You don’t have to hit the gym seven days a week to improve your health. In fact, you can make substantial improvements in your health with minimal effort.

The first question I ask a client is, “how many steps do you take per day?” Usually, the client will fall into one of the categories below:

2000-4000 steps

4000-6000 steps

Once I hear this, I will recommend they increase their step count immediately, but why?

Steps Improve Health

A 2008 meta-analysis found pedometer-based interventions led to modest weight loss. The participants averaged between 7,000 to 10,000 steps per day (1). Recent research has also shown that a higher step count can protect against disease (2).

In 2011, 16,741 women (72 years old) wore pedometers for one week to track activity levels. Four years later, the researchers analyzed the step and mortality data. The authors found 4400 steps to be significantly correlated to lower mortality rates than 2700 steps.

But the benefits didn't stop at 4400 steps. Instead, the authors found that increasing one's steps to 7,500 leads to even more benefits.

"With more steps per day, mortality rates progressively decreased before leveling at approximately 7500 steps per day".- Lee et al., 2019

Lee and colleagues conducted the study on women in their 70s, so we can't determine if 7,500 steps is the ideal goal for everyone. For example, a review of ten studies found a daily step count of 7500-10,000+ correlated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, whereas a lower step count ( <5000) increased the risk (3).

How Many Steps Do You Need?

Based on the current research and my own experiences as a trainer, I recommend all of my clients set a goal of 7,500 steps per day. There are some caveats to this rule, though.

For example, if you are only at 4,000 steps per day, then set a goal to hit 5,000 or 6,000 steps for a month before aiming for higher numbers. Again, start small and do what is attainable. Setting the bar low and achieving the goal is better than putting it too high and feeling like a failure.

On the other hand, if a client is getting 7,500 steps in but still can't lose weight, I will recommend increasing those steps to 8500 for at least a month to see if it helps. If weight loss is still stagnant, I will push that total between 9,500 and 10,000 steps.

Find Your Routine
As a busy professional, you must find ways to incorporate health into your work life. I start each of my mornings with a 20-minute walk. I have found it stimulates my mind and increases my energy. Plus, I can answer emails or write a blog post as I do my cardio.

It is a win-win!

And don’t forget about the powerful effects walking has on stress. If you aren’t having the best day, put on a podcast or some music and go walk for five to ten minutes. It doesn’t even have to be outside, you can just pace back and forth. The goal is to get out of your seat and move a little. You’d be surprised by how effective it is. By implementing these two routines, you will crush your previous step count.

How many steps do you take per day?

References

Richardson CR, Newton TL, Abraham JJ, Sen A, Jimbo M, Swartz AM. A meta-analysis of pedometer-based walking interventions and weight loss. Ann Fam Med. 2008;6(1):69-77. doi:10.1370/afm.761
Lee IM, Shiroma EJ, Kamada M, Bassett DR, Matthews CE, Buring JE. Association of Step Volume and Intensity With All-Cause Mortality in Older Women [published online ahead of print, 2019 May 29]. JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(8):1105‐1112. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0899
Cavero-Redondo I, Tudor-Locke C, Álvarez-Bueno C, Cunha PG, Aguiar EJ, Martínez-Vizcaíno V. Steps per Day and Arterial Stiffness. Hypertension. 2019;73(2):350‐363. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.118.1198

Your Step Count Is The Key To Health