The Benefits Of Walking
Walking.
You’ve been doing it since you were a toddler, yet somehow the fitness industry has turned it into a step-count obsession. Let’s get one thing straight: you do not need 10,000 steps a day to get the benefits of walking.
That number came from a Japanese pedometer called the Manpo-kei (“10,000 step meter”), launched for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. It wasn’t based on science. The logo featured a character whose walking pose resembled the Japanese symbol for 10,000, and the marketing stuck. Decades later, before Apple Watches and Fitbits existed, it somehow became “the rule.”
Benefits of Walking for Fat Loss and Health
Walking is one of the easiest and most underrated habits for maintaining health and supporting fat loss.
Here’s why:
Increases energy levels – Sitting all day makes you feel half-sedated. Moving doesn’t.
Improves blood flow – More movement = better circulation.
Reduces the risk of heart disease – Daily walking is linked with improved heart health.
Reduces stress – You’re less likely to throttle someone after a good walk.
Improves sleep – More movement during the day means better rest at night.
How to Start Walking Without Quitting in a Week
Most people set ridiculous goals, fail immediately, and then do nothing. Instead, start laughably small. If you barely walk at all, aim for 1,000 steps. If that feels easy, go to 1,500. If a 5-minute walk is no big deal, make it 10 minutes. Keep adding when it feels too easy — that’s how progress works.
This is miles better than setting a huge goal like 10,000 steps, hitting 3,000, feeling like a failure, and giving up.
Find Your Laughables
When I work with clients, I set their “laughables”—habits so simple they can’t fail. No one needs to be lifting weights six days a week or chasing 100,000 steps over the weekend. Start stupidly small, get the win, then build from there.
Your Task for Today
What’s the absolute bare minimum amount of walking you could do today and still call it a win?
Do that. Then increase when it feels too easy.
On the next one: Eat More to Lose Weight – The Volume vs. Calorie Density Hack.
Looking for Personal Training in Herne Bay?
If you want accountability with your own “laughables,” here’s how we do it inside Push Pull Health.
30 Days To Sample The Goods—£99
4x personal training sessions. Start with just one 45-minute session a week to avoid overwhelm.
30 days of nutrition, habit and lifestyle support. Short, sharp daily content to help drown out the endless diet and exercise misinformation.
Regular check-ins. To keep you motivated outside of the gym as you adapt to your new routine.
Money Back Guaranteed. If you end up hating it (or me), I’ll give you your money back.