KEEP ON STEPPING: THE IMPORTANCE OF DAILY WALKS
This past month at Level TEN, the coaches along with the vast majority of our clients set out on a ‘10K steps per day’ habit challenge. Some clients and coaches haven't missed a day while others, myself included, have missed some days here and there, but will likely still end the month with a much higher step average than in prior months.
However, as June is coming to an end, do we just leave the step goal behind us? Do we go back to our regularly scheduled programming of 6k steps per day?
The answer? … NO!
No matter if you hit the goal every day, failed miserably more days than not, or if you didn’t even try the June 10K challenge, I am here to encourage you (and maybe even push you a little) to “Keep On Stepping”!
The importance of steps and general physical activity is often overlooked. Some people think that working out 3-5 days a week is all that matters – that, since steps don’t really result in weight loss like intense cardio, they don’t matter. Or, they think that since our heart rates do not go through the roof while doing house laps (shout out to Coach John), they really aren’t beneficial. However, this is not true!
So, let's talk about the importance of walking…
WHY ARE STEPS SO IMPORTANT?
The next time you consider putting in just a bit more effort to get those extra steps, or the next time you think they don’t matter, consider these five reasons why increasing S.T.E.P.S. on a regular basis is an important part of living a healthy life:
Stress Reduction
40+% of American’s report that they (1) feel more rushed, (2) feel more stressed during work, and (3) feel more stressed outside of work (Robinson, 2016). And trust me, I know correlation does not equal causation, but I also do not think it is completely random that as stress is relatively high in the United States, physical activity is very low with roughly half of Americans meeting the minimum CDC guidelines (CDC Statistics). Fortunately for all of us, but especially for us high-stress individuals, research highlights that chronic physical activity (i.e., walking) results in reduced stress compared to sedentary (i.e., sitting) lifestyles. Research has also shown that the stress-reduction benefits of activity are present even at low levels of physical activity (Schnohr, 2005). While the goal should be to increase steps to 10K a day and even beyond, we know that some increase each day will be better than none for stress reduction! So, Keep On Stepping to reduce that stress!
Thermogenesis
I could write a whole article on thermogenesis but thankfully for me (and you) I don’t have to because Coach Courtney knocked it out of the park . If you have not read her article, do it! And if you have, read it again!
Alright, so now that you have read it a couple times, you realize that NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) is extremely important and usually the largest contributor to total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) that we have direct control over (Rising, 1994). Moreover, as Courtney so eloquently explained, our TDEE is very adaptive to conditions such as calorie restriction so finding ways to increase TDEE is very important for biological processes like metabolism and, ultimately, weight loss. What is an easy, low-intensity way to increase NEAT… increase steps! So, generate that heat, boost your NEAT, and Keep On Stepping for weight loss goals!
Image Caption: NEAT is the largest contributor to non-resting energy expenditure and can be increased by simply just walking more.
Executive Function Improvement
Executive functions are our higher-ordered cognitive processes. These functions are heavily involved in decision-making, planning, and inhibitory control to name a few. So when we think about health and healthy behaviors, it is easy to see how things like inhibiting bad decisions, making healthy choices, and even planning our meals or workouts contribute directly to our success or lack thereof. And although you may have never thought of these choices and behaviors as cognitive abilities, they absolutely are! So, how can we improve these cognitive abilities? Research has shown repeatedly that individuals who participate in regular physical activity have improved executive function compared to individuals who are less active (Eggermont, 2009). Moreover, healthy behaviors and choices are often mediated by physical activity (i.e., active people make healthier choices). And if all that is not motivation enough to get out and move, the relationship between physical activity and cognitive abilities is bidirectional meaning that as physical activity declines, executive function declines, which then results in further declines in physical activity. So, avoid this slippery slope, keep your mind sharp, and Keep On Stepping!
Postprandial Glucose Control
Your postprandial glucose is a measure of your blood sugar after a meal and it is indicative of how well your body regulates blood sugar overall. How our bodies handle blood sugar is an important indicator of risk for developing several chronic diseases, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Healthy individuals generally have some elevation of glucose levels following a meal, but their normal metabolic processes are able to keep elevation controlled. However, someone who is less metabolically flexible has poorer glucose control and blood sugars will rise higher and remain elevated longer following a meal. This response increases the risk of chronic disease and even predicts earlier mortality. So what can we do…. (Say it with me again) Keep On Stepping! With my clients, not only do I encourage steps and daily walks, but I am also a big fan of post-meal walks, if possible, for this very reason. Research has shown that, when we walk after a meal, our bodies are able to more efficiently extract excess blood sugar from the proceeding meal (Hostmark, 2016). In other words, physical activity and walking can decrease post-meal glucose levels. Walks as short as 15-minutes result in better post-meal glucose control compared to individuals who just eat and then remain sedentary. However, if you want the most bang for your buck, a nice easy 40-minute stroll after dinner might just be that much better (Nygaard, 2009)! So, to improve glucose control, go for that after dinner stroll!
Image Caption: Walking after dinner significantly reduced postprandial glucose response. Additionally, walking 40 minutes compared to 15 minutes after a meal had an even great effect on glucose control.
Sleep Quality Improvements
I have often said when it comes to both health and physique goals, sleep is the first to go and the last to be considered. However, it might be one of the most important aspects of our health journey, so we need to work on finding ways to improve both the amount and quality of sleep. And although sleep research is much newer compared to research surrounding training, nutrition, and even supplements, there are some real promising findings on the importance of activity for optimal sleep. Currently, research supports that prolonged sedentary and reduced physical activity increases risk of insomnia and sleep disturbances (Yang, 2017). Conversely, individuals who started participating in regular activity reported they had an easier time falling asleep, staying asleep, and overall experienced better sleep quality. So, Keep On Stepping to catch some Z’s and improve your overall health!
Image Caption: Men and women who did not meet physical activity guidelines reported significantly more symptoms related to insomnia compared to those who met physical activity guidelines.
SO LET'S RECAP…
Walking is associated with stress reduction, improved metabolism and weight control, enhanced brain function, better glucose control, and optimal sleep quality.
Benefits often follow a dose-response relationship – that is, the more you walk, the more benefits you get!
And, if nothing else, just remember:
Sit Less.
Move More.
Some activity is always better than none.
And no matter what, keep on stepping!
References:
Eggermont, L. H., Milberg, W. P., Lipsitz, L. A., Scherder, E. J., & Leveille, S. G. (2009). Physical activity and executive function in aging: the MOBILIZE Boston Study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 57(10), 1750-1756.
Høstmark, A. T., Ekeland, G. S., Beckstrøm, A. C., & Meen, H. D. (2006). Postprandial light physical activity blunts the blood glucose increase. Preventive medicine, 42(5), 369-371.
Nygaard, H., Tomten, S. E., & Høstmark, A. T. (2009). Slow postmeal walking reduces postprandial glycemia in middle-aged women. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism, 34(6), 1087-1092.
Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 2008-2018 (cdc.gov)
Rising, R., Harper, I. T., Fontvielle, A. M., Ferraro, R. T., Spraul, M., & Ravussin, E. (1994). Determinants of total daily energy expenditure: variability in physical activity. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 59(4), 800-804.
Robinson, J. P., & Tracy, E. (2016). a less stressed, less harried—and slightly happier—america. Contexts, 15(2), 74-76.
Schnohr, P., Kristensen, T. S., Prescott, E., & Scharling, H. (2005). Stress and life dissatisfaction are inversely associated with jogging and other types of physical activity in leisure time—The Copenhagen City Heart Study. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 15(2), 107-112.
Yang, Y., Shin, J. C., Li, D., & An, R. (2017). Sedentary behavior and sleep problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 24(4), 481-492.
WITH GOOD VIBES - COACH BRAD