Trends come and go, especially when it comes to fitness crazes and weight loss plans. As soon as fitness trackers hit the market, we began seeing news about the 10,000-steps goal. The idea is that in order to achieve better fitness and lose weight, you wear your fitness tracker all day and attempt to reach 10,000 steps through exercise and daily activities.

But is there any reason to set this seemingly arbitrary goal? Or was this number simply pulled out of thin air?

Yes, some studies do suggest that walking 10,000 steps per day can lower your blood pressure and improve glucose tolerance. That’s great news to anyone who has the time to walk the equivalent of five miles per day, and who needs to address serious health concerns.

On the other hand, 10,000 steps sounds like a lot – because it is! And setting the goal of walking 10,000 steps every single day could feel overwhelming to some people. Some people might suffer a sense of failure when they achieve “only” 7,000 steps … While forgetting that 7,000 steps is still a great accomplishment!

So, perhaps it is a good idea not to get too hung up on numbers. The ultimate goal should be to get moving more than you usually do, and try to increase your activity gradually over time. If you can shoot for 150 minutes per week of walking (or some other activity that raises your heart rate) then you will do wonders for your health and weight. Focus on fitting exercise time into your regular routine, and make regular, obtainable goals along the way.

To learn more about exercise plans and nutrition, call us to schedule an appointment. We can help you set reasonable goals and learn how to eat in order to support your weight loss plan.