The Importance of Setting Daily Step Targets for Better Health and Movement
- Kaitlyn Marie Redmore
- Aug 31, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 25, 2023
You may have seen an increase in awareness around our daily steps and general movement, but let’s increase our knowledge around the benefits…
Getting your body moving in some way, shape or form daily is so important! We see so many health benefits from just ensuring we are active on a daily basis. So many people these days work office jobs - This means the majority of people in these jobs are sedentary, and do not do much movement outside of work.
So what exactly is the definition of sedentary? In the fitness world, we tend to categorise sedentary as a person that sits down for the majority of the day with very little to no physical activity.
As well as the increased risk of developing chronic health diseases with a sedentary lifestyle, it can also have negative impacts on our mental health and other factors…
Increased Risks Associated with a Sedentary Lifestyle:
Obesity or being overweight
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Increased risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, heart diseases, and certain cancers
Poor mental health
Increased risk of depression and anxiety
Metabolic syndrome
Stroke
Osteoporosis
On top of all the increased health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle, it also affects the following:
Other Effects of a Sedentary Lifestyle on the Body:
We burn fewer calories throughout the day
We increase our risk of losing muscle mass due to inactivity
Our bones are likely to get weaker and lose some mineral content
Our metabolism may be negatively impacted
Reduced efficiency of the immune system
Poor blood circulation
Increase inflammation within the body
Risk of hormonal imbalances
Increased risk of falls
As you can see, there are MANY increased health risks associated with being inactive during the day!
A simple way to combat inactivity is to get moving! Daily physical activity in some form is vital for optimal health and well-being.
Getting to the gym and adding in some dedicated time for exercise during your week is amazing for increased health benefits and this is something I HIGHLY encourage. However, I understand that not everyone wants to join the gym. You can still get moving and be active each day. This is where our Daily Step Targets come into play…
Having a daily step target will ensure you move around during the day, even if you do work at a desk. Walking is still a form of gentle exercise, and the majority of people are able to do this but choose not to!
Current health guidelines from many sources suggest we aim for 10,000 steps per day. But where did this number actually come from? The idea of walking 10,000 steps per day was actually due to a marketing campaign back in 1964 for a walking pedometer, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Many health organisations around the world still suggest this number is a good guideline for most.
A breakdown of daily step counts as a guideline include:
Sedentary is less than 5,000 steps per day.
Low activity is around 5,000-7,499 steps per day.
Somewhat active is 7,000-9,999 steps per day.
Active is more than 10,000 steps per day.
Highly active is more than 12,500 steps per day.
Again, these are only rough guidelines. A note to take into consideration is if you choose to complete physical activity on a stationary piece of equipment, e.g. a bike, you may be completing enough physical activity daily without hitting the 10,000-step range. So, it is important to remember that all this information is just based on guidelines and there are always individual circumstances that may be a factor to consider.
Not only just walking leisurely, but walking at a slightly faster pace has also been shown to have additional benefits of getting the heart pumping which increases blood flow and circulation. This helps the arteries repair themselves against inflammations that can increase our risk of disease. So if you can aim for a brisk walking speed, you will gain some additional health benefits.
30 minutes of brisk walking should get you around 3,000-4,000 steps. So even just a dedicated 30-minute walk a day can help get closer to your daily step target.
Getting to 10,000 consistently every day can help to prevent chronic health diseases, however, it may not get you to your weight loss goals. This is where additional physical activity and exercise do come into play. Along with a daily step count, incorporating dedicated exercise or physical activity per week can help to keep you fit, and healthy, and get you closer to your fitness or weight loss goals.
Another note is to remember the importance of good nutrition along with adequate exercise! All these factors work together to help you reach your goals.
So we can see that dedicated exercise is excellent! But if reaching a daily step target each day sounds like a big step from your current lifestyle (no pun intended), then try first just aiming for 30 minutes of dedicated walking five days a week. This will help you increase your steps, and then you can work up from there till you reach your target. 30 minutes 5 days a week of walking has been shown to help prevent chronic diseases as we age. So this is a great starting point for many inactive people! You can always start off slower and then build up the pace as your fitness levels improve.
Getting outside as often as possible for some daily steps is also an amazing idea! You can get some daily Vitamin D at the same time! Just always remember to be sun safe if walking or exercising outside.
To finish off let’s look at some additional ways to incorporate more daily steps into your everyday life…
Different Ways to Increase Daily Movement:
Housework and gardening can be a great way to get jobs done around the house while getting in some daily steps. It can also be hard work as well!
Get a walking pad for at home or at work. You could use the walking pad when you are watching TV or scrolling through Tik Tok. If you work at a desk invest in a sit-to-stand desk and a walking pad if you are able to. Even if you are walking at a slow pace while working, it is still better than sitting down all day long!
Take your dog for a walk! Remember that dogs need daily exercise as well! So you can get in some of your daily steps with your best friend! How sweet!
There are so many other ways to increase your daily steps and movement, so don’t be afraid to get a little creative! If you think of any great ideas, feel free to post them in the comments section! You might inspire others to do the same!
It can definitely be challenging to get more daily steps in if you do work in an office, sitting at a desk all day. Below are some additional tips and tricks that you could consider implementing into your daily work routine if this is you…
Additional Tips for Desk Workers:
Aim to get up from your desk and move around for a few minutes every hour. This will help break up the time you are seated for.
Ask your employers if they are able to provide a standing desk and/or a walking treadmill. Some businesses will be more than happy to accommodate this growing need to get our society moving more.
Have a “walking” or “standing” meeting with your co-workers if possible, instead of sitting at a table in a conference room together.
Use your lunch break or part of it to get in some exercise or daily steps. Also, consider getting in some sunshine if possible!
Walk to work if you live close, or park further away from your work so you can get some steps in as you journey to and from the office or work site.
Opt to take the stairs where possible instead of using the elevator.
As you can see, daily movement is vital for good health and it is not as hard to get in as some people may think. Many of us should put more priority into being active and staying healthy! Having a daily step target is not necessary but helps to give us a goal around increasing our daily movement.
So let’s get walking!
