Do We really need 10 k steps a day for our Health?

Do We really need 10 k steps a day for our Health???

Do you want to stay healthy, walking 10k steps is the most common advice we get? In this blog want to address 10 k steps myth. Most of us check our fitness watch now and then to ensure we are reaching or walking enough to reach 10k steps. The advice of doing 10 k steps a day is more a marketing accident than based on science. Taking far fewer may notably benefit.

Have you ever wondered who has set the 10 k steps goals? 10 k steps became popular in Japan in the 1960s. A clockmaker, hoping to capitalize on interest in fitness after the 1964 Tokyo Olympic game, mass-produced a pedometer with a name when written in Japanese character to resemble a walking man. It also translated as 10 k steps meter, creating a walking aim that, through the decades, somehow became embedded in our global consciousness and fitness trackers. The device was called “Manpo Ke ”

Recent research has challenged this arbitrary figure and showed that 5k steps should be enough, enough to lower the mortality rate significantly low.

Aiming to walk 10 k steps a day (or any number) that presents a challenge based on your current activity level, is a great way to motivate yourself to do more and interrupt the time you spend sitting.

It can have a tremendous impact on almost every part of your body. If you want to walk that extra mile, you can do that, but do not over stress yourself. But science says no extra benefits. I am not discouraging walking, but just debunking the 10 k steps myth.

Here are the 10 biggest benefits you can expect -

1. Walking 10,000 steps a day can boost your heart health

Regular physical activity helps increase the amount of oxygenated blood being sent to your muscles—the fitter you are, the more easily this happens, and the harder you will be able to work out.

2. It will strengthen your lungs

Moving each day helps strengthen your lungs and surrounding muscles. As the rate and volume of oxygen you inhale go up, so does your body’s ability to use it efficiently (a measurement referred to as your “VO2 max”). The fitter you get, the higher your VO2 max.

3. It improves your concentration

Physical activity boosts the release of feel-good hormones (like endorphins) and also increases blood flow to the brain, which results in improved cognitive function. Not only do you feel less stressed and anxious when you regularly move, but you are also working toward improving your creativity, productivity, and concentration.

4. It strengthens your bones

Physical activity (particularly weight-bearing exercises) places extra stress on your bones, which helps improve their density and lowers your risk for osteoporosis later in life. Walking, and better yet running, are great places to start.

5. Walking 10,000 steps a day builds muscle

Daily physical activity causes tiny tears in your muscles, which, in turn, leads to increased muscle growth and strength.

6. It helps stabilize your blood sugar

When you’re physically active, your muscles use more of the glucose in your bloodstream. The activity also helps the insulin in your body work more efficiently.

7. It can help lower blood pressure

Physical activity is important for preventing and managing high blood pressure. Getting in your daily steps can help reduce the stiffness of your vessels, allowing blood to flow more freely.

8. It improves flexibility

Physical activity helps improve your flexibility, which in turn, helps improve posture, reduces the risk for injury, and also decreases the number of aches and pains you feel during the day.

9. It boosts your energy levels

Physical activity is a great way to boost energy levels and fight fatigue, as it strengthens the heart and improves circulation.

10. It improves your mood

Physical activity triggers the release of key neurotransmitters like endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, all of which play key roles in mood control.

Ways to add extra steps in your day-

· Walk to the nearest store instead of driving.

· Climbing stairs instead of escalators.

· Walk and talk.

· Get up and move every hour. Even just walking to get a cup of water adds steps and keeps you active.

· Park your car at the end of the parking.

· Set up the benchmark throughout the day, for instance, complete 5k steps till 1 P.M. lunch.

Walk, in all means, but do not exert and overburden yourself with 10 k steps. It is unscientific. You can take it as to improve your activity level, sitting too many hours increases your chances of lifestyle disorders.

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