Watch Your Steps!
Posted: Monday, February 08, 2010
by Dr. Ron Blankstein
Chesapeake Nutraceuticals
Footsteps, that is.
How many steps do you take in a day? According to Pedometer researcher Dr. Catrine Tudor-Locke, who published a study of 200 men and women in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the men averaged 7192 steps per day while the women averaged 5210. (1)
How many steps do you take in a day? According to Pedometer researcher Dr. Catrine Tudor-Locke, who published a study of 200 men and women in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the men averaged 7192 steps per day while the women averaged 5210. (1)
How Do the Steps Add Up?
If you are sedentary, you are probably taking only 2000-3000 steps per day. 2000 steps is about a mile, but that isn't very much in a day's time. Studies show that moving 6000 steps in a day imparts health benefits and reduces risk of disease, while 8000-10,000 will promote weight loss. (2) 10,000 steps sounds like a lot, but it is roughly equivalent to the Surgeon General's recommendation of adding 30 minutes of brisk exercise to your normal day. (3)
As you know, I'm a big proponent of regular exercise, so I'm a fan of anything that will get you moving. I was intrigued by a study cited on Medscape Medical News indicating that women increased their exercise levels more when asked to set a goal of 10,000 steps than when they were simply asked to exercise for 30 minutes. (4) Hey, whatever works!
Why not try it for yourself? You can pick up a pedometer at a department store for about $10 and you're good to go. I suggest wearing it for a few days without changing your normal routine. That way you'll get an honest baseline of your average activity level. You might find that you move around a decent amount – or you might get a wakeup call. Either way, it's a good thing to know.
As you know, I'm a big proponent of regular exercise, so I'm a fan of anything that will get you moving. I was intrigued by a study cited on Medscape Medical News indicating that women increased their exercise levels more when asked to set a goal of 10,000 steps than when they were simply asked to exercise for 30 minutes. (4) Hey, whatever works!
Why not try it for yourself? You can pick up a pedometer at a department store for about $10 and you're good to go. I suggest wearing it for a few days without changing your normal routine. That way you'll get an honest baseline of your average activity level. You might find that you move around a decent amount – or you might get a wakeup call. Either way, it's a good thing to know.
Adding More Steps To Your Day
We've all read the usual tips for adding incidental exercise to our lives, but now is your chance to really do them and see what a difference it makes. Try these things to add to the count:
- Park farther away from your destination and walk the difference
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Use copy machines and restrooms that are farther from your work area
- Find a buddy to walk with at lunch
- Walk the dog – poochie is always ready to go
- Go for a stroll after dinner with the family
- Plan outings to parks and hiking trails – it's free entertainment!
- Set goals for increasing your steps and reward yourself when you meet them
And remember, it's not a race to get all those steps in at once. Get your baseline first. Then gradually build your count from there. Make it a goal to add steps in increments – say 500 more per day each week. Or pick a percentage to increase by on a weekly basis, like 10-20%.
However you do it, know that you are adding vitality to your life by watching your steps. And as always, consult your doctor before making changes to your diet, exercise routine or supplement program.
However you do it, know that you are adding vitality to your life by watching your steps. And as always, consult your doctor before making changes to your diet, exercise routine or supplement program.
Until next time.
- Bumgardner, Wendy, "What's Typical for Daily Steps?" Created March 24, 2009 for About.com, available here
- Bumgardner, Wendy, "Walk 2000 More Steps a Day and Never Gain Another Pound", Created March 24, 2009 for About.com, available here
- pbs.org, America's Walking, "The 20% Boost Program: Fit Walking into Your Life", available here.
- Barclay, Laurie, MD, and Vega, Charles, MD, FAAFP, "Step Counting May Increase Exercise More Than Timed Walking in Sedentary Women", Medscape Medical News, April 2005, available here.
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