Is 10,000 steps recommended regardless of age.

[ArleneAri]

Is 10,000 steps recommended regardless of age?  I am 84 and wondering if the number of steps I should be doing is also 10,000?  Is 10,000 steps about 5 miles?

[WendyB]

Yes its about 5 miles

10k is a recomemdation. If you cant then dont. Many people can not.

But if you plan to start slow and build up slowly. Dont go out and just do 10k build up

[ArleneAri]

I REALIZE THAT IT IS JUST A RECOMMENDATION BUT TO ME IT DOESN'T MAKE
SENSE THAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS THE SAME FOR A 2O YEAR OLD AND A MUCH
OLDER PERSON.

[WendyB]

Really no reason to yell. CAPS.

Please do what you can and don't worry about recomrndations. That's all it is

And please don't yell at people who are just trying to help. 

Have a great day 

[Baltoscott]

@ArleneAri L- you can change the 10k step goal to something that is more appropriate for you.  Here is an article that will help you set goals.  My recommendation would be to look at your average steps for last week, and then set a goal that is about 20% higher than that.  

10K may sound like a big deal if you think in terms of getting it done all at once, but if you get up and move 10 minutes or so every hour you may be surprised how quickly the steps add up and how easy it is to “up your game” by 20% from whatever you are doing now.

[J-flex]

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@WendyB wrote:

Really no reason to yell. CAPS.

Please do what you can and don't worry about recomrndations. That's all it is

And please don't yell at people who are just trying to help. 

Have a great day 

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With all due respect this poster may Not have been aware they were using their caps.

[SunsetRunner]

Just do whatever you are comfortable with

have you seen some of the youths nowadays?

[WendyB]

Of course @J-flex what ever you say

[TeresaRae]

RE: CAPS

I think this woman said she was 84.

Sometimes older people find all CAPS easier to read.

My mother types eveything in all caps just so she can see it better...

she doesn't know anything about it being connected to "yelling".

[J-flex]

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@TeresaRae wrote:

RE: CAPS

I think this woman said she was 84.

Sometimes older people find all CAPS easier to read.

My mother types eveything in all caps just so she can see it better...

she doesn't know anything about it being connected to "yelling".

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I agree and the response given was harsh and unwarranted.

[ArleneAri]

  Thank you for explaining.  Some of those who  previously responded
were inconsiderate and angry wthout cause. I am 84 but fortunately my
eyesight is still good.  I was unaware that typing in capital letters
had any significance and I am quite sure that there are a lot of people
regardless of their age who  are unaware of what some people designate
the meaning of being angry when typing in caps.  As to my original
question I was just wondering why 10,000 steps was a general goal
without regards to age.  I know that I can set my own goal and I do.

[Junoberries]

staying fit is a difficult thing, 10k seems to be the magic number for most but. like the others have said not everyone can do it. try setting your goal from a low end goal and increasing that goal gradually over time will help. 

[GershonSurge]

@ArleneAri

Many scientific studies limit themselves to ages 30-65 as this is when most degenerative diseases show up. The original 10,000 step program was started in Japan in the '60's. Unfortunately, I can't find the study online anymore. There was a sharp division between those who got 9,800 steps a day  in their health.

Keep in mind, this study was done during a time when it was believed exercise was the key to avoiding degenerative diseases and diet wasn't considered. The studies were updated in the '90's and early 2000's and are outlined in the book "Get Up! Your Chair is Killing you." In my opinion, it goes way overboard in what a person can or even should do.

The others have given you great advice about starting where you are and progressing slowly. I'll add another piece of advice. 

I'm 65 with no significant aches and pains. My right knee is currently bothering me a bit because of overuse. As we age, we forget how to do things because we haven't done them in a while. For instance, can you get up off the floor without help from putting your hand on a table, chair or something? It's not so much a matter of strength as it is in remembering how. I'm not talking about forgetfulness due to age. I mean forgetfulness like not remembering how to throw a ball well. You may have lost the ability to reach things on the top shelves in the kitchen. My sister is 70 and 5'3" and put everything on the middle and lower shelves so she wouldn't have to reach. She discovered she could no longer reach the top shelves and got it back through practice.

Dr. Ken Cooper, the person who started the old Aerobics programs, now says we should include about 100 minus our age percent of exercise time in strength training. It doesn't have to be fancy and can be done with extremely light weights. Even a can of soup will do. I've found you only need to do about eight reps using an easy weight to improve flexibility. Move slowly so you don't quickly move into a position that causes pain.

I get most of my exercise doing chores around the house. I move slowly as I found it gives as much or more benefit as walking more quickly. It has to do with a nuance in energy needs where it takes about the same energy to walk at two miles per hour as at about five miles per hour. Feel free to shuffle. Just realize the Fitbit may not count your steps. No problem. Focus on calories burned instead and try to improve that or at least slow the decline. Declines should be gradual until about the last month before death. At your age, you may still have quite a bit of improvement left from your current state before a gradual decline starts.

Hope this helps. 

[WendyB]

@ArleneAri Im  sorry i was really not trying to be rude.