Simply “walking” is a good starting point!

Humans are built to walk.  As in on two legs, bipedal in an upright position.

It is, in fact, according to some National Geographic and Discovery Channel and NPR documentaries that I’ve watched recently the one of very things that makes us human and makes us a distinct species and different from our nearest cousins the Chimpanzee and the Bonobo.

So, when I got a text from one of the several “send me fitness tips” places about “walking and setting step goals” — I burst out laughing!  Literally!  LAUGHED – OUT – LOUD

AFTER I calmed down and wiped the tears from my eyes, I thought two things:

1. These people need get out from behind their computer screens and look at the real world and…
2. This would be a great “Tony’s Tip” post!

Here is the quote that set me off:

A good step goal is 10,000 steps per day.  For weight loss work up to 12,00-15,000 steps per day.

GWAUF!  BWHAhahahahahahaha  LOL! 

Yeh, right.  Folks, after reading that, NOT so helpful tip, I did a poor-man’s research study as in “Google search.”

Right at the top of the search results,  I found this tidbit from a column I trust, in the New York Times”:

“A person is typically considered sedentary if they take less than 5,000 steps per day.” The study also showed that American men, with an average daily step count of 5,340, are moving more than women, who averaged only 4,912 steps a day.”

And, no, I will NOT tell you what my step count is right now.  We’ll simply say that it is below 5,000 steps.  SIGH

SO… the idea of setting a goal of “10,000 steps, Sweet Baby Jesus Help Me, (Tonya, that was just for you – GRIN) OR worse, Read the rest of this entry →