Steps That Really Keep the Pounds Away

Walking is good for health, but how many steps a day do you really need to keep the weight off? A recent study shows that 8, 500 steps a day is enough to stay lean after dieting. The idea of walking ten thousand steps came from a 1960s ad in Japan, not science. Researchers looked at people who lost weight and then tried to keep it off. One group followed a plan that added more walking to their daily routine; the other did nothing special. Both groups started out with about 7, 200 steps each day and were at the same weight. The walking group increased to 8, 454 steps while losing an average of 4. 4% of their body weight over eight months.When the diet stopped, they kept walking around 8, 241 steps a day and held most of the weight off. The control group never changed their step count and didn’t lose any weight. So, more steps help maintain the loss, but they don’t guarantee extra pounds shed. Other things matter too: a calorie deficit and strength training help burn more energy. Adding muscle can boost the number of calories you burn while walking. Overall, putting extra steps into your day is a simple way to keep weight loss stable. Walking is easy and can be paired with other exercises for best results.