In the last 3 years, I’ve walked 16 million steps.
In the fitness world, trends come and go.
We’ve seen the rise of Orangetheory, CrossFit, Pilates, F45, bodybuilding, and now running—all with their own dedicated followings.
However, one form of exercise has stood the test of time and will outlast these trends.
You may have heard of it before.
It is called walking.
It’s as simple as standing up and moving your legs in a forward motion. And it is life-changing.
The Decline of Walking in Modern Lifestyles
Despite its simplicity, many of us don’t walk as much as we should, a stark contrast to our often more active ancestors.
Modern lifestyles contribute significantly to this decline.
In the USA, for instance, the lack of walkable cities and the prevalence of car-centric commutes, sedentary jobs, and evenings spent on the couch lead to inactivity.
I can talk at length about the “suburb problem”— most places of living are not walkable at all.
But even in cities, we still drive to work, sit in front of a computer, and waste our evenings on the couch, making us inactive.
Research shows that physical inactivity isn’t just about not exercising; it’s about not being active throughout the day altogether.
This inactivity correlates with a rise in chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
To counter this, I’ve made walking a priority, amassing over 16 million steps in three years while navigating a busy career and medical school.
Here’s how walking changed my life.
The 10,000 Steps Myth
We’ve all heard the recommendation to get 10,000 steps a day, but this number isn’t scientifically grounded; it just sounds good.
10,000 is a nice round number.
There really isn’t a source for this.
Some studies indicate that the longevity benefits of walking taper off around 8,000 steps per day.
This means that up to 8,000 steps per day, you will have benefits in longevity and life quality, but after 8,000 it doesn’t really matter.
Nonetheless, I aim for 10,000 steps for the added challenge.
I’m not one to settle; striving for that extra step keeps me motivated.
Time Management and Habit Formation
Time is limited, so the habits we integrate into our daily routines are crucial.
Most people don’t actively choose their habits, leading to lives they didn’t intentionally design.
Habits, both physical and mental, shape our futures.
For example, endlessly scrolling on your phone shortens your attention span and hinders focus on meaningful activities like building a business, getting to the gym, studying, or staying engaged in conversations with family.
Our minds become programmed by our environment.
It is filled with memes, the latest Tiktok dance, and political news designed to make you feel angry.
Your mind becomes scattered with things that don’t really matter.
To solve your problems, reclaim your focus and establish impactful habits. Your habits create your life.
Walking as a High-Leverage Habit
Walking improves your health, wealth, and happiness.
- Walking as Meditation: To be completely transparent, I was always skeptical of meditation. No way I was going to sit down and think about nothing like a bunch of hippies. But I realized meditation is about freeing your mind and being present. It is about reducing your attachment to thoughts. Walking can serve as a form of moving meditation, helping to clear the mind and reduce stress. The truth is, most of us create problems with our minds, and we create our own state of suffering. Walking taught me the value of being present and letting go of past stresses and future worries.
- Walking for Health: Walking increases calorie expenditure and is a sustainable habit for weight loss. It also provides sunlight, reducing exposure to harmful blue light and improving overall health. Andrew Huberman recommends morning sunlight exposure, and I’ve found that walking outside greatly benefits my physical and mental well-being.
- Walking for Creativity: Walking boosts creativity. I use walks to listen to audiobooks, read, jot down ideas, solve problems, and relieve stress. It’s a crucial part of my writing and creative process. Some of my best ideas and problem-solving moments happen during my walks.
Overcoming the Challenges of Inactivity
So how do we get walking?
As I mentioned, living in the suburbs and working desk jobs can make it hard to stay active.
However, incidental exercise—small bursts of activity throughout the day—can help.
Simple decisions like taking the stairs, walking instead of driving, and parking farther away add up.
Tracking your steps with a health app, smartwatch, or smart ring can help you stay on track.
And I get it, sometimes these can be a little inaccurate, like if you shake someone’s hand it might count as a step.
But still, it’s eye-opening to realize how easy it is to be sedentary.
With walking, it’s important to have a plan especially if you have a target amount of steps.
You don’t want it to be 9 pm before bed and realize you have thousands of steps to do or else you’ll ruin your streak.
So I’ve had some breakthroughs on getting some extra activity in. Integrate walking into your routine by:
- Walking during work. I often set walks where I take routine meetings or phone calls. Sometimes I set a walk where I only reply to coaching client messages for the walk. Getting some sunshine and doing it outside is better than just sitting inside at home.
- Going for coffee walks with friends or family. Talking to people during walks, like planning with my wife Abby or catching up with my parents, makes the experience enjoyable and productive as well.
- Using walks to brainstorm or work on projects. Sometimes I will set goals where I cannot finish my walk until I’ve thought of 5 new content ideas, generated 3 scripts, or written several tweets.
- Get a dog. A big one. Two of them. Big dogs love the outdoors. The existential crisis of realizing I’m the only person that my dogs have to introduce to new experiences (and scents) springs me into motion.
Integration Into Your Lifestyle
Lately, as I’ve made walking a more ingrained habit, I started slowing down and enjoying my walks, listening to podcasts/audiobooks, listening to ambient noise, and exploring new trails.
This shift led to increased exercise, more calories burned, and overall better health.
On average, I hit around 13,000 steps per day in the summer.
As a result, my weight has steadily dropped a few lbs and I feel healthier and more energized.
Today has been one of the easiest days yet, surpassing 10,000 steps effortlessly through household chores.
Natural movement like chores, errands, and gym sessions adds up quickly.
However, some days are still challenging. Sometimes, I have to walk after dinner to meet my step goals.
So I’ve managed to turn walking into an enjoyable habit by gamifying it.
I’ve found that the addictive elements of games – clear goals, immediate feedback, focused attention, and skill-appropriate challenges – can be applied to walking to create a flow state of clarity and progress.
Here’s the four-step process I’ve developed to turn walking into a game-like experience:
- Clarify Your Walking Purpose: I can’t stress enough how important it is to align walking with your ideal lifestyle. Take some time to think deeply about how walking can revolutionize your life. Could it help you quit a bad habit? Boost your creativity? Improve your physical health? Enhance your mental well-being? I encourage you to list out what you’re dissatisfied with in your life now, and what you want to achieve in a year. Then, consider how daily walking can help bridge that gap.
- Set and Break Down Daily Goals: In my experience, conscious goal-setting is crucial in shaping behavior. I recommend starting with an attainable daily step goal, like 10,000 steps, but adjust this based on what works for you. Break this larger goal into smaller, manageable sub-goals. Maybe you’ll do multiple shorter walks throughout the day, or walk to specific landmarks.
- Establish Walking Rules: To keep yourself focused and engaged, create rules for each walk. I’ve found this really helps combat mental resistance and excuses. You could generate ideas from audiobooks, get some sun exposure, alternate between walking meditation and learning, or complete certain tasks while walking.
- Initiate the Walk and Use Triggers: I’ve found that starting the walk is often the biggest hurdle. If you’re trying to quit a habit, use cravings as a trigger to initiate walks. If you don’t have clear triggers, try breaking down the process into extremely small, low-friction actions – even as simple as standing up or moving a foot. This can help overcome initial resistance.
I’ve been using this approach for three years now, and it’s made a significant impact on my health, weight management, and creative output.
I no longer worry about being overweight or unhealthy, and I find I can generate creative ideas for my businesses faster than most people.
Remember, you can walk even if you don’t feel like it.
Don’t let excuses about the weather or your environment hold you back.
By reframing walking as a game and clearly defining its purpose, you can transform it from a mundane task into an enjoyable, beneficial habit that can significantly impact various aspects of your life.
Give it a try – you might be surprised at how much it can change your life, just as it has mine.
Sustainable Walking Goals
Moving forward, I will aim to maintain a minimum of 8,000 steps per day, but a weekly average of 10,000, continuing to incorporate walking into my daily life without rushing through it.
Walking has made a significant positive impact on my well-being, and I encourage others to integrate it into their routines.
The journey has taught me to slow down and savor each step.
With that said, I am looking for 5 more busy professionals looking to optimize their life. My goal is not to add things to your routine, but to optimize the things you’re doing just so you can see a better return on the time and effort you are putting in. We will focus on the 4 pillars of movement, nutrition, stress, and sleep. If this is you, feel free to click the link below to apply!
Best regards
Dr. CP.