The Rule of 10,000

Many of us have heard about the "Rule of 10,000".  It refers to the fact that studies have shown 10,000 hours of study is needed to "master" a skill.  However, let me tell you about another such "Rule of 10,000".
I call this one "The Rule of 10,000 Steps."

Two weeks ago, my acupuncture doctor, Edward Obaidey Sensei, who is fantastic by the way, suggested getting a pedometer and walking at least 10,000 steps every day.  He said that this low impact exercise could contribute to my overall health goals, and do so without risking damage to my knees or other "runner injuries", which he sees plenty of at his clinic.  I went out and bought a counter right away to give it a try.

I have found that carrying the counter in my pocket raises my awareness of how much I walk.  I walk a bit more than before in order to be sure to hit my 10k mark every day and have a much better sense of distance than I used to.  In the first few days I averaged between 5k and 8k, but now I hit at least 10k daily, and often more than 12k on a busy day. 10,000 steps usually equates to just over 7 km of walking distance, and seems to consume about 650 KCal of energy.  While this is surely not the equivalent of an hour at Crossfit, it is a habit that has been pretty easy to set and maintain, and I feel better for it.

I am a very big believer in setting in motion small, simple positive habits that can have a lasting effect on the quality of life.  I truly think this "rule of 10,000 steps" is a great place to start.  I will update more as I continue to count my way to a healthier life - one step at a time.