The easiest way to get 10,000 steps a day – get a dog

The Easiest Way to get

10,000 Steps a Day

Get a Dog!

I was struggling to reach 10,000 steps a day.
But after we adopted our dog, Biscuit and I easily now get beyond 15,000.

By Gary | January 22, 2019

My friends and I recently made ourselves a really fun and realistic fitness goal. We would like to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. Sounds easy, right? Now that I own a dog, it’s a snap, because we go out for walks all the time. Other days (especially during football season) – I spend more time on the couch and I barely even reach half of my goal. Let’s just say – without my dog – walking 10,000 steps would be a hard task for me to achieve.

Why 10,000 steps? Where does this number come from?

The history of 10,000 steps dates back to the 1964 Olympics in Japan, says Catrine Tudor-Locke, a professor and walking behavior researcher at UMass Amherst. Back then, pedometers were new and just starting to get popular. One of these Japanese pedometer companies invented a pedometer called a manpo-kei, which means 10,000 step meter. It was a catchy name and great marketing gimmick – and this is where the phrase “Take 10,000 steps” came from.

First and favorite way to reach 10,000 steps – Get a dog

Getting a dog is really good for the soul, and consequently really good for your health. Studies show that dog owners walk way more more often than people who don’t have dogs. My retired neighbor just recently got a french bulldog puppy. She’s now walking her dog every day, whereas before, she hardly got out of the house. I don’t think she is reaching 10,000 steps yet, but she is getting outside more often and she feels happy about it. She tells me that her new dog has brought her so much happiness, and she can’t wait to go out for walks again.

Second favorite way to reach 10,000 steps a day –
Ask a friend to join you on your quest

Finding a walking buddy is kind of like having a workout buddy, but without the gym fees.

Our dogs inspire us to walk more

Let me give you an example of what my dog does for me every day. On the weekends, my dog and I will walk to my favorite restaurant to eat some breakfast. This restaurant is about a half a mile away. And the reason why I am walking, instead of driving, is because of my dog.

And every day – my dog helps me leave my car in the garage, because it is so much more fun taking a walk with him.