Since my dog has four legs, does he get to count twice as many steps as I do when we go for a walk?
I could start walking on all fours. That should help reach the magic 10,000 steps per day needed for needed for optimum health.
Says who? Says Japanese marketers, that’s who. In fact, it was Dr. Yoshiro Hatano, a professor at Kyushu University of Health and Welfare in Japan. The year was 1965, and he developed a wearable pedometer called the Manpo-kei. This translates into “10,000 steps meter”. And the Japanese character for 10,000 (万) resembles a person walking. It was a natural marketing strategy.
But 10,000 steps? Say you go for a nice walk around the neighbourhood. That could be 5000. Then you meander through the aisles at the grocery store. Add another 2000. And just going about your daily life? Let’s say 3,000. There’s your 10,000. But if you don’t go shopping? You’re short a couple thousand steps.
There is more research being conducted now, and some experts say that 10,000 is not the magic number. Indeed, it was never based on science. Sure, the more steps you log, the more exercise you get. But really, how much exercise do you get walking around your house, going to the garage, doing laundry, etc. Those activities can add steps, but they are steps that don’t have much impact. You can’t compare 3500 steps walking around your house to 3500 steps on the courts.
The University of Sydney and the Universidad Europea in Spain report that you need to walk continuously for at least 15 minutes, or about 1500 steps, to benefit from walking. It’s quality, not necessarily quantity.
Some health experts say that 7,000 steps a day will help reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, cancer, depression, and mortality. And walking about 4,000 steps a day provides more health benefits than people with low activity and 2,000 steps a day. That seems like a no-brainer.
It bothers me when people share (dare I say brag) about how many steps they have. And then they do a few more laps for insurance. It doesn’t benefit me in any way to know how many steps someone takes. It doesn’t inspire me. It does make me question what they do in a day to log all those steps. I guess that’s where I fall short. I do other things that don’t require many steps. Like write. Garden. Work on art projects. Play mahjong. After all, variety is the spice of life. But that variety sure isn’t going to get me to 10,000 steps.
Don’t get me wrong. I love walking, and I know how good it is for your overall wellness. It doesn’t require any equipment, other than a good pair of walking shoes. It is cheap. It is accessible. It can be done around the block or at a nature park. It is risk-free. Sure, you need to watch out for cars, other people’s dogs, and wood ticks! (Especially the Lone Star Tick which is slowly moving from the USA towards Saskatchewan.) You can walk alone or with a buddy. You can walk with your dog (or cat). The problem walking a dog is that they don’t count steps and don’t worry about exercise. They do care about every tuft of grass, shrub, tree, rock, hydrant, mailbox, etc. And letting them check out everything is particularly good for them. So much for that 15-minute uninterrupted brisk walk recommended by the University of Sydney.
The Canadian 24-hour Movement Guidelines are based on research conducted by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, with support from the Public Health Agency of Canada. They show the relationship between activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep for various ages. These guidelines are a reminder of how to live a balanced life. But there isn’t anything new. I do appreciate how they have categorized the guidelines by age group. Wow. Something I just noticed is how young groups have a definitive start and end date. 0 to 4, 5 to 17, 18 to 64, and then 65+. So, is that + a good thing or a bad thing? I have a birthday this week, and I’m a bit more sensitive to the whole aging issue right now. I suppose it would be bad to have an end date. Hahaha. Oh well, more on that in two weeks.
The guidelines for the 65+ “no end date” crowd are:
Performing a variety of types and intensities of physical activity, including:
o Moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activities amounting to at least 150 minutes per week,
o Muscle strengthening activities using major muscle groups at least twice a week.
o Physical activities that challenge balance,
o Several hours of light physical activities, including standing.
Getting 7 to 8 hours of good-quality sleep on a regular basis, with consistent bed and wake-up times
Limiting sedentary time to 8 hours or less, which includes:
o No more than 3 hours of recreational screen time,
o Breaking up extended periods of sitting as often as possible.
Counting steps can be stressful. Buying the latest gadgets to count your steps is expensive. And sometimes not dependable. I can log several thousand steps while sitting and crocheting. It’s all in the wrist action. I think that what it boils down to is just moving. Moving and enjoying the fact that you are moving. That you are doing something to nourish your body and soul. It’s good for the heart! Cliché, I know.
It’s almost summer! You can walk on sunshine, you can walk this way, and you can walk like an Egyptian. Just walk!
Hmmm. Too bad I can’t crochet and walk at the same time.
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