Walking is a form of exercise, and it has recently spiked in popularity because of social media trends like “hot girl walks,” “Japanese walking” and wearing a weighted vest on walks.
This simple exercise not only helps you get fresh air but also offers health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and improving overall balance. It’s an exercise you can make easier or more challenging, depending on your goal.
You’ve probably heard repeatedly that everyone should aim to hit 10,000 steps a day. But how did that number become the goal, and is there any truth to it? If you don’t wear a fitness tracker, how many miles equal 10,000 steps, and how many hours a day do you need to commit to accomplish that?
To help you decide if 10,000 steps is the right amount for you, we spoke with experts about the origins of this advice, its benefits and if it’s absolutely necessary to hit that number every day.
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How much exercise do you actually need? 10,000 steps?
Because everyone is different and has a unique lifestyle and activity level, it makes sense that not everyone will need the same amount of exercise each day to be healthy. Part of this comes down to each person’s individual goals and health concerns. But for the average person, is 10,000 steps a day enough to be considered active and healthy?
It can be a great goal and starting place, according to professor Paul Gordon, an exercise physiologist and chairman of Baylor University’s Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation.
“The average person is going to take between 3,000 and 6,000 steps over the course of the day from commuting, shopping, etc. By adding 30 minutes of exercise (approximately 3,000 steps) that gets us to around 10,000 steps,” Gordon said, adding that when walking, more is better for your health.
If you aren’t just walking for exercise (or even tracking your steps at all), how much exercise do you really need?
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, you need at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity (such as brisk walking or swimming) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (such as running or dance cardio class) every week. The DHHS also recommends doing strength-training exercises (such as lifting weights or doing exercises that use your own bodyweight) twice a week.
Keep in mind if your goal is to meet other specific fitness or aesthetic goals, you may need to exercise more than the standard 150 minutes a week to reach your goal.
Where did 10,000 steps a day come from?
The 10,000-step recommendation has been mainstream for some time, but have you ever wondered where it originally came from? While you might expect the recommendation emerged from a medical source or government health agency, that’s not the case at all.
Dr. Jordan Metzl, sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, said that the 10,000 steps number is arbitrary. The number has roots that you can trace back to a Japanese walking club that adopted the term as part of a marketing slogan.
A JAMA Internal Medicine article also points out that there is “limited scientific basis” to back up the claim that taking 10,000 steps a day is necessary for health — although the study did find that the participants who took more steps per day (over a four-year period) had a lower mortality rate than those who took fewer steps.
How many miles is 10,000 steps?
If you’re looking to view your progress in miles, 10,000 steps is about 5 miles. However, the distance you reach in 10,000 steps will depend on factors like your speed, stride length and height. Shorter individuals, for instance, will have shorter steps, meaning that they’ll need to take more steps to reach a mile.
Benefits of walking
Walking can provide you with more health benefits than you may think. Here are a few you can expect to reap on your next stroll:
- Lower blood pressure: A 2022 Cochrane review in the American Family Physician found that “a walking regimen — three to five times a week at a moderate intensity for 20 to 40 minutes per session, with at least 150 total minutes per week for approximately three months — can lower systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in adult men and women with or without hypertension.”
- Better sleep: A 2020 Sleep Health study found that more daily steps led to better quality sleep, particularly among women.
- Lower risk of type 2 diabetes: The American Diabetes Association reveals that walking for at least 30 minutes daily could reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Lower risk of certain cancers: A 2013 study out of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention found that postmenopausal women who walked at least seven hours per week had a 14% lower risk of getting breast cancer than women who walked three hours or less every week.
- Improved balance: According to Harvard Health Publishing, walking builds lower body strength, which improves balance.
The best way to track your daily activity
If you have a Fitbit, Apple Watch or other smartwatch, you know that these devices can track much more than just your steps. And while tracking total steps and the distance you walk each day is helpful, can other factors be a more effective way to measure your activity?
According to Gordon, steps aren’t the best measurement of physical activity. “It does not take into account intensity of activity and is not effective for forms of non-weight-bearing activity (i.e., cycling).”
Because steps can’t account for your level of intensity, Gordon recommends also using a heart rate monitor to help you gauge exercise intensity. After all, you could technically get 10,000 steps in a day without really elevating your heart rate or keeping it up for long.
“I would encourage engaging in weekly activities that will increase heart rate for a continuous period of time.” He said a balanced exercise routine could look like doing an activity that gets your heart rate up (like brisk walking or running) four days a week, and going to yoga classes two days a week to work on strength and flexibility.
The Apple Watch measures more than just steps — it pays attention to how much time you spend moving everyday.
Is there a better goal to aim for than 10,000 steps a day?
If 10,000 steps a day seems like an arbitrary goal now, then what are some good activity goals to work toward? One factor that can significantly impact your health has more to do with how sedentary you are.
“Studies have shown that sitting for long periods is in itself unhealthy, even if you perform a daily bout of activity. So interspersing activity throughout the day is very helpful.”
The Mayo Clinic recommends breaking up the time you spend sitting with activity, even if you are getting the recommended amount of exercise each day. Too much sitting is associated with a higher risk of metabolic problems and can impact your health.
Further, a 2019 study found that people who sat for more than 13.5 hours a day failed to reap some of the health benefits from one hour of exercise, as their overall activity level was so low compared to the time they spent sitting.
10,000 steps FAQ
How long does it take to walk 10,000 steps?
The Heart Research Institute says that it takes about 2 hours to walk 10,000 steps. However, this will vary based on how fast you walk. To make the time go by quicker, you can listen to music, a podcast or an audiobook.
Can you lose weight walking 10,000 steps a day?
Yes, you can lose weight by walking 10,000 steps daily. A 2017 meta-analysis of 22 clinical trials found that, for men and women younger than 50 living with obesity, “brisk walking can create a clinically significant reduction in body weight, BMI, waist circumference and fat mass.”
A 2019 secondary data analysis also found that walking 10,000 steps daily is associated with enhanced weight loss.
