Lose weight by walking: You only need to walk 4,400 steps each day to be in shape, according to Harvard

2023-09-17 14:18:17

Walking 10,000 steps a day is a challenge that many of us set as ideal to stay in shape, but that is not something that has occurred to us. This myth began in the 1960s in Japan and is nothing more than
a marketing campaign of a pedometer that established this number of steps as a goal, but, in reality, without any scientific basis.

The
World Health Organization (WHO) It does not even focus on the number of steps necessary to improve health, but on the quality and intensity of the physical activity performed. Their recommendations are between 150 and 300 minutes per week of moderate physical activity or between 75 and 150 minutes of intense exercise and walking.
10,000 steps It would take us almost two hours a day, which may be excessive.

So how many steps should we walk a day? According to research led by specialists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, affiliated with the University of
Harvardit would be enough to just
4,400 steps a day to significantly reduce the risk of death compared to taking 2,700 steps a day. The risk of death continued to decrease the more steps you took, but plateaued at around 7,500 steps per day, less than the default goal on many wearable devices.

According to
Wewarda platform that rewards people who install it on their phones for the steps they take, in Spain the average number of steps is 8.
994a figure that is above other countries in the European community and even the United States, whose inhabitants only give
from 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day.

Woman walking on a pedestrian crossing. / Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash.

Health benefits of walking daily

To walk It is not a very intense exercise, at least not as much as running, but even if you don’t believe it, walking can help you
Burn calories, improving cardiovascular health and increasing the production of endorphins, which improves mood. Now let’s talk about each of the
benefits walking:

1. Improves cardiovascular health: Walking is a low-impact form of exercise that helps improve cardiovascular health without damaging your joints. If you increase the intensity and time spent walking, practicing power walking, for example, the cardiovascular work will be greater and the health benefits will increase.

2. Strengthens the muscles of the lower body: Walking you work the quadriceps, glutes, calves and ankles and depending on the inclination of the terrain on which you walk, the intensity of the exercise will be greater. But not only are the leg muscles activated, but those of the back and abdominal area also work.

Woman walking on the sidewalk next to an orange wall. / Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel on Unsplash.

3. Improves the immune system: Those who walk for 20 minutes a day at least five days a week are sick on 43% fewer days than those who only exercise once a week. Additionally, being consistent and exercising in moderation allows the body to recover and build immunity faster than with more demanding workouts.

4. Improves mood: Exercising reduces levels of cortisol, a stress-related hormone. In addition, it increases the production of endorphins, hormones capable of mitigating pain and generating emotional well-being, in addition to boosting the immune system and delaying aging.

5
. It is good for the heart: According to experts, those who walk at a faster pace have a 34% lower chance of heart disease. Heart problems are the leading cause of death among adults around the world, and we know that a balanced diet and regular exercise improve heart health.