Walking to improve your health: goals and practical tips

You have surely heard it many times, it takes 10,000 steps a day to be considered active. This represents about 8 km in total. This is true for the majority, but not necessarily for everyone.

Walking for people with limitations

For people who have limitations due to a particular health condition, like chronic pain, lung disease, Parkinson’s disease or other, a more modest goal of 7,500 steps per day seems more realistic. Ideally, in order to obtain beneficial health effects, one should walk a certain number of steps at a speed that increases the heart rate. Of the 7,500 steps taken in a day, at least 3,000 should be taken at a moderate to vigorous intensity. This means that walking should make you feel short of breath, increase body heat and make you sweat. Concretely, when walking at moderate intensity, shortness of breath should allow you to continue speaking, but make it difficult to sing. And when this walking is of vigorous intensity, shortness of breath is marked and it becomes more difficult to hold a conversation.

A goal of 7,500 steps per day, achieved consistently, can lead to increased energy expenditure as well as reduced abdominal obesity, blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk, (Tudor-Locke, C. . 2011).

Sedentary people, be careful!

For most people, however, the goal of 10,000 remains the ideal target. But be careful, we must aim for a gradual achievement of this target. A person who averages 1,000 steps in a day should not attempt to step 10,000 overnight. This target can be achieved, but by adding a few more steps each day or week. Depending on where you are starting from, it could take 8, 10, 12, or even 16 weeks to reach your desired 7,500 or 10,000.

A person who does not have a particular health condition that restricts their mobility should aim for 10,000 daily steps, of which approximately 7,000 are taken in the regular activities of the day (traveling, cleaning, etc.) and 3,000 + in a brisk walk, performed at a moderate to vigorous intensity.

Tips for reaching 10,000 or 7,500 steps per day

It is difficult to take such a large number of steps while going about our daily lives, which is why you should plan to add activities and trips that involve walking. Here are some tips to make it easier:

1. Use a pedometer: if you can, invest in an activity bracelet / watch, phone, or other tool that allows you to track your progress. There are some very simple and affordable and others very expensive and sophisticated. Some tools even give reminders and congratulate you when you reach your goal, which can be motivating.
2. Spread the household chores over the week: instead of doing 2 hours of cleaning on Monday and no longer doing the week, split the chores to make 20 or 30 minute periods spread over several days. Steps will be added a little each day.
3. Get out of a bus stop early or park your car a little further away: it is not always possible to get around on foot, but increasing the distance between your “passive” mode of transport and your destination will allow you to take a few hundred more steps.
4. Set an alarm to remind you to get up: make sure you don’t spend more than an hour in a sitting position. If you work at a desk, are on your tablet, or watching TV, take short breaks to get up and stretch your legs.
5. Walk while talking on the phone: when you receive or make a call, take the opportunity to walk around the house, around the living room or in the hallway.
6. Plan outdoor outings regularly, every day if possible: make an appointment with friends, chatting can seem more stimulating than walking alone (for that, you will have to wait for the end of the coronavirus crisis!) . Find yourself a pleasant ride around the house like a park, around the block, etc.
7. Get moving when you’re expecting something: don’t wait statically. If you’re waiting for your soup to heat up, for your water to come to a boil, or for your pie in the oven to be ready, pace around the house. And if you’re waiting at the pharmacy for your prescription to be ready, keep walking the shelves until you get a call (for this thing, too, you’ll have to wait until the coronavirus crisis is over!).
8. Take the stairs instead of the elevator: when possible, take the stairs. If you live on the 5th floor, start by going up one, then two, up the stairs, and take the elevator for the rest.
9. Walk during commercial breaks: if you watch your favorite show, with each commercial, stand up and walk for the few minutes of the break.
10. Record your results: gradually increase the number of steps taken in a day. Set goals for yourself, like 500 more steps today. Write your results in a journal or on a card, in plain sight, so you will be more inclined to excel.

What you must remember

• 7,500 steps per day would seem to decrease the risk of mortality, especially as a consequence to all the cofactors that are improved.
• 10,000 steps a day should be the goal for most people.
• About 3000 steps per day should be taken at a moderate to vigorous intensity.
• The more daily steps you take, the more you improve your cardiorespiratory capacity and, consequently, your mobility.

Sources :

Slaght, J., Sénéchal, M., Hrubeniuk, T. J., Mayo, A., & Bouchard, D. R. (2017). Walking cadence to exercise at moderate intensity for adults: a systematic review. Journal of Sports Medicine, 2017.

Tudor-Locke, C., Craig, C. L., Brown, W. J., Clemes, S. A., De Cocker, K., Giles-Corti, B., … & Oppert, J. M. (2011). How many steps/day are enough? For adults. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 8(1), 79.

Tudor-Locke C: Steps to better cardiovascular health: how many steps does it take to achieve good health and how confident are we in this number?. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep. 2010, 4: 271-276. 10.1007/s12170-010-0109-5.