“Aiming for 10,000 steps is a myth”—a walking coach reveals how many daily steps she recommends taking and offers tips on how to get there

Two women walk along a paved path outside, laughing and holding water bottles. Behind them we see leafy trees and lamposts.

You might already be familiar with the 10,000 steps standard. In the past, it was touted as a daily goal to aim for—but the number doesn’t originate from a recognized health authority.

“It actually comes from a 1965 marketing campaign by a Japanese company selling pedometers called ‘manpo-kei’, which translates to ‘10,000 step meters’,” says trainer and walking coach Chloe Thomas.