The necessary steps you must take every day if you want to be healthy and lose weight

Since the whole country entered the de-escalation and individual walks were allowed, millions of Spaniards have taken to the streets to do sports and reconnect with the outside after two months confined. The streets of the main Spanish cities have been refilled. Some have chosen to undertake the bikini operation, this year especially different having spent so much time at home, and for this reason they have tightened the intensity of these outings putting on sneakers, ready to run.

Others, due to their age or physical condition, have had to confirm with walk fast and for longer times to advance toward that purported goal of weight loss. Whatever you do, whether it's running, walking, or biking, this class of cardio exercises has a big impact on your overall health, and not just on the scale. If you adapt this series of marches to your routine you will get important benefits in your cardiovascular system, in addition to enjoying more resistance and improving breathing.

Those who walked about 4,400 steps a day had lower death rates than those who settled for half

Not to mention the results that are not perceived on a physical level. Playing sports is the best way to feel good, since by exerting you release endorphins, the so-called hormone of happiness, so you will feel much more relaxed right after and you will be able to face your daily life in a more serene way, reducing the risk of suffering episodes of stress or anxiety.

What many are surely wondering these days is what is the exact number of steps you should take to start noticing changes and improvements in your physical condition. Actually, the logical thing would be to think that the more the better. But if you no longer have the physical abilities you enjoyed years ago, you may want to settle for an intermediate option that will keep you strong, resilient, and vigorous, but not overly demanding either.

There are countless studies on the border from which the walk becomes effective and not just a random walk that hardly has any benefits for your health. Epidemiologist I-Min Lee of Harvard University conducted a study in which she monitored 17,000 women for several years whose average age was 72 years to know closely what is the minimum number of daily steps they should take to notice changes. Thus, he concluded that those who gave around 4,400 daily had lower mortality rates than those who settled for half.

For her, the 10,000-step mark is counterproductive. Depending on the person's age, gender, and lifestyle, reaching 5,000 can have a positive impact on life expectancy. Another study published in March this year revealed that walking closer to 8,000 steps a day for middle-aged people, 36% of which suffered from obesity, had important benefits in order to increase the quality of life.

Study found that people who walk frequently at least 100 steps per minute can expect to live 15-20 more years

The steps, after all, is a measure that is widely used to calculate the level of physical reach of the body when walking. It became very popular after the rise of smart wristwatches that show this series of data, accompanied by the approximate number of calories burned at the end of the exercise. For this reason, we could also use any other parameter to establish the most appropriate point if you want to notice positive changes without ending up exhausted.

In that case, the general recommendations of the US Centers for Disease Control focus on time: specifically, 30 minutes would be necessary to receive benefits in the short, medium and long term in general health. Another detail to consider is the speed at which you travel a certain distance or period of time.

A study published in 'Mayo Clinic Proceedings' in June 2019 found that people who frequently walk at least 100 steps per minute can expect to live an additional 15-20 years. The reason is that walking fast means being the middle point between a light walk in which there is a caloric expenditure and a cardio exercise like a long distance race. This form of exercise strengthens the heart and is likely to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease in the future.

For all this, and especially if you are thinking of making a change in your lifestyle, it is best to take advantage of these spring days when you can finally go for a walk at your own pace. Beyond academic studies lies personal will. And if your situation is exceptional and you urgently need to lose weight, it is best to accompany the exercise with a balanced diet and at the same time contact a specialist doctor.