10K Per Day: Step Count and Daily Movement
They say “sitting is the new smoking”. Due to an increase in sedentary movement in recent years, people have not been prioritizing physical activity and exercise, which can be harmful to your body and mental health in the long-run. Not being active can put you at risk for health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and depression.
That's why we’re encouraging our CORE57 community to add more movement to your schedule. After all, just an improvement in your daily average step count can make a dramatic impact on your overall health and longevity!
The Benefits of Walking
According to the CDC, the average American gets between 3-4k steps every day. Under 5k is considered sedentary by the American Medical Association. If you have ever felt frustrated by lack of visible results from consistently working out 3-5 days per week for 45 minutes to an hour, chances are we need to be taking a closer look at your daily movement outside the gym, AND your nutrition! But for today’s purposes, we’re talking MOVEMENT!
Like the above stated statistics, we simply cannot counter the amount of sitting we do at our desk, on Zoom calls, watching TV, scrolling through social media, sitting in the stands to watch our kids play sports, and so on. Even working out 6 days a week for an hour isn’t enough if we have a sedentary job and lifestyle.
According to the most recent studies, we have found that the sweet spot for steps is 8-10k per day. And, according to scientists at Harvard University, achieving this range of steps on average
decreases our chances of getting Type 2 diabetes
lowers blood pressure
decreases obesity
can help lessen symptoms of acid reflux
can improve symptoms of depression
and can help improve sleep apnea!
Post-prandial (after meal) walking is AMAZING for controlling the rise of blood sugar and stabilizing that sugar throughout the day, as well as helping our body properly digest food.
Walking is one of the simplest and most beneficial forms of physical exercise. Not only does it provide a great way to burn calories, but it also offers numerous health benefits for both your body and mind.
Walking frequently can:
Counteract weight-promoting genes
Reduces the risk of breast cancer
Eases joint and muscle pain
Boosts immune function to protect you from getting sick
Prevents the physical effects of arthritis
Improves your mood, cognition, memory, and sleep
Walking Vs. Running
Although running may seem like the easiest way to burn calories, it is important not to focus on that number alone- staying active is about so much more. That is why walking can be more effective and beneficial in some cases.
Walking Can Be Safer Than Running
Running can lead to more injuries than walking. Running can cause more strain on your muscles and can put you at a higher risk for knee pain and shin splints. Walking is a lower impact exercise allowing you to reap cardiovascular benefits without causing damage.
Walking Improves Mental Health
Although running can boost levels of serotonin, walking can be a meditative experience that increases your attention span and memory. The duration of walking in an outdoor environment rather than quick bursts of running with the goal of burning calories can overall be more beneficial for your mental state and sense of self reflection.
Walking Can Burn More Fat Than Running
When you exercise at a lower intensity like walking, your body will burn more fat as a percentage of total calories. If you are suffering from a hormonal imbalance, walking can help balance hormones like cortisol, insulin, thyroid hormones, and sex hormones, which is extra important as we come into perimenopause and menopause.
Running and over-exercising can produce stress hormones, which can cause bone loss, create abdominal fat, and can lead to insulin resistance. The cool thing is that these amazing benefits are not tied to a single 30-45 minute walk every day. We can reap all the benefits stated above by simply accumulating steps throughout the day, and it’s often more realistic to break it up into smaller habits.
Habits for Increasing Steps
Simple habits for increasing steps:
Get up and walk around your office while on conference calls
Take a quick 5-10 minute walk after eating your meals to help with blood sugar control and digestion
Use the bathroom on a separate floor from the one you are on and take the stairs to get there
Take your pet for an extra walk around the block in between activities
Pace around the field while your kids are at sports practice
Take a family walk after dinner to catch up with each other instead of immediately putting on the TV.
It doesn't take a major life change, all it takes is just some added intentionality around getting a few extra steps here and there, and you will be WELL on your way to improving ALL aspects of your health both physical and mental! Guaranteed you’ll also see some added benefits in terms of body composition changes!