Hit 10,000 steps a day for 30 days straight and honestly it felt pointless

I mean everyone talks about how 10,000 steps is this magic number for health and weight loss. I tracked it with my phone for a whole month last fall and saw zero change in how I felt or looked. My friend kept saying it would boost my energy but I just got more tired from all the walking. Maybe it's just me but I think the number is totally random and not based on real science. Has anyone else tried this and felt like it was a waste of time too?

2 comments

2 Comments

kevin_dixon24d ago

Oh man, 10,000 steps is basically a marketing gimmick from an old Japanese pedometer campaign. The number has zero real science behind it. Walking is good for you, sure, but forcing yourself to hit that exact count every day is just going to wear you out. The tiredness you felt is real because you're adding stress without recovery. Maybe try a lower target like 6,000 or 7,000 steps and actually vary your pace. You might find it feels way less pointless.

williamhill24d ago

Yeah, the "thousands of steps per day" thing, you're right about it being a marketing gimmick. But just a small thing, that pedometer campaign was actually from the 1960s, not "old Japanese" in a vague sense - it was a specific company pushing it to sell step counters. Either way, 6,000 steps sounds like a way better goal than burning yourself out.