Taking One Step at a Time: Increasing Daily Step Count with an Energy-Limiting Illness
I returned to walking 10,000 steps daily after a break; here's my sustainable method for achieving this goal.
If you're not quite 60, you may want to aim for a daily step count of around 8,000 to 10,000 steps to experience the numerous benefits of walking, such as enhanced joint health, better mental health, and a boosted metabolism.
Based on a CDC-funded meta-analysis published in 2022, this daily stride targets provide a range of perks for adult walkers. But, alas, life sometimes throws a curveball. A year ago, I was confronted with an energy-limiting illness, which meant that some days, simply lifting my head felt like a challenge, let alone tackling a substantial walk.
My scale teetered as I indulged in the lack of physical activity, my stamina dwindled, and my mental health faltered. Even though my health has improved, and my capacity has slowly increased, I've been hesitant to push my step count beyond 6,000 steps a day, for fear of aggravating my symptoms.
However, I genuinely appreciate walking – it's a fantastic opportunity to spend quality time with my furry companion and explore the beauty of my neighborhood.
Interestingly, several walking experts I've had the privilege of interviewing have emphasized that the principle of progressive overload – which involves gradually increasing the physical challenge of weight lifting to build strength safely – also applies to walking.
This means that instead of striving for rapid gains, it's essential to make incremental improvements to your daily step count, ideally increasing activity by no more than 5% to 10% each week.
Give Yourself Time to Progress
Resolution in my heart, I sought to recalibrate my daily step count and work my way back up to the golden 10,000 steps. Here's the plan I plotted out, week by week:
- Week 1: 6,600 steps a day
- Week 2: 7,200 steps a day
- Week 3: 7,900 steps a day
- Week 4: 8,700 steps a day
- Week 5: 9,600 steps a day
- Week 6: 10,400 steps a day
Although battling an energy-limiting illness, I managed to stick to this plan with minimal deviations, missing no more than a day here and there. I ensured that I paid close attention to my body's needs – the Visible Health app is a tremendous aid in that regard – and took time off when necessary. Surprisingly, this regimen proved achievable.
Initially, I had to take rests after the lengthier walks, so instead of lengthening my daily outings, I added an additional outing to boost my total steps for the day. At first, these extra steps were covered by a 5-minute walk to the store and back or a jaunt around the block with my dog, but as the incremental increases grew larger, I added a walk after work, gradually extending the distance each week until I was clocking an extra 4,000 steps daily.
Nowadays, I make it a point to embark on a 15-minute stroll as dawn breaks and again as dusk falls, in addition to a longer walk in the middle of the day. I notice that the increases in weeks four, five, and six were significant but still manageable. I found that I slept more soundly and deeply at night, but the rest was revitalizing enough to tackle the next day with enthusiasm.
My spirits lifted dramatically as I spent more time outdoors, immersed in the wonders of nature. Instead of hurriedly rushing through dog walks for a chance to sit down again, I took the opportunity to slow my pace, taking the time to observe the changing seasons, marvel at the antics of insects and birds, and appreciate the joys of my loyal canine companion.
I paid close heed to my body's signals throughout this journey, which helped improve my self-awareness and anchored me more firmly in myself.
Engaging in progressive overload not only applies to fitness when lifting weights but also in walking, where gradually increasing one's daily step count is crucial. So, I started working my way back up to the 10,000 steps suggested for enhanced mental health, but with caution due to my energy-limiting illness. To achieve this goal, I carefully planned incremental increases, incorporating yoga and mindfulness practices to support my mental health during this fitness-and-exercise challenge.
