We love counting steps. Maybe because we love goals, maybe because we are addicted to those devices on our wrist that constantly tell us how much distance we have already covered and how much more we have to go to reach our daily target. It could also have something to do with the fact that study after study shows that walking is one of the easiest ways to extend our lifespan.
But how many steps are enough? And is more better anyway? From an article recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that just 2,200 steps can help fight diseases worsened by a sedentary lifestyle, such as heart disease and diabetes, although 9,000 steps per day appear to be even more effective.
But if you only focus on the number of steps, you’re missing part of the bigger picture. Researchers state that above a certain amount, the type of steps you take is just as important as the number. But how can you get more out of your daily walk?
Just start
The first step for anyone who doesn’t walk regularly is to just start, says Amanda Paluch, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Walk around the block or walk from room to room at home. See if you can get 2,000 steps, roughly a mile, and then try to go for more.
If you’re older or have a chronic condition that makes it harder to get up and move, walking at any pace is good for your health, Paluch says.
Walk faster
It’s often helpful to count your steps in the beginning, but once you get to 6,000 to 8,000 per day, it’s best to focus more on pace.
The benefits of walking diminish once your heart reaches a certain “stimulus,” or a certain daily number of steps at the same pace, says Keith Baar, a professor of molecular exercise physiology at the University of California at Davis. “To achieve a greater effect, you need a greater incentive.”
Push yourself by walking faster and breathing harder. Incorporating intensity into walking is not about burning more calories, but about strengthening your cardiovascular system. In a study published in 2022 in the journal Nature it was shown that walking faster leads to less sleep apnea, reflux, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Start by walking faster for 30 seconds or a minute at a time. Increase the frequency and length of those intensity increases according to your ability.
Try walking outside
According to a meta-analysis from 2023, it remains to be seen whether walking outside is in itself better for your physical health. However, Baar argues that we expend more energy walking on soft surfaces such as sand, gravel and dirt because our tendons help us walk more efficiently on hard surfaces.
Either way, Baar encourages people to walk on gentle trails because spending time in nature has been proven to have mental health benefits and because trails often run over hillier terrain.
Walk uphill
Do you sometimes walk faster? Then consider walking uphill as well. Hitting hills is an efficient way to improve your fitness in a time-poor world, says Sadiya Khan, a cardiologist at Northwestern Medicine.
Most studies show that the return decreases once you have passed the 8 kilometer mark. So instead of walking 12,000 or 15,000 steps to take your workout to the next level, walk uphill to keep your heart rate up. The goal is to incorporate an intense element into your walk rather than continuing to walk at a moderate pace.
Paluch suggests using the singing test to find the right intensity: make sure you can still deliver short sentences but not sing a song. “If you can talk comfortably,” says Khan, “then you are probably going a little too quietly and what you are doing does not count as intensive activity.”
Carry weight
Consider packing weight into your backpack to increase the intensity of your hike even more. ‘Rucking’, as it is called, is a type of strength training and increases your heart rate, says Khan.
But Paluch warns anyone who would like to try rucking and advises to take it easy. The weight can change your gait or posture, which could lead to an injury.
Try jogging
Is it better to walk or run? Khan responds that running is better for your health in the long run, even if you cover the same distance. Start by running for 30 seconds or a minute at a time and gradually increase the intervals. Either way, whether you decide to run or not, the best steps are the ones that take a little more effort.
© The New York Times
