Fitness Tip Series

10k Steps Daily

Welcome to my tip series! I’ll be taking a deeper dive into some of my favorite tips to improve your health and fitness. The first tip is one of my favorites. Something I’ve been tracking for a few years now and usually is my first recommendation to anyone looking to get healthier. 10K steps every day. The number itself is almost arbitrary, the goal is more movement throughout the day. There is no one right way to do it, you can walk for 45 minutes after dinner, 10 minutes after each meal or break up the work day with a few walks. Aiming for 10,000 steps a day can have a significant impact on your overall health, fitness, and quality of life. Below are the 4 benefits that make this my favorite health tips for anyone.

Heart Health

Your heart is like any other muscle in the body, it becomes stronger when you work it. Walking is one of the most gentle forms of cardio. It allows you to increase your heart rate with minimal impact on your joints. Because of this, it's appropriate for all levels of fitness to do! Regular walks can help lower BP, reduce resting heart rate and improve circulation. All of these improve heart health, lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke. Better circulation means the rest of your organs and muscles will receive oxygen and nutrients more efficiently. This helps your whole body function at a higher level. 

Weight Management

Walking burns way more calories than people think. Weight management is another benefit of routine walks. There are a few contributing factors, but 10k steps can burn anywhere from 300-600 calories. Over the course of a week, that's an extra 2000-4000 calories. This can be all the difference for someone on a weightloss journey who may be struggling to get over the hump.  The idea is these steps are in addition to any diet/exercise routine you are already on. The additional steps may help you more regularly achieve a caloric deficit for fat loss.  Reduced impact on joints plays a huge role here, that can often be an issue for someone wanting to lose weight. While something more intense could lead to burnout, walking is relatively easy and most people can do it daily without feeling run down.

Mental Health

Not only does routine walking benefit the body, it helps you mind too.  Research shows that walking regularly reduces stress, improves mood and lowers symptoms of anxiety and depression. When you walk your body releases endorphins, chemicals released in the brain that reduce pain and stress.  These natural hormones help promote the feeling of happiness and relaxation as well. Walking causes the chemical reactions in the brain to feel happy, something we could all use more of. Whether you're overwhelmed at work or feeling mentally drained, a 15-20 minute walk can help clear your mind, lower cortisol levels, and leave you feeling more refreshed.

Recovery/Joint Health

For more active individuals, walking is a great recovery tool. Walking will increase blood flow to working muscles without causing significant fatigue.  Increased circulation will help reduce muscle soreness and stiffness which improves recovery between workouts.  Because walking places very little stress on your ankles, knees and hips, it is a great form of active recovery. For those who spend a long time sitting, it's also a great way to reduce stiffness in the low back and hips. Moving frequently helps maintain flexibility, lubricate joints and improve quality of movement.  For lifters, athletes, or anyone new to fitness,  incorporating more daily walking can mean recovering faster and feeling better between workouts.  This will help with staying consistent when training over the long term.

If this is something you want to challenge yourself with, there are a few things I usually tell people to consider.  The first is your current step count.  If you are someone who typically has 3,000-4,000 steps a day, try increasing gradually. Try adding 1000-1500 steps a week, don’t jump right to 10,000. You also don’t need to get your steps in at the same time. It’s best if you can accumulate them throughout that day.  Try things like a morning walk, walking after meals, stairs instead of the elevator, park further away from entrances, short breaks during work or while on the phone. Spreading out your steps this way will make it feel like less of a burden if that is what is holding you back.

The beautiful thing about walking is how simple it is. No gym membership, no fancy equipment and there is very little you need to plan. Such a simple habit can improve your health and fitness in so many different aspects. You don't need a complicated fitness program to start improving your health. Implementing simple habits can lead to huge changes. Just throw on some shoes, go outside and start moving! As always, reach out if you have any questions.