These days, everything seems a trend, from the food we eat to the clothes we wear to applying makeup. Is the new craze (well, not that new) for everyone to walk at least 10 000 steps a day just another fad and a marketing scheme to push wearable technology?
…Not really. Of course, money is to be made from the big companies creating these wearables, but that’s not something limited to gadgets for fitness tracking. The question when buying anything is “what is the true value of the item I am buying?”. And when we talk about value, we speak in terms of “what is the purpose of what I am buying?” and “how does it enhance my life?”. These questions, of course, should be thoroughly inspected when it comes to more expensive items such as wearable technology because really – “how does it enhance one’s life?” The answer to the question is closely related to all the fuss about 10 000 steps.
Where did the 10 000 step craze start?
The 10,000 steps a day is owed to a Japanese company who started selling pedometers in the 1960s. These pedometers were called manpo-kei, literally meaning “10-000-step meter”. Lower blood pressure, balanced moods and stable glucose levels, were some of the changes found in people undertaking these 10 000 steps. And so more people started looking into buying a pedometer to ensure they cover 10 000 steps a day.
Quieting the critics
Many people question the 10 000-steps-a-day routine and the wearable technology that comes with it due to its inability to accurately cover the other non-walking activities such as swimming or lifting weights. And of course, with everything, there will be critics. But the true value of wearable technology and walking 10 000 steps a day go further than the little nitty gritty misses critics and fitness fanatics find.
Instead, the true value is found in the actual re-instating of intangible values such as discipline, self-motivation and self-awareness. This is especially true for those who spend most of their time in front of a computer, at a desk and have an inactive job. And needless to say, when activity is encouraged, such as walking 10 000 steps a day, a huge lifestyle change is made in both mental and physical health.
Some health benefits of walking have been linked to:
- boosting the immune system
- relieving joint pain
- decreasing the likelihood of breast cancer
- curbing sugary snack cravings
- counteracting weight promoting genes.
Apart from physical benefits, walking improves mental health. American Health released an article by Janice Neumann (Reuters Health), where studies suggest walking relieves depression.
“Women who averaged 150 minutes of moderate exercise (golf, tennis, aerobics classes, swimming, or line-dancing) or 200 minutes of walking every week had more energy, socialized more, felt better emotionally, and weren’t as limited by their depression when researchers followed up after three years.”
Wearable technology indirectly interrupts daily inactivity and helps lower carbon footprint.
Investing in a fitness tracker means you are investing in more than just a successful career – which if thought about carefully – is completely reliant on taking care of your overall physical and mental health. Fitness trackers, not only help create awareness of how little or how much you move during the day, but with the smart reminders included, it interrupts the inactivity of a normal nine-to-five job.
Funnily enough, with the increased use of fitness trackers and wearable technology motivating people to walk instead of drive, the earth is benefiting hugely as humanity’s carbon footprint decreases. So, besides our personal gain, there is a more universal gain as we find technology second-handedly encouraging sustainable living. Not only as a by-product but as a focal point for apps and future wearables.
Now, you know what’s the fuss…
