It is important to walk 10,000 steps in a day to perform daily activities without trouble
Highlights
- Walking 10,000 steps cannot count as a workout
- It is important but not equivalent to exercising
- It is the bare minimum physical activity that your body needs in a day
Weight loss tips: Have you completed your 10,000 steps today? How effective is walking 10,000 steps in a day? If such questions have been striking you for quite a while, then you have landed at the right place. Completing 10,000 steps in a day is definitely important for you to maintain mobility and carry out your day-to-day tasks at ease. Having said that, 10,000 steps in a day is the bare minimum of physical activity that you must do in a day and cannot be considered equivalent to a workout, fitness experts believe.
Weight loss tips: Are 10,000 steps in a day equivalent to a day’s workout?
It is not something that you should rely on for your day’s workout. “Ten thousand steps in a day is the basic requirement of the human body for maintaining mobility and fitness which is needed every day,” says trainer Vinod Channa, who is known to train the likes of Shilpa Shetty Kundra, John Abraham, Shamita Shetty and Genelia Deshmukh to name a few.
Walking 10,000 steps in a day is important for basic physical activity in a day
Photo Credit: iStock
Also read: An Extra 15 Minute Daily Walk Could Boost Global Economy: Study
But walking 10,000 steps does not count as a workout, he asserts. “Ten thousand steps is essentially walking for an hour, which again, the body needs. If you experience difficulty in doing basic activities like getting up and sitting down, back pain, etc, it means your lifestyle is too sedentary and you need to be physically active and at least walk 10,000 steps,” Channa explains.
However, walking this much may not be possible in case you live in a locality where there’s no walking space. For this, you can opt for taking public transport for work or parking your vehicle at a distance from your work place in order to have some walking space. In case none of this is possible, you can do jumping ropes, or on the spot jumping, or jogging at home as well, recommends Channa. “Your fitness tracker will count any movement that you do,” he explains.
The bottom line is that everyone must walk 10,000 steps in a day, to have that basic level of mobility, and to avoid body pain and troubles in doing day-to-day activities.
Also read: Just One Hour Of Walk Daily Can Help Prevent Disability In Older Adults
Kiddy Kaul, fitness expert and Founder, Ultimate Xcell, says, “To be able to meet the 10,000 steps target, take tiny breaks from sitting, and walk for a while. You can even jog on the spot. Perhaps, a few dance moves etc. Treat your 10,000 steps a day target as fun and purposeful!”
You can do on-the-spot jogging to complete 10,000 steps in a day
Photo Credit: iStock
She goes on to add that there is no denying that working to achieve this target is effective, as “any and all movement of the body is important”.
“Lack of movement is the main cause of obesity and diseases today. An average person, now, doesn’t walk enough, and this is a good way to keep your body in motion,” she explains.
In order to make the steps target more effective, you can include some strength training moves in your routine, like squats, push-ups and body weight-bearing exercises. These can help in maintaining a good posture throughout the day, Kaul adds.
Also read: Want To Get Rid Of That Stubborn Belly Fat? Here’s How Walking Can Help You Get In Shape Easily
(Vinod Channa is a Fitness and Nutrition Expert based in Mumbai)
(Kiddy Kaul, Fitness Expert and Founder, Ultimate Xcell, Delhi)
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
