The world of wearable technology and mobile applications has seen remarkable growth in daily activity tracking. Smartphones, digital watches, and pedometers have become essential tools for encouraging healthy behaviors. McKenzie Long, a personal trainer specializing in physical therapy and sports medicine at the Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse and Onalaska, Wisconsin, explains that these devices—regardless of type—provide users with an accurate measure of daily movement. She emphasizes that the best device is the one a person consistently uses.
Long also highlights the motivational power of smart devices, which allow users to set alerts and daily goals within apps. These tools make it easier to track activity and achieve the recommended target of 150 minutes of physical activity per week for a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
The Health Benefits of Walking: Beyond Fitness
Regular walking delivers a wide range of health benefits, from improving vital signs to enhancing mental well-being. Daily movement helps regulate blood pressure, maintain a healthy weight, strengthen core muscles, and improve balance and coordination. Additionally, walking boosts endorphin production, which reduces stress and elevates mood. It also aids in controlling blood sugar levels and lowers the risk of heart attacks and type 2 diabetes.
Research shows that consistent walking is associated with improved sleep quality, slower cognitive decline, reduced risk of dementia and certain cancers, greater independence in older age, and increased life expectancy.
Smart Devices as a Support for Weight-Loss Journeys
Long explains that electronic devices do more than raise awareness of daily movement—they play a critical role for individuals undergoing medically guided weight-loss programs, including bariatric surgery or GLP-1 medication therapy. Step tracking supports calorie burning, muscle building, and bone density maintenance, making weight loss more sustainable and effective. Physical activity may also enhance the effectiveness of accompanying medications.
How Many Steps Do You Really Need?
Despite the popular “10,000 steps a day” benchmark, Long emphasizes there is no magic number for achieving health benefits. Studies indicate that a reduction in premature mortality is most noticeable between 4,000 and 8,000 steps per day, while reaching 10,000 steps provides additional benefits before results begin to plateau. She stresses that how you accumulate steps matters less than consistently moving throughout the day, whether through short walks, household chores, or general movement inside the home and garden.
How Smart Devices Can Help You Increase Your Steps
Long advises starting gradually with achievable goals and listening to your body to avoid overexertion. Apps and wearable devices facilitate this process by sending reminders to move. Simple strategies include parking farther from entrances, walking while waiting for food in the microwave, or making multiple trips when carrying packages instead of one heavy load. Treadmills can also be used while watching TV or cooking—an approach supported by many activity-tracking apps.
What Counts as “Brisk Walking” on Your Devices?
Long notes that the definition of “brisk walking” varies by individual, with average speeds typically ranging from 3 to 3.5 miles per hour, which can be accurately measured by wearable devices. She recommends the “talk test”: if you can talk but cannot hold a full conversation comfortably, you are walking at an appropriate brisk pace. Recent research indicates that brisk walking not only benefits physical health but also enhances brain function and supports mental well-being.
Ultimately, Long emphasizes that even a small amount of walking each day is better than none, and the body responds positively to regular, consistent activity at any level.
