Walking 10,000 Steps a Day -- FAQ about Health-Effect Reasons

Here are answers to Frequently Asked Questions -- an FAQ -- about the health-effect reasons for walking 10K steps/day. Q1. "Why should I care about losing excess weight?" If you are overweight and extremely sedentary today and your physician approves your undertaking a 10K-steps/day program (perhaps after beginning to exercise with some walking in water or swimming), then you have the potential to lose up to one pound a week by walking 10 K steps/day. Even if you were to lose weight at only half that rate, that works out to some twenty-five pounds lost in one year. Now find something that weighs twenty-five pounds and try carrying it around with you awhile. Can you feel the strain on your knees and your back as you do this? Now release that extra weight and notice how you feel. Can you imagine being that much lighter one year from now? How would that change your life for the better? Q2. "Why should I care about heart attacks and strokes?" These diseases are known as silent killers, so this is an excellent question, especially if they do not run in your family. But we are all susceptible to them when we do not take care of ourselves. And they can have such devastating effects that it is best to avoid them, even if you are relatively young and have that feeling of invincibility. Walking 10K steps/day is one way to reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke. And it is such a simple way, too. Plus, there is a spillover, synergistic effect when you walk 10K steps/day. You feel better, so you become more sensitive to what you eat, so you lean toward healthier nutrition, which can also reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke. Q3. "Why should I care about developing stronger bones and muscles?" Walking 10K steps/day can help you to develop stronger bones and muscles. So this is a good question, if you were imagining that walking 10K steps/day will make you the next world-champion body builder. It will not. But the physical impact on your body from the very natural process of walking will condition your bones in a less-injury-prone way than will running. And you need your bones to be strong to support your posture and to support you in the other activities in which you will want to engage as you begin to feel better by walking 10K steps/day. Plus, you will need the increased muscle strength -- especially in your legs -- that will come slowly but naturally with walking 10K steps/day.