I count steps now. Before, I just used to walk. I like walking. More than running or cycling. One foot in front of the other, without too much thought. Now, I’m a little more deliberate.

I try to hit or surpass 10,100 steps.  A target set by my Samsung mobile health app. Why 10, 100? I have no idea. The best bit about this app is it applauds my success with a digital-confetti when I reach 10,100 steps. A nice touch. And, what’s even nicer is this burst of confetti appears every time I look at the app once I’ve crossed the 10,100 steps for that day. Yay. Happy days.

I started checking on the number of steps I did once I discovered I had a step-counting app on my mobile. 10,100 steps is not an easy target to reach. Maybe, not every day. For instance, I was under the impression that I was walking a lot during my morning duties for my mum. Moving a fair bit. Fetching medicines, cleaning up, preparing breakfast, cleaning up. Turning this appliance on and that one off. It turned out to be a paltry under 500 steps. Aiyoh. Aiyoh, indeed.

That’s 9,600 steps or 7.5 km short of my digital-confetti reward. I think the walks, which my husband and I go for most evenings after dinner, ranges from 1.5 km to about 4 kms. It certainly helps towards hitting the Samsung target as it’s a fair number of steps. And, how far we walk each day is very much mood and weather dependent.

This is true. Our anecdotal experience showed that it’s easier and almost effortless to chalk up the target-breaching steps whilst walking in shopping malls. Why? Air-conditioning. The cooler environment makes its less stifling and less energy sapping to walk/move. Especially in the current heatwave with temperatures as high as 35°C. Window shopping. Talking, walking and looking at the various displays and goods on sale is a pleasant distraction. And, the floors are levelled. No speed bumps and steep climbs.

This is also true. We naturally prefer parks and anywhere there’s greenery. That said, building up the requisite number of steps is a little less easy. First off, no matter dawn or dusk, it’s warm and humid. The only time it might be a tad cooler with some breeze is after a big downpour or a storm. The hot weather does take a toll, at least on us. It also requires more energy to walk on undulating terrains. Up and down hills is better exercise for many body parts but not so much for stepping up the number of steps needed for my digital-confetti. Never mind. Being outdoors still wins hands down.

The more widely touted or benchmark daily steps per day is 10,000. What I didn’t know was that it was a Japanese invention. More precisely, it was a marketing campaign launched ahead of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The number was selected because the Japanese character for 10,000 looks like a person walking. The rest is history… But 10,000 steps like 10,100 steps is an arbitrary number.

That said,  ‘… science and medicine have proven that the “sweet spot” for reducing the onset and severity of several diseases and illnesses does in fact lie around the 10,000-step mark[1]. There are several proven health benefits of walking 10,000 steps per day. According to research, walking 9,800 steps, yes, 9,800 steps is the optimal dose for lowering the risk of dementia by 50%. Worth a shot. Walking 10,000 steps outdoors can also help relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. This I agree. I’m not anxious or depressed, maybe a little worried or less happy on some days. Walking outdoors particularly in parks, surrounded by trees and fewer people and buildings, does have an all-round calming effect. Dopamine and serotonin do kick in. I’m a happier being. Walking also helps with my arthritis. My knee and joints hurt less.

In addition, ‘a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Neurology found a possible link between walking 10,000 steps per day and a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease, 13 types of cancer, stroke, and heart failure. Research published by the JAMA Internal Medicine Journal also explored the possibility of a lower risk of premature death for every 2,000 steps walked in a day[2]. Interesting.

Walking is relatively easier than most other exercises. Incorporating walking whenever and wherever possible is a good idea. Like a lunch time stroll or after dinner walk. If the weather is unfriendly, walk in a shopping mall. It also doesn’t require fancy gym memberships or expensive equipment.  A pair of reliable walking shoes is good enough.

10,000 steps or 10,100 steps every day does require a bit of effort but it’s doable. For me, the digital-confetti is a fun recognition and incentive.