Why You Should Walk 10,000 Steps Daily

10,000 daily steps have become the default advice given by experts for individuals across all fitness levels. It is also usually the default benchmark to achieve in fitness apps, trackers, and smartwatches.

If you have ever wondered the scientific reasoning behind it, you would be disappointed to know there is none. The magical 10,000 number originated as part of a 1964 marketing campaign in Japan by a pedometer company. They named their product ‘Manpo-Kei’ that translates to 10,000 Steps meter (Manpo-Kei: “man” meaning 10,000, “PO” meaning steps, and “Kei” meaning meter). The campaign must have been hugely successful as the number seems to be a new fitness benchmark.

Q: But if there is no scientific reasoning, should you still be walking 10,000 steps daily?

A: Yes, you definitely should.

Let us break down the science ourselves to understand the benefits.

Depending on the stride length and body’s physical parameters, 10,000 steps translate to walking 4–5 km and burning 300–400 calories. These steps usually are spread out thought out the day.

The daily calories burned can be categorized into two categories: Active & Inactive.

Inactive refers to calories burned involuntarily to carry out daily bodily procedures such as sleeping, eating, digesting, etc.

Active refers to calories voluntarily burned by walking, moving around, and exercising. These steps act as a complimentary calorie burn over and above daily exercise. It can be considered as a bonus cardio workout performed daily.

Q: Should I walk instead of opting for other cardio forms like running, cycling, etc.

A: Yes, you definitely should though other cardio forms are also helpful (depending on your fitness goal).

As explained, 10,000 steps are equivalent to running a distance of 5k every day. Running every day takes a considerable toll on the body and can potentially lead to muscle loss. High distance runs deplete the body of its glycogen reserves (carbohydrates reserve) and make the body ache for more food, i.e., craving for some bread/carbohydrates that can easily lead to overeating if the calories intake isn’t tracked. If you ever wondered why you’re not losing weight despite running daily, this may be the underlying reason.

If the body doesn’t get an adequate amount of carbohydrates, it replenishes the glycogen reserves by tapping into the next available macronutrient — protein. This leads to muscle loss as proteins are the muscle’s building blocks.

To mitigate this risk of eating above the daily calorie target and/or risk of muscle loss, fitness experts swear by 10,000 daily steps. Some even regard it as the best form of cardio. Being evenly spread out throughout the day, these steps neither deplete your glycogen reserves nor take a physical toll on your body.

Though the 10,000 number is arbitrary and walking anything similar is beneficial, it is a good goal to target. You can tweak the 10,000 number according to your goals & lifestyle, but it is important to consistently hit the number daily.