08/24/2020
10,000 steps a day. Do you aim for this step count or above every day? ⠀
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If you do, that’s awesome! HOWEVER, I’m just here to remind you that this number is absolutely not based in science. The idea of 10,000 steps a day was first used as a marketing tool by a Japanese pedometer company in 1965 w/ the slogan: “Let’s stroll for 10,000 steps a day.” ⠀
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When I got my first Vivoactive the year after college, I made it my MISSION to get steps. I was usually hitting 15,000+ a day. (I’m naturally competitive, I was running regularly, a full-time nanny of 3, and the Garmin users I was competing against on the app kept me pushing every week, trying to win!) ⠀
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The Apple Watch I was gifted a couple years later had a default goal of 10,000 steps a day. Seemed reasonable, and at this point I was living in Brooklyn and still walking around 15,000 steps or more a day, easily. I loved exploring NYC on foot and bike, as much as possible.⠀
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All I’m gonna say…⠀
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I’ve been known to go on late-night walks/runs or to walk up and down the stairs or around the house to get in more steps. I have certainly had a toxic relationship with my body, food, and exercise. I think activity trackers/step counters CAN perpetuate these unhealthy mindsets. I think having a strict 10,000 steps a day rule CAN be totally toxic, just like I think counting my calories every day is for me.⠀
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I LOVE walking. I LOVE being alone. I LOVE people-watching. Walking is stress relief and a meditative, thought-provoking space for me. Even before I had a step counting gadget, I was walking a lot — in college, in high school, & as a kid with my parents.⠀
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But nowadays, I don’t always get 10,000 steps. I will listen to my body when it needs to slow down. I know that some research has indicated that around 4,400 steps daily is all you need for positive effects…and that over 12,000 daily may actually be HARMFUL. Movement is stress on the body, no matter how gentle it is. Start small. If you barely walk a mile a day, try getting in an extra 5 minutes. If you walk a ton, I encourage you to evaluate that situation and make sure your intentions are truly healthy. Happy Monday! 💜