How 10,000 Steps a Day Changed My Life
Like many people approaching middle age, I’ve started giving a lot more thought to how I can improve not only the duration of my life but the quality my life will have as I continue to get older. So needless to say, when I read a study saying that adults who take at least 7,000 steps a day reduce all-cause mortality by 50–70% it caught my attention.
I used to sit a lot during the day. Most of my work and many of my hobbies involve time in front of my PC or laptop. So I made the decision that I was going to move around more. After walking 10,000 steps a day or more for the last 6 months (minus a day here or there) my life has changed in profound ways. Some expected, some not so much.
My mood improved — This one was a little unexpected. I knew of the connection between exercise and mood but I was just generally happier. Things that used to irritate me quickly rolled off my back and I found myself smiling and laughing more.
My waistline slimmed — I’ve also made some dietary changes that contributed to this, but in the last six months I’ve lost over 25 lbs and had to buy new jeans and shorts. Walking is a very simple and effective exercise that requires no equipment and I can even walk indoors easily if I don’t want to be outside.
