Reach 10000 Steps a Day with Headphones!

Want to know how to reach 10000 steps a day, or even how far 10000 steps a day is (including an answer to how many miles is 10000 steps)? Read on for our comprehensive tips!

We’ve all heard the old adage that you need to walk 10000 steps a day. That’s all well and good, but it’s hard to do. In fact, the average American office worker only walks around 6000 steps a day!

You can buy fitness trackers for little to nothing nowadays. Most modern phones even come with their own built-in pedometer! But meeting your targets on them can feel like a lot; 10000 steps a day can seem like an impossible number when you’re just getting started. But it really is easier than you think to make small changes in your life!

Don’t worry. Whether you’re just starting to get your step count up or you’re looking for ways to get an extra few hundred steps, we have all the hints and tips you need to maximize the amount of steps you take in a day!

Skip to the section you need:

Where Did the Daily 10000 Steps Idea Come From?

Do You Actually Have to Walk that Many Steps a Day?

How Far is 10000 Steps?

Six Ways to Increase Your Step Count

How Headphones Can Help You Walk 10000 Steps a Day

Our Headphones Recommendation

Where Did the Daily 10000 Steps Idea Come From?

Did you know that the standardized daily step calculation originated in Japan? And that there isn’t much scientific basis for this number?

In the 1960s, a new pedometer was released in Japan. As part of the marketing strategy, the pedometer was named ‘10000 steps’ with promotional materials around the world since then suggesting you walk 10000 steps a day. I-Min Lee, a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard University T. H. Chan School of Public Health, has suggested that this was largely because the character for 10000 in Japanese looks like a person walking.

“It turns out the original basis for this 10,000-step guideline was really a marketing strategy,” she explains. “In 1965, a Japanese company was selling pedometers, and they gave it a name that, in Japanese, means ‘the 10,000-step meter.’”

I-Min Lee, quoted in The Atlantic

Do You Actually Have to Walk that Many Steps a Day?!

how many miles is 10000 steps

Well… no, is the short answer. But that doesn’t mean you can get away with nothing. And there’s no excuse for not knowing how many miles is 10000 steps if you prefer to calculate it that way!

As we stated above, the figure is pretty arbitrary. It’s based on marketing from over five decades ago, and had little scientific reasoning to back it up. But this doesn’t make it a useless figure. In fact, it’s good because it can serve as inspiration to get up and moving.

Sedentary and inactive lifestyles, where the person doesn’t do significant amounts of activity throughout the day, have been increasingly called out in the media. Indeed, sedentary has been termed the ‘new smoking’ for its effects on a persons health.

Bad effects include:

An increased goal of steps in a day can get you up and moving every hour – or ideally, every half an hour – as motivation to meet your target.

Indeed, regardless of a person’s exercise regimen, the study’s results showed that accumulation of sedentary time in stretches of 60 to 89 and 90 or more minutes at once was associated with greater risk of death, no matter the cause. The interval of 1 to 29 minutes was linked to the least risk of all-cause mortality, which is in line with current physical activity guidelines.

Results from a sedentary study as quoted in cardiovascularbusiness.com

How Far is 10000 steps?

When it comes to exercise, it really helps to have set goals in mind. To do so, you need to know your conversions.

Depending on where you are in the world, you might be asking for KM or how many miles is 10000 steps. We’ve got both for you!

How Many Miles is 10000 Steps?

An ‘average’ person (read: it varies person to person due to stride length and so on) needs 2000 steps to walk a mile. This makes 10000 steps the equivalent of five miles.

How Many Kilometers is 10000 Steps?

Based on the calculation that a mile is around 2000 steps, a kilometer works out at around 1250 steps, depending on your stride. This means 10000 steps is around 8km.

Six Ways to Increase Your Step Count

how far is 10000 steps a day
Walking meetings are a great way to improve your step count

1) Extend Your Commute

The basic idea with extending your commute is that you change your commute in a way which means you walk further. This could be getting off the bus or train a stop early; it could mean parking a few blocks further from work. It could also mean switching things up entirely and walking to work when you can!

This might sound like a lot of effort, and admittedly some people might not find it practical. But it’s a simple concept that can be tailored to fit other aspects of your life.

For instance, if you’re popping to the shops you could try to walk instead. Spending an extra half hour out with the dog could be great, or walking to the gym instead of driving. You’d be surprised how much of a difference these changes can make!

2) Take A Walk at Lunchtime

If you’re struggling at any other time of the day, lunchtime could be perfect for you to get an extra few hundred steps in. If your lunch break is an hour, and you’re able to prepare food or make it so you’re not spending the whole hour waiting for a delivery, take advantage of the free time!

Set a walking route around your work and time yourself. Try and improve on this, timing yourself once a week. The quicker you go, the more calories you burn! Having this break will also be great for clearing your head and getting the creative juices flowing.

3) Take Calls on the Move

Whether you’re face timing your family or undertaking an important business call, you can get steps in by pacing the whole time. A great pair of headphones helps here; you can pace backwards and forwards wherever you are, spending time moving about where otherwise you would be sedentary.

It’s also a great way to ensure that you don’t get stuck behind your desk at work. With hands free calls via headphones, you can take notes without being attached to your desk.

4) Have Meetings on the Move

Walking meetings are the next big thing. The popularity has increased as more and more office workers are likely to experience aches related to being sedentary. Taking your meetings whilst walking can be a good way for workers to chat whilst getting exercise and fresh air.

Moreover, in the same way that having a standing desk and a treadmill can help you concentrate and focus, a walking meeting might help bring out new ideas. As we explained in our blog, exercise can help you focus and bring out the best in your brain. You’ll all be closer to meeting that 10k step target and can feel more productive for it!

5) Take the Stairs

A commonplace suggestion in this type of list, taking the stairs is a guaranteed way to add steps to your day versus taking a lift or escalator. Ultimately, this one is fairly self-explanatory!

6) Walk A Few Minutes Every Hour

To add an extra few thousand steps to your day without noticing, you can always try this little trick! Getting up and walking around your office at least once an hour for a few minutes will keep you moving with limited extra effort. It’s also a great excuse for getting you away from your desk and giving you a quick break from work!

How Headphones Can Help You Walk 10000 Steps a Day

10000 steps a day
Keep track of your steps with a smart watch, stay motivated with headphones!

A great way to motivate yourself to reach your target step count is by listening to music. This is because of…

  • The Beat: You can walk to the beat of the music, choosing whatever you can keep pace to and encouraging yourself to walk faster if necessary.
  • Timing: You can test how long you’ve been walking for based on how many songs you have listened to.
  • Stopping Boredom: Listening to music keeps you going when you’re feeling bored. You can switch off and immerse yourself, feeling free and not stuck in your own thoughts.
  • ‘Me’ Time: Listening to music is a personal choice; when you walk and listen to music, even if it’s for five minutes, you’re giving yourself some well-deserved personal time away from the busy world around you.
  • Taking Calls: If the idea of taking calls on the move appeals to you, the easiest and most practical way to do so is via headphones.

Our Recommendation

If you’re looking for great headphones for on the move, you should find some with specific features. Most important is portability; you want lightweight headphones that are easy and comfortable to wear. You need to look for cVc 6.0 to 8.0 noise cancellation technology for crisp voice calls, as well as dynamic drivers so it’s easy to hear who you’re talking to.

It’s also worth looking at the playback time. We always recommend a minimum of 14 hours or with a portable charging case, so you don’t have to think twice about charging all day.

If you prefer over ear headphones, SoundSurge 46 might just be for you. Maybe you prefer in-ear True Wireless headphones? BH077 will definitely do the trick.

If you need more information, check out these links:

You can check here to see which headphone type is best for you.

You can read how to choose comfortable headphones here.

Read about five kinds of music to help you focus!

Learn about how to choose noise cancelling headphones!

Rebecca
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Rebecca

Rebecca Lee has a penchant for writing about all things audio-related for TaoTronics. Her editorial endeavors include testing out the latest headphones to write in-depth product reviews that benefit our readers.

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