The Magic of 10,000 steps
When you join Fitbit, the default goal we set for each member is the magical number of 10,000 steps a day (you can also choose to customize your goal). And while this may not be the first time you’ve heard that goal, it might be more meaningful, and motivating, to understand its origins.
The Japanese first started using the 10,000 steps a day number, as part of a marketing campaign! (to help sell pedometers). Since that initial campaign however, medical authorities around the world have agreed that 10,000 is a healthy number to aim for. The American Heart Association uses the 10,000 steps metric as a guideline to follow for improving health and decreasing risk of heart disease, the number one killer of men and women in America.
10,000 steps a day is a rough equivalent to the Surgeon General’s recommendation to accumulate 30 minutes of activity most days of the week. It should be enough to reduce your risk for disease and help you lead a longer, healthier life. The benefits are many: lower BMI, reduced waist size, increased energy, and less risk for Type II diabetes and heart disease. In fact, a recent study of the 10,000 steps a day method reported conclusive health benefits.
10,000 steps daily is approximately 5 miles. Unless you have a very active lifestyle or profession, you probably don’t reach 10,000 steps on a given day without putting some effort into your activity. This could be a lifestyle change such as walking to work, or the addition of an exercise routine to your day.
Another reason to do it? For most people, it’s convenient, free and simple to do with just a little change to your daily routine. Working towards a 10,000 step a day goal? Good for you! Get motivated with one of our Fitbit groups, like 5k-6k steps a day. Already mastered 10,000? Maybe Active Maintainers is for you.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,587126,00.html
I have a pretty desk-bound job and find that I don’t get more than 3-4,000 steps in a day without effort. I have found that I need to augment my regular activity with two 30-minute walks a day to get to 10,000.
I work from home and still manage to log 6000-8000 through my normal routine… I guess having four kids helps! It doesn’t take too much effort to move that number up to 10 000. I like that fitbit has customizable goals. The last device I used kept putting my goal lower than my average, which is never going to help me lose weight.
Looking forward to receiving my fitbit!
I’m 69 and have not weighed in the 130′s since I was in my 30′s!
The fitbit has really worked for me. My goal each day is 10,000 steps and now I am 22 lbs less.
Once I loose another 8-10 lbs I will probably maintain on the fitbit forever…
I started with http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ and learned the proper way to eat … then I found Steps To Good Health https://www.facebook.com/groups/STGH1/ and learned how to walk my way healthy … then I bought the Fitbit Zip and linked it to my account at MyFitnessPal now the two work together to keep me on track and by the way … I’ve lost 54 pounds so far and want to lose about 10 more. You have all saved my life … Barb … age 62 … and YES I do walk a minimum of 10,000 steps each and every day.
I find the notion of walking 10,000 steps a day quite funny in the way it is universally accepted in non-English speaking countries like Japan. The Japan Health Promotion and Fitness Foundation otherwise known as The Kenko Nippon 21 Group recommends between 8000 and 8500 steps a day depending on gender. Living and working in Japan, I’ve come to realize how hard it can be to achieve this ‘bottom line.’ For people without access to public transportation not including the bus, the amount of time spent walking throughout the day is very little to say the least.
What do you say about taking the Kenko Nippon 21 “Walking Challenge?” Trying to take 8000 steps a day may be more realistic, don’t you think? (If only just a little)