Can walking 10,000 steps a day really help you lose weight? Here’s what an expert has to say

Trying to lose weight with the help of that cutting-edge gadget on your wrist or in your pocket? Well, then we’re certain that completing 10,000 steps daily must have featured on your checklist at least once. 

You see, ever since smartphones and smartwatches have taken over our lives, some not-so-smart ideas have become the “hallowed truth”—including one that equates walking 10,000 steps daily to weight loss.

But did you know that this concept was actually born in the 1960s—thanks to a pedometer company in Japan whose sole purpose was to encourage people to set a goal by trying to keep up with a fixed number.

So, can counting your steps help you shed some kilos?

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Well, this is what Praveshh Gaur, founder & director of Srauta Wellness in NCR has to say on the matter: “While completing 10K steps can impact the body positively, if a person’s top priority is weight loss then how they’re completing these steps matters more.” 

Basically, a 60-minute high-intensity workout in which you might not complete those 10K steps can make you lose more weight in comparison to hours of slow walking you might indulge in to meet that goal. 

“If you complete 10,000 steps by climbing a mountain instead of strolling on a paved path, it automatically makes a difference. Even though you’ll burn calories either way, the force and power to achieve the goal will ultimately be different,” Gaur further explains. In other words, power walking will beat strolling any day when it comes to weight loss, irrespective of the number of steps you complete. 

Umm.. is counting steps is totally useless then?

Not really. See, keeping a track of how much you’ve walked in a day–even if you’re just strolling–is a great start. However, once your body gets used to it, you will have to up your workout game to break the fitness plateau if you want to lose weight. 

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“As your body adapts to walking, you’ll burn fewer calories and will have to increase your pace or adopt a different regime. Just completing your steps won’t be enough then,” Gaur elaborates.

All in all, keeping a keen eye on how much you’ve walked in a day is not a bad idea–but if a slim-and-trim physique is what you’re vying for, then you’ll have to do more to break a sweat. But hey, isn’t that what running tracks are for?