How many steps a day should I do?

How many steps a day should you do? Does 10 000 sound familiar? 

Something that most don’t know is that the number 10 000 steps comes from a Japanese marketing campaign for a pedometer.

There are studies that shows you get increased health benefits and decreased mortality risk around 6000-8000 steps. After you reach 6000-8000 steps the health benefits taper off. However it’s not bad for you to walk further either. If you like to walk and happens to do more than 8000 steps, this wont hurt either. You can get other benefits from walking longer longer. 

Here is a meta analysis of 15 studies on how walking and daily step count affects our health in a positive way. 

How many steps a day should I do? and what are the health benefits you get from walking.

• Better memory
• Reduced stress levels
• Decreased risk of heart disease and stroke
• Lowers blood pressure
• Better bone health
• Positive impact on mental health
• Can help with weight management
• Better focus
• Boost creativity 
• Increase in endorphins

These benefits are not exclusive to walking. If you are not able to walk, don’t have a safe area to walk in or simply just don’t want to do it. Any other activity will do.

Why is walking often recommended? The good thing with walking and why it’s often recommended is because for most people it’s easy to do, it requires little to no equipment, requires little to no preparation, does not necessarily require change of clothes. You get the idea it’s easy to do and it’s easy to adapt to any level. Plus you get a double whammy if you are walking outside. 

If walking is not for you, here are some examples of other activities.

You can choose any physical activity, even if it’s not on this list.

• Cross Country skiing
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Fencing
• Rollerskating
• Volleyball
• Dance / any form
• Tennis
• Badminton 
• Climbing

To wrap things up, a tip whether you are training 5 out of 7 days a week or just about to get started but you are sitting for most part of the day, You will benefit from decreasing the amount of time you are sitting down. The aim here is not to get a “proper sweat” or for it to feel like you have been working hard. 

The aim is to increase your daily movement.

Choose something that easily can be mixed in your daily life, something that you want to do / are curious about. Start small and don’t overthink it.