Is the 10,000 step goal effective for weight loss?
Pedometer
Many Americans are focused on a 10,000 step goal. Our smartwatches and cell phones all recommend reaching this goal. No matter whether you are new to weight loss and exercise or if you are a seasoned power walker, I am sure you too have focused on this goal. The question is whether this is based upon science or is this just some arbitrary number that means absolutely nothing weight-loss.
Walking
There is a benefit even with smaller amounts of walking and the benefits increase with the more steps you walk each day. There is a great feeling of accomplishment when your fitness tracker reaches a goal, but it does not have to be as high as 10,000 steps to reap a benefit. I would suggest that you shoot for a target of 150 minutes a week instead.
Do pedometer and exercise work for weight loss? Yes and no. Thinness or weight loss is made in the kitchen and not the gym, but a combination of the two magnify weight loss. In another article, Pedometers, Part 5: How many steps? I reviewed the research on the number of steps needed for weight loss. Most of the research backs exercise is assisting with weight loss, but the evidence is lacking to back a particular number of steps. Tracking activity and dietary intake help with mindfulness, but it will not boost weight loss. Instead, it allowed people to be more knowledgeable about the number of calories eaten and burned.
Elderly Couple Walking on Beach
If you get 10,000 steps per day, you are doing great, and I am sure you will be more fit anything. If you do not, this does not necessarily make you unfit or more likely to be fat. You have to individualize your diet and exercise program. Some will be able to get by with 5000 steps and others will need 20K to keep their weight down. I would focus more on minutes fo exercise. The fact is that most experts recommend tracking the total amount of time you’re physically active instead of the number of steps you take. I suggest 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity per week.
Steps are still a decent measure to help prevent a sedentary lifestyle. Although I think that minutes of exercise is more important, it is not a key measurement of weight loss and fitness. It is a good measure to prevent being sedentary, but it will not keep you slim by itself. You need to add dietary control and discipline and I am not talking about grounding or spanking.
The bottom line: Ten-thousand steps can be a goal but it is not the key to a healthy weight. I suggest that you track minutes of exercise and dietary intake instead of or including steps. Eating a well-balanced diet that is full of whole foods and less processed ingredients is also an important part of any weight loss plan.
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