How to walk 15,000 steps a day
I averaged this daily amount for three months. Here's what I noticed.
Hello! I’m Celine and I write about books, cooking, gardening and surviving life in the city, with a wild heart. Subscribe for free posts like this one, or join the community for other exclusive writing. Either way, thanks for your support!
Dear Reader,
In February, I decided to embark on a three-month experiment. Could I rack up 15,000 steps every day? And in doing so, what would this do for my body… and my mind?
I brought my old Fitbit out of retirement (it tells the time and counts steps – nothing more, nothing less) and strapped it to my wrist. And so began a quest, to walk 15,000 steps a day.
And I have averaged this for the last three months.
I use the word ‘averaged’, as this experiment is supposed to be gentle. No beating up of one’s soul or psyche if the daily goal was not met, as this wasn’t the point.
Instead, I devised a system where if I walked say 12,389 steps on Monday, I had the rest of the week to make the extra time up… which worked!
If I was sick for a few days, these were allowed to be written off, to allow the body to rest and recover. And then we began again.
Why attempt this experiment?
It’s a pretty widely advertised fact that we sit more than we’re supposed to and in turn, this sedentary lifestyle is doing untold harm to our bodies.
Long periods of sitting have been linked to cardiovascular disease and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity1.
Concerning and scary stuff. So, what can we do to overcome this?
I know not everyone can carve out time in their day to walk 15,000 steps. But our bodies love to move. They’re built to move! And like with any exercise, once you experience the highs of walking, you get a little bit addicted.
Take every opportunity to walk
Honestly, when I first embarked upon this mission, my initial thought was ‘How the heck am I going to manage to do this?’ (Not a new thought, have definitely felt this with experiments of the past). I’m a full-time office worker with an active social life and too many hobbies. Where was I going to find the time?
Yet once I made walking a daily priority, I began to see opportunities to go a little further by:
Walking to work (acknowledging not everyone is lucky enough to have this as an option, but even walking part way to work to commute by bus or train helps. If you drive, park your car further away!).
Asking colleagues if we could do ‘walking’ meetings in the great outdoors, rather than in a small, artificially lit and airless room. Preferable, for sure.
Heading to the shops on foot, then carrying groceries back. It also cut down on how much I was buying, if I had to heft it home in my backpack.
Taking my dog on ‘adventures’ on the weekend to local parks and along urban trails, to his nervous excitement.
Walking around the neighbourhood while listening to audiobooks or catching up with family and friends on the phone.
Making walking part of my daily meditation practice. More on this soon.
One thing I particularly began cherishing were my early morning walks. I’d roll out of bed, chuck on my shoes, and as the weather began to cool, a jumper, then a jacket. It was lovely to be out and about as the sun rose, seeing its soft glow cast over the land.
Catching those rays of light first thing in the morning is great for your physical and mental health. And it’s good to get moving first thing, especially before eating, as brisk walking doesn’t burn out your energy stores, and sets the right tone for the day.
Other benefits
Some other things I noticed over this time included the following:
Better sleep. I think this is from a mix of different applications, but this year I’ve been sleeping better and deeper than ever. I’m the kind of sleeper who will wake up if a leaf on a tree outside my bedroom window falls and hits the ground, so this is a massive win.
Improved flexibility. Coupled with yoga, walking is a fabulous thing to do to lengthen and stretch your muscles.
My body began to tone up. This was a nice added bonus. I have found it a bit easier to lift heavier weights during ‘leg day’ at the gym, and clothes that were snug or unwearable at the beginning of the year actually fit or are noticeably more comfortable.
Clearer skin. Adult acne is cruel and there should be a universal law against having pimples and wrinkles at the same time. I have noticed my skin has overall been a lot better behaved this year so far – and sometimes get compliments on looking ‘glowy’.
A clearer mind. On days I hit the 15,000 steps I feel noticeably calmer, especially if I manage to fit in an early morning walk.
I feel more inspired, creatively. This is well documented by many writers and creative types who like to think on their feet. I certainly felt walking got my creative juices flowing. Many newsletter ideas have landed on my morning or evening strolls!
Keen to get moving more, yourself?
If you want to embed a walking practice into your day, here are some tips to get started.
Give yourself an achievable goal to begin
If you’ve been averaging something like say, 7,000 steps a day, don’t wake up tomorrow morning and immediately go for double or nothing. You don’t want to do yourself an injury, or quit before you’ve even begun.
Instead, build up slowly. Maybe see if you can squeeze in another 1,000 through a brisk morning or evening walk around your neighbourhood. Or experiment to see if you can walk to the local shops to pick up a few things you need. Literally walk before you run and take it step by step, to build up to an achievable daily goal.
Look for every opportunity to walk
Consider your day to day activities and see where you can fit in more movement.
Do you usually eat your midday meal in the work lunchroom? Take your break outside, instead.
Is there a friend who wants to meet for coffee? Suggest a walk.
Kids want to go down to the park to play? You can take them on a scavenger hunt around the neighbourhood, where they have to look out for stones, sticks and certain birds. I’m sure their creative little minds would love this.
If you want to read more, download an audiobook and take your daily walk while listening to it. Two birds and all that, and yes audiobooks do count as reading!
If you start to get bored, mix it up
I’ve banged on about Annabel Streets’ book 52 Ways to Walk before, because it is excellent. As the title suggests, she presents 52 ways to walk that are backed up by science.
You could try going on a ‘smell walk’ in a city. Or see how far you can walk backwards, for a laugh. Perhaps you can pick up rubbish around your suburb, for the ultimate feel good activity.
Start or join a neighbourhood group
In my city at least, there are plenty of walking groups around. Check your local library or supermarket for signs. If one doesn’t exist – start your own!
Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t meet your daily goal
At the end of the day, you’re not training for the Olympics (unless you are and are somehow reading this… well done, you).
This is why averaging my daily steps worked so well for me. It took the pressure off and kept the quest fun.
Sometimes life gets in the way and that’s fine. Write it off and start anew tomorrow.
I’ll leave you with this final thought to ponder over: To be able to move, to walk freely is truly a gift, that not everyone is lucky enough to possess. Even as a able-bodied cis woman, there are considerations to face, such as safety – especially at night.
If you can move through life on two feet with ease and freedom, then you are very fortunate indeed.
As for me, now I’m left wondering… is it possible to walk 20,000 steps a day? 😉
See you next week. ‘Til then, stay well and well-fed.
-Celine
If you liked this, you might also enjoy:
Five days, without a phone… in the city
Are juice cleanses good for the soul? Notes on a three-day effort
Thoughts on 20 years of journalling and tips for getting started
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005
Love this! It's been on my mind for ages but I haven't found a way to implement this in my own life yet. Very helpful to hear your experience!
Hi LC!
I loved this one. When we moved six years ago we purposely chose a location where the grocery store, pharmacy, community centre, library were all walking distance. Not only that, it’s a bit of a grinding hill to get to them - downhill on the way back though. We try to walk as often as we can. I try to walk to yoga and aquafit and, like you, have noticed an improvement in strength and energy.
Thanks for this post. It’ll encourage me to walk even more!