For years we’ve been told that getting at least 10,000 steps is crucial to maintaining our health, but how did that number get chosen and is it really accurate?
Advertisement Listen to the full episode by pressing play: “We always hear about 10,000 steps, and I actually read that that number is based on this pedometer that was designed in Japan [in the 1960′s],” Michelson said.
“There has been more recent literature that looked at [10,000 steps] per day, and how that’s related to 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity per day,” Milton told us.
“When you’re counting steps, does that mean like I got up and walked to get water and came back?
A 2019 study involving 16,741 women who ranged in age from 62 to 101 found that “4,400 steps a day was associated with a 41% reduction in mortality compared with walking 2,700 steps a day, [and walking] around 7,500 steps was associated with a 65% reduction.” Another study showed progressively decreasing risk of mortality for people under 60 when they logged 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day.
Because there’s so much to consider when attempting to use step count to determine our fitness, Milton suggested we stop concentrating so specifically on our steps and instead focus on a different number: 30.
Advertisement Not only is 30 the number of minutes of moderate activity we want to aim for each day, it’s also the maximum number of minutes we should allow ourselves to remain seated or sedentary at any given time during the day.
“10,000 [steps] may not be what you want to set [your goal to],” Milton said.
What is the total number of steps you have taken today?
The majority of us have encountered that question at some point in our lives, and a lot of us measure our level of activity by looking at our step count. We have been told for years that maintaining our health requires taking at least 10,000 steps per day, but how was that number determined and is it actually accurate?
Heather Milton, an exercise physiologist at NYU Langone Health in New York, stopped by our studio to give us advice on how to exercise more effectively. That’s what we — Raj Punjabi and Noah Michelson, hosts of HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong?” podcast — talked about.
Click play to start listening to the entire episode.
“It’s true that the 10,000 steps that we hear about all the time are based on a pedometer that was designed in Japan [in the 1960s],” Michelson said. For 10,000, the [Japanese character] appears to be a walking person. It simply started to gain recognition for that. “.
That particular number has served as the standard for our daily step goal for decades, despite the fact that it wasn’t based on scientific or medical research.
Milton informed us that “more recent research has examined the relationship between [10,000 steps] per day and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day.”. The theory behind this is that if you walk 10,000 steps at the appropriate intensity, you’ll be getting the recommended daily allowance of aerobic exercise (which is equivalent to about 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity) from the CDC and ACSM. “.
But not every step is made equally.
“It’s probably not moderate intensity when you’re counting steps. Does that mean like I got up and walked to get water and came back?” the woman asked.
Milton highlighted that, in order for us to benefit the most from our walks, we should walk at a pace that prevents us from easily chatting while we’re out and about—a practice she called “the talk test.”. “.
“Maybe we could be chatting like this, or would you only be able to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to my questions if we were trying to have a conversation?” she enquired. As far as improving your health is concerned, there is a threshold dose or intensity dose that, when it comes to heart rate ranges, is roughly 60. Technically, 64 to 76. proportion of your maximum heart rate. Your moderate intensity zone is that one. “.
In addition to intensity, various step counts can yield varying outcomes depending on other variables, such as age. In 2019, 16,741 women, ages 62 to 101, participated in a study that revealed that walking 4,400 steps a day was linked to a 41 percent reduction in mortality, while walking 2,700 steps a day was linked to a 65 percent reduction. An additional research revealed that individuals under 60 years old who walked 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day had a gradually lower chance of dying.
Milton proposed that instead of focusing solely on our steps, we should concentrate on the number 30, as there are numerous factors to take into account when attempting to use step count to gauge our level of fitness.
Not only should we strive for 30 minutes a day of moderate activity, but we should also limit our time spent sitting or being inactive to no more than 30 minutes at a time.
She pointed out that “sedentary time is a whole other risk factor for health.”.
Our health and well-being may be improved by reducing our sedentary lifestyle, as it can lead to a multitude of medical problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, specific cancers, and mental health disorders.
Milton stated that “moving] every 30 minutes is the sweet spot for breaking up sedentary time.”. Walking improves your health in a different way because of the steps you take. “.
Because of this, she finds that steps are a “simple tool—an objective measure of if [my client] got some activity or didn’t that day.”. “.
“Therefore, the general public can see how low they are if they have a Fitbit or another device that counts their steps,” the speaker stated. After that, you can make plans to gradually raise it. “.
A low count at the end of the day may mean we spent most of the day sitting or otherwise inactive.
“You may want to set a goal lower than 10,000 steps,” Milton stated. “It might only be 200 [steps] higher. After that, you can gradually increase to get more active time. Physical activity, though perhaps not organized exercise, nonetheless. Additionally, that may improve your general health and metabolism. “.
According to the Mayo Clinic, we can also find ways to break up our sitting by finding ways to walk while we work. Some ideas include going for a walk with coworkers instead of sitting through a meeting, working at a counter or standing at a desk for portions of the day, or standing for a short while while performing a task we would normally do while sitting, like watching TV or talking on the phone.
Milton also shared with us the truth about spot training, why we might be warming up incorrectly (and how to do it correctly), and a host of other topics. Thus, take a listen to the entire episode on the podcast app or wherever you get them.
If you’re having trouble with something, send us an email at AmIDoingItWrong@HuffPost.com, and we may look into it in a future episode.
