Why Step Count Matters!

Research shows that healthy, younger adults typically take between 7,000 and 13,000 steps/day and that 10,000 steps/day is reasonable for this population. Additionally, there is growing evidence that 10,000 steps per day is associated with good health markers like lower blood pressure, joint health, healthy digestion, etc.
Ways to Increase Your Step Count
  • Wake up 5-10 minutes earlier for walking first thing when you wake up
  • Walk 5-10 minutes after each meal. This also can improve insulin sensitivity and aids digestion. Utilize your lunch break to get some steps in
  • Build a 10-minute walking warmup into your workouts, and/or 5-10 minute walking cool down
  • Pace in between sets at the gym
  • Park in the back of parking lots
  • Take the stairs instead of elevators/escalators
  • Walk your pet
  • Take a 2-5 minute walking break every hour or so at work. This alone could lead to 3,000+ more steps daily
  • Get a treadmill or treadmill desk at home if possible. This is a great option for those who live in colder climates. Having a treadmill in the house is also a great option for parents who have kids at home and cannot leave the house to walk outside. Squeeze in even just 5-10 minutes of walking after you put the kids to bed or down for naps. Amazon has options for payment plans, so you can invest very little to get one
  • Go for a walk during a small portion of your social media/TV time you participate in daily
  • Pace while on phone calls with anyone, or pace while recording voice memos if you prefer to do that. Are you sitting on hold with customer service? Pace while you wait!
  • Make sure you're well-hydrated, more trips to the bathroom mean more steps. We are not saying to drink excessive water, but if you under consume water, this could augment your daily steps with trips to the bathroom
  • Break up your steps during the day. You do not have to walk for an hour or more. Walk 5-10 minutes 3 times per day. Every step counts!
  • Bike if possible instead of doing driving. This will have the same benefits as walking
Ways to Track Steps Without Specified Step Counters
  • Time: We know 10k steps is roughly 75-90 minutes for the average person, so this may look like:
    • Four 20 minute walks per day
    • Three 30 minute walks per day
    • Two 40-45 minute walks per day
  • Distance: We know that 10k steps is roughly 5 miles. Using trails or distances you know as a measurement system can be helpful
  • Apps
Scientifically Proven Benefits of Adequate Steps
Getting a decent amount of steps per day has been proven by research to increase:
  • Life expectancy
  • Heart health
  • Insulin resistance
  • Mood disorders
  • Stress management capacity
  • Reduced risk of chronic illness
  • Optic nerve health
  • Circadian rhythm
  • Vitamin D exposure
  • Weight management
  • Fat loss
  • Muscle retention
TDEE Benefit of Increasing Steps
Increasing by ~2k steps (~1 mile) per day =

An extra ~100 calories burned for a 180 lb. adult
An extra ~85 calories burned for a 160 lb. adult
An extra ~75 calories burned for a 140 lb. adult
    While these are rough estimates, and not exact values for calories burned, this still demonstrates the powerful influence of daily steps (a part of NEAT) on TDEE. If a 180 lb. adult was only getting 2k steps a day and increased this to 10k steps a day, that's an extra 2,800 calories burned per week. That's nearly 3,000 extra calories that individuals could consume weekly to maintain their weight!
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