We all love all sorts of gadgets and devices. They keep us on our toes and they help us do our daily tasks without much hassle. However, we also rely on them too much, without really stopping to think whether they are good or not, whether the things they tell us are scientifically sound or not. We love such gadgets, but we also don’t check the information they give us.
The 10,000 steps per day goal, is that a myth or do we need more or less? Is that good for us? When did that come to be and why is every tracker suggesting that we do it? Here are some thoughts on the topic.
Marketing!
10,000 is a very good number, but will do absolutely nothing for your weight loss or overall health if done poorly or without any proper form or for that matter, desire. A Japanese company named Yamasa Tokei invented the first pedometer or step counter in the 1960s. They name the device manpo-kei, which translates to, you guessed it, 10,000. This marketing material is as old as most radios, transistors, guitar amplifiers and much older than modern fitness trackers.
However, it seemed that the marketing idea worked and that people are still buying into it, without any scientific backup for it. There are recent studies about mortality rate and walking, so let’s get to them.
How Much Should You Walk?
A 2019 study showed that women who walked about 4,400 steps every day had a much lower mortality rate than those who walked 2,500 steps a day. Likewise, people who walked around 12,000 steps didn’t have many more benefits than those who walked 8,000 steps. Studies have shown that the benefits max out at 7,500 steps. The goal of this is to realize that you benefit from more motion, but definitely not a number you should fuss over. While you might miss that checkmark for that day’s goal, you shouldn’t dwell on it.
Walking More Doesn’t Lead to More Weight Loss
The problem with walking more than 2,500 steps per day is that the body is very tricky and has mechanisms to stop us from losing more weight. Weight loss isn’t necessarily a good thing for the body. The body sends signals that increase hunger once we reach a certain step count. Walking is also not great exercisIs it A Myth That You Will Benefit From Walking 10,000 Steps a Day?e. You burn some calories, but the intensity compared to the time invested is really, really low. In essence, walking more might not lead to more weight loss, but a stronger feeling of hunger, meaning that you might end up not changing your weight at all.
Don’t trust the gadgets, they are lying to you! They are not doing it intentionally, but they are simply doing what they must to sell better and it is succeeding. Walk more and move more in general and you will be healthier.