Are 10,000 Steps-a-day the magic number that will protect your health? The science and truth behind this number

·     Digging back into history the idea of 10,000 steps was a concept born in the 1960 Tokyo Olympics- it was a catchy idea that got the Japanese citizens engaged physically.

·     Are 10,000 steps the recommended daily amount? According to FitBit, yes. According to scientist Dr. Catrine Tudor-Locke, University of Massachusetts Amherst  and accelerometer tracking data, the answer is “no”, and “yes”. The “yes” is the more the better, but the “no” is it only takes 7500 steps at a brisk pace that provides the 30 minutes of vigorous exercise required to protect your health. (sited from her interview on CBC)

·     The recommended minimal exercise from WHO focus on 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity a week (side note, in addition, add TWO resistance workouts).

·     How does this “150 minutes weekly” translate to a daily number of steps, that is, the step counter? The answer- 7500 steps!! (BUT the more, the healthier 10,000 or 12,000, is even better).

THERE IS ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION….

·     The “intensity” question-- How to identify you are exercising at a moderate to vigorous intensity?? This is easy to answer… If you can TALK IN FULL SENTENCES while exercising then you are NOT exercising at your personal optimal intensity. Vigorous intensity is a different pace from one person to the next. The only consistency is—“Are you breathing heavy and can’t speak in full sentences?” Then, that is the correct intensity!!

To sum it all up:

As you progress along your healthy lifestyle journey, your moderate to vigorous pace will change. Your heart is getting stronger, as well as the rest of your body, so you will find yourself able to go farther and faster than when you first started. We strongly encourage you to introduce resistance training into your healthy lifestyle, as it not only increases muscle strength, but also decreases your risk of injury. (Consult your healthcare provider, or fitness professional, before starting your resistance training.)