10000 Steps a Day
Can 10000 steps a day save your life?
An alarming study published by the BBC in January 2010 confirms what doctors have been warning for decades – that our sedentary lifestyles are literally killing us.
The study proved that people sitting for more than 4 hours per day can cause their bodies to send the same shutdown signals that are present in the brain at death.
Computers, televisions, office work, and driving cause most of us to not move about as much as we should.
How much exercise is needed to counter this new threat?
Not very much! Experts have concluded that strict exercise regimes can actually hurt rather than help because people rarely follow through and stick with them. It is better to do a little exercise consistently every day rather than in bursts with long unmotivated gaps between workout days.
To be not be considered “sedentary” and at risk for metabolic shutdown, you need to walk at least 5000 steps a day or more. This equates to roughly a little over 2 miles a day, much of which comes from just normal daily activities.
To be considered “active” and in an increased metabolic state for weight loss or fitness, you need to walk 10,000 steps a day or more. This may sound like a lot, but it adds up quick.
How do you know when you are doing enough?
Pedometers are small step-counting devices that you wear on your belt to track how many steps you have walked every day. More advanced models can be put into your pocket and will record distance, speed, and even calories burned.
A study done in 2005 by Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise showed that people that own pedometers are three times more likely to walk 5000 steps or more a day. Having a cheap pedometer on your hip or in your pocket reminds you daily of your goals and helps you get a feel for your progress.
When do you wear a pedometer?
Pedometers are not just for fitness, jogging, or running. Many people wear pedometers on their belt around the office, when they go shopping, or just when going about normal daily activity.
Which pedometers are best?
Cheap pedometers ($5 – $10) are simply digital step counters with one or two buttons on them. These are not highly accurate but are fine for just tracking daily activity.
People that are more serious about walking may be interested in more advanced models that have memories to chart goals – some even connect to your computer via USB so you can upload your results to groups on the web.
If you are interested in weight loss, be sure to get a digital pedometer that tracks your calories burned during each walk or workout, these can be purchased for around $30.
How to use a pedometer?
For cheap pedometers, you must first set your pedometer stride distance. This is the distance of a normal step which will vary slightly between people of different heights. Once set, you must wear the pedometer on your belt as level as possible to ensure that it “clicks” with each up and down movement when you walk.
Advanced units like Omron pedometers can be placed into your pocket and you do not need to worry so much about them being level on your belt. Expensive models even use GPS signals to track your speed and distance moved throughout the day, these can be placed anywhere.
In conclusion:
Pedometers are obviously not miracle devices, but if a cheap step counter can make you more informed about your level of activity and keep you motivated about walking more than 5000 steps a day to counter metabolic shutdown, they may very well help you to live longer!