Yesss 10,000 steps is bad for you!

Reported in The Telegraph.
A Dr Greg Hager, a computer science expert from the US said "popular fitness apps set users a pretty arbitrary goal of 10,000 steps.... But it's not clear what the relationship is between what we know in terms of scientific evidence and what's actually built into these apps."

Not necessarily bad for us. Just not suitable for some of us.

I'm one of those people who has a fitbit and walks 10000 steps a day. I have found since getting the fitbit last September I am far more motivated to walk and have lost a little weight and feel much better. Surely any exercise is better than none. I can't see how walking can be bad for you.

I don't think anyone is disagreeing with the fact that doing some exercise is good for you sunlover. The problem is that giving this arbitary number of steps as something we should aim for based on one study done in the 1960s with 30 year old Japanese men means that people are trying to achieve it with conditions that actually may be negatively affected by a lot of walking, such as hip and knee problems.

10,000 steps is a good target. If you can do it then fine, if not then perhaps start off aiming for less and build up to a point that seems right for you, even if that's just 5,000 or even less. Giving in to aches and pains may not be the answer as gentle walking can actually help keep us mobile; use it or lose it.

Of course common sense should prevail. Nobody says you have to do 10,000 steps. But the message is quite clear that keeping moving as long as we are able, be it walking, swimming, gardening, cleaning, trampolining or running marathons is good for your heart, muscles, bones and may even prevent some cancers.

And it's quite possible to programme Fitbits and other apps with your own target.

My OH's Fitbit told him he had done 10,000 steps after he had painted the fence. Jane10 the Fitbit on the dog was hilarious.

Oh there were definitely strawberry creams around Ana I remember them very well from the step thread( it made me want some.)
All things in moderation then?who'd a thunk it?!

Walking is important to me, as long as counting steps does not become an obsession. This can happen with Fitbits so i have avoided these. Plus, I feel better if I have walked instead of driven, when I can.

10,000 steps or roughly 7 kms is not a huge amount if you live in town and can do all shopping and meet other needs on foot. Ironically, i think it is more of a challenge for those who live in the country and need to be more reliant on cars as "going for a walk" and covering that no. of kms in one go on foot could prove challenging as a daily thing and I would probably not achieve it every day.

Common sense should dictate...and not the contradictions of the latest so called "reports". I will have my cupcake, if I like, but keep moving as much as I can!

sunlover you are right, any exercise is good for us but can we believe what the fitbit says, is it really 10,000 steps a day that it counts ? cant be if it counts wrist movements

Mine's strapped to the waistband of my jean grannypiper - it does say it's better worn on your torso.

Rinouchka that's very true; mooching around the shops certainly adds up stepswise.

Walking is a good exercise, but doing TOO MUCH FOR YOUR OWN SITUATION is not. That is the bottom line. All these "You oughtas" need adapting to suit individuals. We are not all identical clones, we each have our own limits and we shouils keep these in mind and not try to all fit the Fitbit template.
It reminds me of the legend of Procrustes, who boasted that he had a bed which would fit everyone - sure it did, because if they were too tall he cut off their feet, and if they were too short he stretched them by the arms and legs until they were the right length.

(Hence procrastinating - stretching or putting off the work to fill the time available)

I agree with Anya. I started on 5000 a day and have steadily built up to 10000. I like the challenge and have found I'm motivated to go for a walk. Realise it's not every bodies cup of tea. Also realise that they are not 100% accurate but works for me.

Anya mooching will not add much to step count!

DD wears hers in her bra. She is large of boobage and I often wonder if that is adding on 'steps'.

Yippeee! So glad! That's the best news today, something I can take off my Guilt list.

My husband and I do 10000 steps a day. We get a financial reward from our health provider if we keep fit and regularly do our 10000 steps. 10000 is about 7km. A bit of a challenge but doable if you are fairly fit. And we love walking. I wear my peddie in my bra and whip it out every now and then to see how I am doing. Must look very strange to some people. My peddie only works if I am walking - and doesn't work if I tie it to the dog!

'Mooching' around can certainly add to the step account Rinouchka - what it may not do is add much to the active 30 minutes or so a day you should aim for But far better, health-wise, that sitting on backside at home. Of course it's counterproductive if one toddles into a watering hole to indulge in coffee and cake!!

I love a good mooch. Especially round the shops.

I don't have a Fitbit but according to my old cheap pedometer and 'Walk-it' website, a one-hour steady walk is about 6,200 steps. I wouldn't have thought pottering around the house adds much more.

I'm about to do a 2-hour river walk and assume that this will do me some good!

Love the image of the peddie in the bra!
Thought of installing my phone there as it is my step counter for the times I don't want to carry a bag or backpack but sadly, boobs are too small to take such a weight and protuberance!

Lovely day for a good, long walk, some zumba, possibly a mooch, and a convivial coffee later. And if 10,000 steps achieved, all the better!

7K is what 4.5 miles? Including a stop for lunch, it'd take me most of the day to do that! Mind you, with my bad knees I only take tiny steps so that'd only be 2.5 miles for me!

I am nearly 66 and do, on average, 8,500 steps a day at work. Sometimes get to 10,000. A lot of them are going up and down stairs. Well a least they burn the calories off...hahaha

Did the Japanese men study make any allowance for length and speed of steps?

I can't do any walking now as I'm trying to fit in my 10 helpings of fruit and veg.

How far is 10,000 steps?