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The Magic of 10,000 Steps A Day

The Magic of 10,000 Steps A Day

No fitness gadget proves to be as helpful in weight loss as the old-fashioned and traditional walking does! Walking is a great way to lose weight and in particular body fat. Walking/Running as an activity falls under the category of aerobic exercise as it:

A. Increases the heart rate

B. Increases the rate of breathing and thus the amount of oxygen transported to the muscles

You must have constantly heard that a person should walk about 10,000 steps (5miles) in a day to lose weight and improve his overall health. But is this number really magical with visible results or is it just a hype? To get to the core of this, we explored the results of varied studies that have been conducted in this respect and got to the following conclusion:-

Basically, the popularity of the concept of walking 10,000 steps in a day was originated in Japan. There was no scientific authenticity of the number, but over the time it has proved be a strong indicator of an individual’s activity level throughout the day.

Today, the World Health Organization (WHO), US Centre for Disease Control, US Surgeon General, American Heart Foundation, US Department of Health & Human Services, and the National Heart Foundation of Australia all recommend that an individual should take 10,000 steps a day(a realistic goal that is achievable by people of all shapes, sizes and ages) to improve their health and reduce the risk of disease.

An inactive person takes around 3,000 steps in their daily household chores. Unless you have an active job, it would be really difficult to log 10,000 steps just with daily activity. Ten thousand steps is approximately five miles of walking during the day. Most people achieve it by engaging themselves in sustained walks or runs.

Along with this, some additional benefits of walking 10,000 steps in a day include – reducing the risk for diseases, lower BMI, reduced waist size, increased energy, and less risk for Type II diabetes and heart disease. Not only this, a recent study of the 10,000 steps a day method reported conclusive health benefits.

Use Pedometer for better results

The total number of calories burnt while walking is directly proportional to your weight and the speed of motion. Till now your the success of your weight loss journey was measured using scales, or by a measurement tape. It’s high time to have a personal trainer with no heavy costs attached –

Pedometer, which is an amazing tool that can measure your daily activity, and give instant feedback.James Hill, PhD, a well-respected obesity researcher, and co-founder of the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) says that, “You don’t need to run marathons to control your weight, just strap on a pedometer and lace up a pair of sneakers and put one foot in front of the other.”

A pedometer helps in estimating your steps and associated calories burnt. Also, you can use the following pedometer-calorie calculator to estimate the number of calories burnt. All you need to know is your approximate steps per mile.

For a broader outlook, each 2,000-2,500 steps is about a mile. Walking a mile burns about 80 calories for a 150-pound person. Taking your weight as the base, walking 10,000 steps on an average, burns between 250 – 600 calories. If you walk 10,000 steps per day you will be able to lose your weight in a proportional manner.

Tips for a Newbie

1. Give your body and mind time for perfect adjustment and also set realistic step goals.

2. Don’t forget that to achieve permanent weight loss – the three vital keys are – consistency, patience, and time.

Easily complete the 10,000 steps in a day challengeThere are many ways to increase your daily steps. Use your imagination and come up with your own list. For starting following tips can be highly beneficial:

1. Plugin you ear pods, play your favorite music and go for a walk/run! This will not only help you complete your daily step goal, but will also destress you!

2. Take a walk with your spouse, child, or friend

3. Walk the dog

4. Use the stairs instead of the elevator

5. Park farther from the store

6. Better yet, walk to the store

7. Get up to change the channel

8. Window shop

9. Plan a walking meeting

10. Walk over to visit a neighbor

11. Get outside to walk around the garden or do a little weeding

Walking is an excellent and healthy way to lose weight. Combine your walking habit with strength training workouts and you will be able to build muscle content, which burns calories at a higher rate than fat, even while you’re resting. The entire weight loss regime with a walk is quite simple: Move more, eat a little less! Walk 10,000 steps a day and trim your portions by a quarter and you will surely lose weight.

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