"Walking coach debunks the 10,000-step target, detailing her suggested daily step count and providing advice on reaching this goal"
According to walking coach Chloe Thomas, the traditional goal of achieving 10,000 steps daily for optimal health may not be a necessity for everyone. Recent discussions suggest that progressively greater health benefits can be gained from walking 3,000, 5,000, and up to 10,000 steps daily.
Starting Small: The Benefits of 3,000 Steps
Walking 3,000 steps, roughly equivalent to about 1.5 miles, can provide meaningful health improvements for inactive individuals. This amount is often recommended as a manageable initial goal for beginners to reduce sedentary time and improve mobility. By increasing basic physical activity, supporting cardiovascular health, and aiding weight management, 3,000 steps can make a significant difference.
Stepping Up: The Advantages of 5,000 Steps
Approaching moderate activity, 5,000 steps daily can enhance cardiovascular fitness, improve metabolic health, reduce risk factors for chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and contribute to better mental health. Chloe Thomas emphasizes gradual progression and suggests looking for walking challenges or breaking walking into mini walks to build up motivation and consistency.
Aiming High: The Rewards of 10,000 Steps
Though the "10,000 steps" target is not a "must" for everyone, it does offer notable cardiovascular and metabolic benefits, increases calorie expenditure, and supports weight control. However, Chloe Thomas points out the "10,000 steps myth," explaining it is not necessary for everyone and that health benefits accrue along a continuum beginning well below this number. The key is increasing activity relative to one’s baseline and spreading walking throughout the day for sustainability.
Key Advice from Chloe Thomas
- Break walking into short segments across the day rather than one long session.
- Pair up with a partner or friend to motivate each other and make walking more enjoyable.
- Set personalized challenges to boost motivation.
- Incremental increases matter more than hitting a fixed number like 10,000 steps.
The Origins of the "10,000 Steps" Standard
Contrary to popular belief, the "10,000 steps" standard did not originate from a recognized health authority. Instead, it was popularized by a marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer called 'manpo-kei' in 1965.
The Power of Mini Walks and Challenges
Thomas suggests taking two-minute breaks every half hour as a way to increase step count throughout the day. Committing to a challenge, such as those found on platforms like Strava, at work, or online, can also boost motivation to increase step count. Additionally, Thomas recommends trying a mini walk broken up throughout the day as an alternative to one long walk.
The Health Benefits of Lower Step Counts
Data now reveals that the health benefits of walking are associated with step counts lower than 10,000 steps. Achieving just 5,000 steps a day can reduce the risk of depression, while hitting 3,000 steps a day reduces the risk of death from disease and illness.
In sum, achieving 3,000 steps mostly supports initial improvements in health and sedentary reduction, 5,000 steps enhance moderate fitness and chronic disease risk reduction, and 10,000 steps provide broader cardiovascular and metabolic benefits — though the focus should be on consistent movement rather than a rigid step count target.
Science and health-and-wellness are closely linked in the realm of fitness-and-exercise. For instance, walking 3,000 steps daily, as recommended for beginners, can significantly reduce the risk of death from disease, indicating enhanced health improvements (The Health Benefits of Lower Step Counts). Furthermore, a progressive increase in daily steps toward 5,000 can lead to improvements in cardiovascular fitness, chronic disease risk reduction, and better mental health (Stepping Up: The Advantages of 5,000 Steps).
