Walking over 10,000 steps daily is equivalent to covering over 5 miles. People who have a very active lifestyle or profession might be able to cover this amount of steps. Otherwise, it is generally quite difficult for a person to walk 5 miles per day. For that, a person would need to put in some efforts. For instance, the person should consciously make some changes in their lifestyle by substituting walking for other facilities such as taking the lift or escalator or taking public transport. The 5 mile walk could also form part of a person’s exercise routine.
The 10,000 steps a day initiative was initially started out by a Japanese group. This formed part of a marketing campaign for a brand of pedometers. This daily steps figure, has however grabbed the attention of medical authorities who have agreed that this figure is quite accurate. Walking 10,000 steps daily is indeed beneficial to the health. Health organizations such as the American Heart Association have adopted this figure as part of their guidelines for the promotion of a healthy heart.
Taking ten thousand steps a day should be adequate to bring a reduction in diseases and to strengthen the health and longevity of a person. Other benefits that can be brought about is a weight loss, a reduction in the waist size and a boost in the daily energy level. People who walk regularly are also at a lower risk of having Type 2 diabetes. Walking is a convenient exercise as it can be practised anywhere.