their own best thinking when it comes to building a healthy relationship with food. I've been a health coach since 2016 and in 2002 I earned my Pharmacy Degree at University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Pharmacy and I'm also a Certified Health Coach, Certified Life Coach and soon to be Certified Intrinsic Health and Wellbeing Coach. When I’m not working, you’ll find me spending time with my family, travelling and trying out new recipes.