5 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Walking 10000+ Steps Regularly | Fitness

Live life how you want too, not how it comes to you. Let’s start this article with a question. Where does this 10000 steps mark comes from, this is a question that tends to bother me. Who came up with this benchmark, and is it the same standard for everyone.

Probably we won’t go much deep inside the concept behind the number, but surely we will discuss about the history behind it. Since this question bothered me to only my urge to find the answer was the only solution, as per my findings this 10000 mark became famous in Japan, after the Tokyo Olympics 1962.

A Japanese pedometer producer launched pedometers with a name that looks like a walking man when written in Japanese, and translated as 10000 Steps meter.

Since then it is considered by many to be a number that is considered to be standard to be fit. But mind it, this totally changes upon person age, gender and physical condition.

Do research about them before making any assumption. Probably one thing I would like to add here, fitness is not just burning the extra calories, but our diet plays a hell lot of role, we are not capable enough to ignore this fact. Let’s not deviate from the topic since I can go on and on preaching about how to be fit. But the topic is something different about my daily routine.

Let me get straight to the point how having a mindset of walking 10000 steps a day helped me achieve various milestones.

Table of content.
Be Fit.
Me Time, to relax.
Networking to grow.
Discipline.
Happy to Travel
Final Thoughts

Be Fit.

Before lockdown I was around 5 Kg overweight, technically I won’t call it overweight but bit more than my standards, although I am fit guy.

So even though I do a lot of weight training but like many of us even I do hate doing any form of cardio whether its either high intensity interval training, (hiit), slow cardio forms likes brisk walking, swimming etc. I am not at all denying the fact, that all these form are super effective and a faster way to lose extra calories. But probably they don’t provide me with the opportunity to listen to some of my favourite stuff (Of-course not music). Since I like to listen to informative videos, Audio book etc. that requires my entire experience. So covering 10000 steps inculcated a habit of walking into my daily routine. Many times I choose to walk in a park that lets me to connect with the nature. plus it helps me to burn those extra calories that I gained while eating all those junk food. Some days I bump up the counter to even more than 10000, based upon what I have eaten the last day. This help me keep a check on my weight even though I am not very particular about tracking my weight. I am in the league of people who analyse them as per the response they get from the mirror, instead of the weighing machine Now walking lets you enjoy your favourite audiobook, I prefer listening to the books since I don’t want to sit at a place and dedicate my time listening and learning from a book. Also this gives my eyes bit rest after an excruciating my eyes from whole day of work.

Me Time, to relax.

So of course with the busy schedule you can’t afford to take time out for yourself. I will say you to keep reminding yourself the fact that you are the one for whom you are trying to do this much effort, not your family, not your friends, not any single person except you. Now if you can’t take out few hours for yourself what the hell are you even doing.

So covering 10000 steps mark firstly helped me develop a new different habit. Secondly it helped me in sneaking few minutes out from my daily routine. Which is mostly an hour long mostly, for me this walking session revolves around listening to audio book, listening music and many time doing nothing but just walking and thinking about the possible idea which doesn’t hit you otherwise. Many time when I want alone I have few places with me where I can walk alone and won’t have much people around. You should also have such hideout places which only you are aware of, although in India it is sometime difficult since people here are super friendly and you can meet someone who would be happy talking with you.

Networking to grow.

We are all aware how much networking is important for one personal as well as career growth. Also there 1,000 other ways which you can network and grow but communication is something which will help you in retaining it.

So the corona induce lockdown is said to distribute people since like earlier we don’t have the privilege of meeting people in person, but we are all virtually connected. So I used this for my benefits just like everyone I was unable to meet my old friend and also newer people whom I can network and learn. Since we all know our network is our net worth. More people you know, in whatever business you are in, the more you will grow. You must be wondering, how walking 10000 steps could help me improve my networking. So while I am taking a walk, I get enough time to talk to my old friends, colleagues and loved ones. All my friends who went to their native place and are unable to meet due to location constraint, now this is the right time when we can connect. Otherwise when we are in our daily routine, we tends to become busy that we don’t get the time, even if we want to.

Discipline.

So discipline is something which I learned alot from following a routine to walk to 10000 steps. Whenever you try to do something which is recurring in nature, the main task is to be motivated enough that you do it on regular basis.

So I simply make it a habit of doing it on a regular basis, instead of making my mind to go for a walk everyday. Instead I inculcated a habit of doing it regardless if it is a lazy or an exciting day which gave me a mindset that something needs to be done. So I am not forcing myself to do it. Also this one simple steps has helped me in becoming discipline for other aspect of life. So even if you learn any new thing in whatsoever field, always remember that it will somehow help you in your life. Just for example, I improved my discipline as compared to the earlier me. To follow any habit, instead of forcing you to do it, just spare some time in doing it in your routine, and it will become like a job which you will be doing without needing any external force.

Happy to Travel

This once I will say is the greatest benefit I got since I tried to developed a habit to walk and bump up my step counter to 10000. As I am have target in my mind and I wouldn’t mind getting few more steps count into my routine.

While travelling anywhere, and if I can take few extra steps like choosing stairs instead of escalator or elevator. Taking any online meeting from my smartphone while walking ofcourse if it technically viable. Never thought twice if I need to walk extra steps, while going for some shopping or waiting for someone. Instead of sitting and waiting, I simply stroll around it gives me a mindset that it is helping me to add few steps and burn extra calories. Probably I can enjoy another cup of coffee with sugar.

Final Thoughts

So before going for a summary I want to give my final input, or benefit that I got from walking 10000 steps is now whenever I want to indulge into junk food I am free to do so. Since I can cover up for that by walking 5000 steps more the subsequent day and it’s all good. But don’t start eating junk food everyday, as the health loss which you might be doing to you is irreplaceable. So now in nutshell having a routine of covering 10000 steps each day will help you in becoming both mentally and physically strong. Don’t force to much on yourself, but enjoy the process and see yourself changing in the process. If you aren’t enjoying the process there is not point living such life. Originally published on Apoorv medium

About The Author

Apoorv Tomar is the Software developer and founder of Mindroast. You can connect with him on Twitter, Linkedin, and Instagram. Subscribe to the newsletter for the latest curated content.