How many steps a day?

[JayneHarrison]

According to yesterday's Times we should now be doing at least 12,000 steps a day: 12,000 steps = 5 miles = 90 minutes. It also said that 25 minutes of exercise a day could add 7 years to your life expectancy.

I am trying to move more but it will take me quite a while to build up to 90 minutes all at once!

What do all you walkers do?

[MW50]

I do a 1.5hr 5 mile walk every morning but am not very active for the rest of the day, so although I get my steps in I often fail on the other recommendation that you should move around at least every half hour as prolonged periods of inactivity are harmful to health.

[IndigoBlue61]

I'd like to see the research on this!! Where do they get these figures from? Is that for everyone? 😕

I do 30 minutes 'exercise' every day, manage to walk about 3000 steps during this time. This is what we have always been told is the magic amount, good for health and well being.

I then try to move and stretch every hour or so throughout the day. 😊

At the moment I am recuperating from surgery, but even at my best I don't do more than 6-7 thousand 😊 I swim and cycle as well, but with chronic joint pain anymore just sets me back.

[JayneHarrison in reply to IndigoBlue61]

It sounds to me like you are doing quite a lot besides walking so that must be good for you even if you don't get in the 12000 steps.

[JayneHarrison in reply to IndigoBlue61]

One 12 year study from Finland that says people aged between 65 and 74 who walked for 4 hours a week cut their risk of dying from a heart condition by 54% and one 6 year American study of 33,060 runners that suggest that walking is more beneficial than running. The 12,000 steps is from a joint study from US, Canada, Sweden and France. Maybe the research is funded by trainer manufacturers!

[IndigoBlue61 in reply to JayneHarrison]

Haha 😊 Maybe! If I can do 3000 steps in 30 minutes, 12000 must equate to 2 hours? I think it's great if you are young and fit, but ambitious for many 😕

[JayneHarrison in reply to IndigoBlue61]

Well, I'm old and decrepit so I've no chance!

[IndigoBlue61 in reply to JayneHarrison]

I started doing 2x10 minutes a day, plus a few stretches 😊

Remember, no matter how slow you are you will still lap the person sitting on the sofa 😊

[Finnberry]

I do walk a little but I can't walk much. We aim to swim 3 times per week and go for a 'walk' at least 4 times a week. In reality, this means that my hubby walks pretty fast and I self-propel. It's actually really hard work propelling yourself in a wheelchair though, so I think I get more exercise than he does. Speaking of which, the river is calling to us...