I walk 10,000 steps a day—a longevity expert says I'm doing myself a favor: It's 'the most effective way' to exercise
A little over a year ago, I discovered that my iPhone's Health app tracked my steps and that I was averaging around 7,000 per day. Because I'm stubborn and competitive, the number 10,000 immediately popped into my head.
Since I live in a walkable part of a walkable city, the idea seemed reasonable. So far, I'm succeeding: In 2023, I averaged 10,632 steps a day, or just over 5 miles.
I didn't choose my target number of steps because it was some kind of gold standard for health — that particular myth has been debunked. But walking a lot can still improve your well-being: Just 4,000 steps per day reduces your risk of "all-cause mortality," according to a recent study.
Certified nutritionist and longevity expert Michiko Tomioka, who herself aims for 10,000 steps a day, says that's "the most effective way [to get exercise]: Just take a walk."
For me, though, the health benefits matter less than showing the pedometer who's boss.
Here's what I've learned since I started paying attention to my step count.
Walking is good for your body and your mind
Dr. Una Naidoo, a nutritional psychiatrist and faculty member at Harvard Medical School, also aims for 10,000 steps a day: It's beneficial to get that much "movement in your body," she says.
Especially in nature. "You're outdoors getting sunlight. Up to 10 minutes gets you 80% of your Vitamin D for the day," she says. That can help with mood, research indicates.
A dose of Vitamin D in the morning can help you sleep better at night, too. For me, this tracks. I'd say I sleep like a baby, but I've had babies — some nights, I sleep better than a baby.
Walking consistently can improve your mental well-being, Naidoo says. Studies back her up: Aerobic exercise can help with anxiety, as can being in the woods for extended periods.
That has been the case for me. I breathe better among trees.
But walking isn't free
Sure, there's no charge to hoof it to the subway, or wake up on a Sunday and wind my way south from my home in the Bronx to Manhattan.
But to keep my body from complaining, I've had to invest in durable, supportive shoes, and quality doesn't come cheap. I've cut corners by accepting hand-me-down hiking boots, or asking for waterproof sneakers as a birthday present.
Still, even my everyday shoes have to be comfortable enough to walk miles in, meaning I've spent hundreds of dollars on footwear.
Hitting 10,000 steps requires being intentional—and creative
On weekends, I may take my kids with me as I wander, or my husband, or my neighbors and proto-friends. During the workweek, I coax coworkers into doing an Aaron-Sorkin-style walk-and-talk.
When in New Orleans at a conference in 2023, I suggested meetings on the move, and people were game. As one contact and I strolled through the French Quarter, he realized he'd never had a beignet, and we rectified that on the spot. Another contact and I ended up at an old-school, low-profile seafood spot we would never have found had we stayed at the hotel.
This is partly why I love walking: It puts you where you might not otherwise go, and helps you take in what you might not otherwise see.
It helps to think of walking as a thing I get to do, not something I have to do
Motivation can be hard to find, especially during the grim-gray death days of winter.
Given that I hate being told what to do, even by myself, neither chiding nor guilting gets me moving. Instead, I reframe walking so it's more a chance than a chore.
When I'm on foot, I have the chance to listen to a podcast, or phone a friend, or stream one of my shows if I'm at the gym. Those are all activities I enjoy that are hard to prioritize otherwise, with a job, two children, a husband and a long to-do list vying for my attention.
The rewards are clear enough to keep me toddling along. I sleep better, I'm calmer and the extra time to myself helps me be more patient with my family. Walking makes me happy, which makes it easy to keep taking the next step, and the next.
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