Take the First of Ten Thousand Steps

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Last Updated on August 1, 2017 by lydiaf1963

My phone loves to be taken for a walk. There’s an app that tracks my steps on my Galaxy phone. It not only tracks my steps, it tells me when I walk at a “good pace” and also urges me to get off my rump when I haven’t moved my phone in a while. The best part is it gives me a sticker when I reach my goal of 10,000 steps.

Take the First of 10,000 Steps ~ Life Beyond the Kitchen

Now, apparently the idea of ten thousand steps is actually a marketing catch phrase for a Japanese pedometer, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a worthwhile goal.

We sit.

A lot.

So anything that encourages us to get up and move about is a good thing. Because ANY movement that propels your body through space counts towards your ten thousand steps.

You’ll reap other benefits, too.

  • Weight Loss/Maintenance
  • Increased stamina
  • Lightened mood
  • Improved circulation
  • Improved flexibility

So, how far is 10,000 steps? The rule of thumb is 2000 steps per mile, so if you’ve completed your goal you’ll have walked the equivalent of five miles. But not really. I find I’m just under five miles. Everyone is different because our stride lengths are different. This site explains how to calculate the distance in kilometers, but I’ve done the calculations for you in this handy chart:

Take the First of 10,000 Steps ~ Life Beyond the Kitchen

As you can see from the chart, the person who came up with “2000 steps per mile” was a tall fellow! Personally, I cover more than 4.5 miles, but I think the calculation is a good point of reference.

When I first started tracking my steps with the app on my phone, I was shocked that my normal daily routine didn’t provide enough steps. We live in a city and don’t have a car so we have to walk everywhere! Yet I was often 1000 steps short of the goal. Fortunately a quick walk to the end of the block and back does the trick.

Another thing about this distance is that it’s easy to split it up over the course of the day. In fact, that’s probably desirable as it means you’re sitting less and moving more.

How about you? Do you have a fitbit, pedometer or other device to measure your activity? The app I use is called S Health, do you use something similar?

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