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For years, walking 10,000 steps a day has been regarded as a good target for maintaining better fitness and overall health. Numerous health studies conducted over recent decades have found that increasing daily steps can reduce the likelihood of developing a range of serious diseases.
Researchers have also discovered that walking more each day can improve mental clarity, and some studies suggest it can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Most importantly, walking is a completely free way to enhance your health and fitness.
The figure of 10,000 steps seems rather arbitrary; some argue that 4,000 steps might be sufficient to gain health benefits. In a recent study published in JAMA Neurology, researchers stated that for every additional 2,000 steps taken each day, the risks of premature death could be reduced.
A journalist from the Manchester Evening News, armed with a fitness tracker smartwatch, decided to walk at least 10,000 steps daily throughout June to see exactly what impact it would have on her health and well-being.
Additionally, she did not change her diet during the first two weeks of the month. In the second half, she incorporated healthy eating to see what difference it would make to her weight and overall wellness.
Week one
To reach the goal of 10,000 steps a day, she had to drastically increase her movements, as she previously averaged 4,000 steps daily.
She started driving less, taking a walk before dinner, and adding a few thousand steps before getting the kids ready for bed.
After the first full week of 10,000 steps, she reported feeling better and more positive. Her resting heart rate decreased during the week, starting from 19:00 and dropping to 72 bpm by the end of the week.
Despite this, her weight remained unchanged during the first week.
Week two
The second week went well, with an average of 15,000 steps, but her weight remained the same.
Week three
In the third week, she added a healthy, balanced diet to her routine. These positive changes led her to lose a total of 13 pounds (6 kilograms).
Week four
Encouraged by her progress in the third week, she began actively looking for more reasons to walk. For example, meeting friends for coffee was replaced by meeting them for a long walk (with coffee to-go for the journey).
Impact on health
The biggest success of this project was observing the effect that a healthier regimen had on her heart rate.
At the start of the month, her Fitbit showed a resting heart rate of 75 bpm. When she started walking 10,000 steps, it had an immediate effect, bringing her heart rate down to 70 bpm.
By the end of the month, her resting heart rate had dropped to 65 bpm. Another significant discovery was the change in calorie consumption due to increased activity levels. The Fitbit estimated that her average daily energy expenditure in May, when she averaged 5,000 steps a day, was 2,469 calories.
In June, with an average of 10,000 steps a day, this increased to 2,660 calories burned daily. So, she burned about 200 more calories a day thanks to the increased exercise.
The best part, of course, is that walking is a completely free exercise, and combining it with healthy eating proved to be an excellent way to improve heart health.
Source: Manchester Evening News
