Is The Advice To Walk 10,000 Steps A Day A Realistic Plan?

For many years I embraced this concept, and was part of the pedometer sales pitch when the whole thing started. I was doing wellness promotion and teaching, so it all seemed like a good idea.

For many people, it is a realistic goal, because 10,000 steps is about five miles. On average, people take 15-20 minutes to walk a mile. Of course younger people who do not have any hip, knee or weight problems will walk the 15 minute mile, and the older we get the slower we get. But fitness varies widely among all age groups, so these observations are generalizations.

If we average 20 minutes a mile, it means walking 100 minutes per day, or an hour and forty minutes. At 15 minutes per mile, you would be walking 75 minutes a day, or an hour and fifteen minutes.

It helps to walk as much as possible to run errands, so you get some purposeful walking time. I think 10,000 steps a day might be reasonable for some people, but I don’t think it is easy or necessary to try and fit it into every day of the week.

One thing to keep in mind about driving to the location you prefer to walk, means you will be adding the driving and parking time to the daily routine. When I was living on Haida Gwaii, I walked the loop around Spirit Lake Trail in Skidegate at least five times a week. Those are probably some of the walks I cherish most. But the drive too and from the trail took an extra twenty to thirty minutes a day.

Crescent Beach, White Rock Beach, Kits Beach, Jericho Beach, Vedder River and Rotary Trails – Oh yes, those are great walking locations too. When you find the off-beaten paths around and through community gardens, marinas, the piers, rivers, beaches, and laneways, you almost feel like you belong there. So far, I would rate my favourite walks as Spirit Lake Trail and Kits Beach.

As far as distance, It might work better to aim for the five miles four times a week, and then whatever you fit in on the other days is a bonus. It might lower your daily average, but also gives you a break.

If you walk five miles a day seven days a week, it adds up to 35 miles a week, which is 150 miles a month, and over 1800 miles a year.

I counted the steps from my fit-bit watch from June 1-10, and walked around 60,000 steps, averaging 6000 steps a day. I only wear the watch when I go out to walk, so I had to estimate the remaining steps each day. I have already recorded the average baseline amount that I walk around indoors.

Although the days of wearing a pedometer on the belt are long gone, I sometimes wonder about the accuracy of the fit-bit watches. One day, mine said I had climbed fourteen flights of stairs, when at the most I walked up one or two flights. It said my heart rate was 39, when it was more like 65. So, technology is not a hundred per cent ground truth-ed, so to speak. But it is probably more accurate than a pedometer.

Walking is one of the greatest lifelong exercises. I think pedestrian friendly, and car free cities is a great idea. It would be good to have safe places for pedestrians to walk, and lanes for cyclists, and probably electric scooters and E-bikes as well. The inner city transportation may change in the coming years, to accommodate small electric vehicles.

Walking leaves the smallest carbon footprint, and only takes the energy powered by our own legs and feet. Not only that, but the more you walk, the more energy you get. It is probably the only form of energy expenditure that does not require any manufacturing, does not have to be parked, does not need gas or a battery, and can be done on a variety of terrains. Nothing beats it.

It would be nice to see fewer cyclists on the sidewalks, especially those who ride fast with no regard for the pedestrians, other than to makes us get out of the way.

Every step we take – is a step in the right direction when it comes to staying active, and getting fresh air. This June is much cooler than last June. It’s a blessing for the walkers!