Apparently less is more when it comes to walking according to a new study out of Harvard Medical School.
From the New York Post:
The study, published in the Journal of American Medical Association Internal Medicine, says that notching only half of that 10,000 number is linked to a decreased risk for early deaths in older women. And the benefits might even flatten out after about 7,500 steps, making those extra 2,500 paces futile.
Researchers found that women who averaged about 4,400 steps a day had significantly lower mortality rates than those who took only about half as many daily steps. The most active group — those who reached 7,500 or beyond — had a decreased mortality rate, but no added benefit came with hitting the 10,000 mark.
I'm definitely not one to complain about having to do less work, I don't know how many times my own mother has told me "something is better than nothing" and now there's a study that backs that up! But she probably knew that didn't she.
In any case, I view this as a feel good story. Don't get hung up on a number, just do your best and the rest will follow.