Experts Reveal the Exact Number of Daily Steps You Actually Need to Walk for Weight Loss (and No, It's Not 10K)
Like most of us, I thought that I was in pretty good shape. At 36, I wasn't in bad shape, although deep down I knew I could do more. Earlier this year, I'd embarked upon a regimen of 100 pushups a day. I quickly saw results, but with my freelance work routine leaving me mostly desk-bound (or sofa-bound, if I'm being honest), I had noticed a few mechanical issues creeping in. From tight hips to a painful lower back, I just wasn't feeling or moving as well as I liked.
I knew walking would help, and that 10,000 steps a day was considered the gold standard for not only releasing aches and pains, but also losing weight and building healthy habits. The problem was that, well, that sounds like quite a lot of walking, doesn't it?
The solution came last December with a new study, published in The Lancet, claiming that as few as 7,000 seps per day might offer the same benefits. The authors concluded that 7,000 steps per day was associated with a 47 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality, a 25 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and a 37 percent lower risk of cancer mortality. In other words, walking might just be the new super drug for your health.
This I could do, and so my own 7,000-step challenge was born.
How Walking Reverses the Damage of Sitting All Day
There's a reason we all feel better after a nice walk. In addition to helping you live longer, walking is fantastic for us in almost every way. Plus, because it's low-impact, walking might just be the easiest way into zone 2 fitness, too.
"Physiologically, walking is a whole body activity," Professor Brian Carson, exercise physiologist at the University of Limerick, in Ireland, tells me. "When we walk, we use our muscles to propel us, increasing the metabolic demands placed on our muscles, and helping us to become fitter."
Not to mention, it's great for our mental health. A 2014 Stanford University study found that walking skyrockets creative thinking, with an 81 percent increase in creativity over simply sitting at your desk and refreshing your inbox.
Not only that, but walking actually helps our brains grow. A 2011 study of 120 older adults found that regular walking increased the size of the hippocampus.
"Walking is like fertiliser for your brain, helping brain cells to grow, strengthen and communicate more effectively with each other," says Abigail Ireland, peak performance strategist at Understanding Performance.
In my case, Ireland also said that regular walking will help me sort out my painful and tight glutes, lower back, and hips. For me, that would be the real victory.
"Humans aren't designed to sit all day," she says, explaining that prolonged sitting is linked to poorer metabolic health, higher cardiovascular risk, and reduced mobility over time. "Simply getting up and moving is one of the easiest ways to counteract this, as walking stimulates circulation, supports heart health, regulates blood sugar levels, and reactivates the muscle groups that lie dormant during a sedentary day," she says. "Even stepping away from the desk and taking a break from screens for a short period of time can refresh alertness and provide a much-needed mental reset."
Challenge accepted.
Why Fitness Researchers Say 7,000 Steps Is the True Longevity Sweet Spot
It's clear from Ireland and Caron's comments that any time spent walking is beneficial. But surely the more we do, the better it is for us? Is 10,000 steps really the gold standard, or, as the new data suggests, can we get similar benefits with less exertion?
"The 10,000 steps/day goal began in the 1960's," explains Professor Amanda Paluch, co-author of a 2021 study which first suggested 7,000 steps might be the sweet spot. She and her two colleagues found that hitting 7k a day might actually lower the risk of death by a massive 50 percent in middle-aged adults.
It's huge news, and I'm a little surprised that, five years after Paluch's study, and 60 years on from the origins of the 10,000 steps goal, it's still this that we're all aiming for, despite the benefits beginning much sooner.
"This 10,000 steps number actually comes from a Japanese step counting device," Paluch laughs, adding that the original suggestion isn't actually supported with scientific evidence.
In reality, the idea that we all need to hit 10k a day is little more than marketing for an Asian pedometer rather than actual benefits…
"In the world of fitness, we tend to favour harder and more intense exercises," says Chase Tucker, a YouTuber who teaches the benefits of going walkabout in his native Australia to over a quarter of a million subscribers. For Tucker, walking is all about balance, not arbitrary goals. "I'm a big fan of the philosophy ‘Do less than you can more often than you want to,'" he says. "I think there's far more benefit in walking 7k steps every day as opposed to leaving it all for one long weekend hike."
Related: Trainer Shares a Simple Walking Routine to Boost Heart Health and Longevity for Men Over 60
How My Body Responded to 7K Steps
A month into my 7k a day journey, I have to say I agree with Tucker. My hips feel looser, I can now touch my toes without bending my knees, and I don't seem to creak quite as much when I get out of bed. More importantly, it feels like my posture has improved, and I have less back and neck pain as a result. Having a daily target has helped me stick to my goals, and alongside my pushups, going for a walk offers a nice break from work. It's also pushed me to walk further, exploring new coffee shops and local parks. My dog has never been happier.
Whether I'm going to be able to keep this up long term (or when the weather turns) is another question. Luckily, Paluch suggests that the benefits of walking could start at around 4,000 to 5,000 steps-half of what we'd previously considered the minimum for health. This means that even on super busy days, I'll know I'm getting at least some benefits in, even if I don't hit the full 7k.
As for hitting 10,000 steps plus, (thankfully) Paluch suggests it might be overkill. "In our 2021 study and a follow-up study, we found that, for young to middle-aged adults, the lower risk of death levelled off around 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day," she says. "Beyond that level, we didn't find much additional benefit."
All of which raises the question of ‘Do I even need to count steps at all?' Ireland thinks that while the 10k aim is probably more useful for getting novices moving, having a goal (whatever that might be) is still a good way of keeping us active. "Neither 10,000 nor 7,000 steps is a magic number, but it is great to have a daily target as it can provide an accessible and motivating benchmark," she says.
Personally, I've found tracking my steps a huge motivational boost. On days when I feel I've been desk-bound and lazy, I've still gone to bed pleasantly surprised to find that by getting up and stretching my legs a bit more often, I've managed to reach my target. And, while I haven't stepped on the scales, my clothes feel looser in the right places, too.
How to Turn Your Daily Walk Into a Full-Body Strength Workout
I've come to appreciate walking as a brilliant foundation for health, and one that requires no gym equipment. But, while I've felt more active and happier, during my experiment, Ireland says we shouldn't only rely on walking as our primary form of movement.
"We also need to consider other movement patterns that the body needs," she says, adding that we should think about "the three Ss:" Strength, Stamina, and Suppleness. "Walking supports stamina and cardiovascular health, but we also need strength training to build and maintain muscle mass, support bone density, and improve long-term resilience, while flexibility is vital for maintaining range of motion."
There are ways to make walking a more complete workout. Ireland suggests upping the ante by increasing pace, adding hills, varying terrain, or rucking (walking with a weighted backpack). But for optimal physical performance and longevity, Ireland says nothing beats combining walking with strength training at least a few times per week. What might this look like? If you can, walk to your local gym instead of taking the bus. Or consider checking out the calisthenics equipment in that nearby park. Working out with a friend? Tag-team sets of Farmer's Walks in between bench sets.
All of this and more can help you build the habit. And really, that's what it's all about. Whether you're walking 7,000 steps a day, running 100 miles per month, or sticking to a four-day weekly gym programme, the true key to health and wellness isn't following the latest trends, but discovering movement patterns that appeal to you and that you enjoy long-term. Setting a daily walking target might just be the first step on your journey. At the very least, your tight legs will thank you.
Related: The Walking Trick That Burns Calories Like Running-Without the Joint Pain
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 10:12 AM.