On the days that I went into the office, I didn't need to use the walking pad at all. My commute to work includes a 25 minute walk to the train station, which racks up about 3,000 steps, and this number gradually increased throughout the day as I spent time walking around the office (being sure to opt for the stairs instead of the lift) as well as going out for lunch and then walking home from the station at the end of the day.
Sometimes, I'd surpass the 10,000 goal altogether, especially if I had social plans in the evening or if I had a lot of meetings that required moving around the office more than usual. On other days, it was surprisingly harder to get my steps in than I expected, eg. the night I went to a gig and thought 'this'll be an easy win' but ended with me frantically dancing about at 11:45 pm in an effort to reach the goal.
As expected, my busy schedule did prove tricky at times, causing me to stress out about when I'd fit my 10,000 steps in. The solution often involved 'making time', such as getting up an hour earlier than I usually would, or sacrificing an hour of my chill-out time in the evenings.
Week four
By the end of the experiment, I was, quite frankly, exhausted.
On a daily basis, I didn't find walking 10,000 steps particularly strenuous, but doing this every day consecutively for a month did take a toll on my energy levels. Some days, my body was shouting at me to have a lie in, and all I wanted to do was, well, do nothing at all. On those days, I found myself struggling the most and the thought of walking 10,000 steps may as well have been a trek to the top of Mount Everest.
Nevertheless, every day I got up and walked – whether I wanted to or not. Having the walking pad definitely made this a million times easier, as I can't say for certain that I'd have finished the challenge if I had to actually leave my house every day. Yes, I'm a total homebody. No, I don't feel bad about it.
10,000 steps a day benefits
Although for me this challenge wasn't about losing weight, I did hope that my jeans might feel a little looser by the end of the month. Spoiler alert: they didn't. Clearly, low intensity walking on its own isn't enough if losing weight is your main goal.
But, upping the pace when it comes to walking could make a difference. "Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier," the NHS advises. "You do not have to walk for hours. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your 150 minutes of weekly exercise, as recommended in the physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64."
"Things like increasing the speed of your walking or the incline will increase the intensity of the exercise you're doing, improving cardiovascular fitness and enabling you to burn more calories if weight loss is the goal," adds PT and founder of fitness app WeGLOW, Stef Williams, advising that we should "try to incorporate other forms of movement for a wider variety of health benefits."
What's more: working out is just one side of the coin when it comes to weight loss, and should be combined with a healthy, balanced diet.
Whilst it's true I didn't notice any difference on the scales – who even cares?? – I did notice an improvement in my fitness levels. Towards the end of the month, I certainly felt less out of breath after each walking session, and my glutes definitely felt firmer.
As for my mental health, I found walking (especially on the treadmill, where I could utilise the speediest setting) to be a great stress reliever. With every step, I felt as though I was pushing through the anxiety that had built up throughout the day/week/month, and helping clear out the negative energy that I was holding on to. I always felt lighter when I stepped off the treadmill and finally experienced those post-workout endorphins everyone has been telling me about!
So, what did I learn?
For me, this challenge was about adding more movement into my day-to-day life – which I certainly achieved. As someone who is really not a fan of working out, I wanted to find something that could help me to keep fit but didn't require sweating my ass off at the gym or lifting weights. To that end, focusing on increasing my steps was the perfect solution.
Despite developing a bit of a love/hate relationship with the walking pad – as I said, some days I really did not want to walk at all – I was pretty devo when I had to pack it up and send it back. I promised myself that I'd order one straight away so that I could keep up with the new habit I'd worked so hard on creating, although it's also worth noting that not everyone will be in a position to purchase a walking pad, as these cost upwards of a few hundred pounds. Thankfully, the great outdoors is open free of charge and, when we're in the peak of those glorious spring/summer months, this becomes all the more enjoyable.
By the time I sat down to write this feature – which was just under three weeks after completing the challenge – I still hadn't got around to purchasing a walking pad, but reflecting on all of the positive impacts I'd experienced when using one made me realise how much I missed walking every day.
Although I was still active on office days and at the weekend, my work from home days quickly became pretty (read: totally) sedentary, and I noticed myself slipping back into my old ways. My stress levels were higher, and I missed the sense of achievement I felt throughout the challenge, too.
With all that in mind, I decided to commit and order a walking pad – albeit one with more speed settings – and I can't wait to start moving my body again, for both my physical and mental health.
Excitement aside, I don't think I'll pressure myself to hit 10,000 steps every day. Life is all about balance and setting myself unrealistic goals will only end in disappointment. As Williams tells me: "Like anything, it's not about being 'perfect'. If you can't hit 10,000 steps a day don't be disheartened – it's about finding a way of movement and a routine that works for you. Remember that something is always better than nothing."
This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
