Do You Need to Step Up?

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Do You Need to Step Up?

How many miles must you cover over the course of a day to earn an "active" fitness label?
2 miles 5 miles 7 miles ?

You'll need to cover at least 5 miles to meet government -- and RealAge -- fitness guidelines. That's equivalent to about 10,000 steps, so clip on your pedometer and get counting!

The Flip SideKnow what fitness label you'll earn if you cover roughly half that 5-mile ground? Sedentary. People who walk little more than 2 miles (less than 5,000 steps) over the course of a day are not considered active at all.

Get It Where You CanThe good news is that you can tally up those miles not just during the course of a formal workout (this easy one takes just 20 minutes) but through any kind of physical activity -- from puttering around your house while you cook or dust to walking to and from your car. But give yourself a head start by taking a 30-minute walk each day. (Here's how it will transform your health.)

Take the RealAge Test to see if all your daily activities and workouts add up to big health benefits.

Need more motivation? Find a walking buddy on our message boards to help you reach your goals.

Tell Us What You Think!The RealAge Web site has a new and improved look and feel. Give us your feedback on it!

RealAge Benefit: Exercising regularly can make your RealAge as much as 9 years younger.

References Published on 02/21/2008.

How many steps/day are enough? Preliminary pedometer indices for public health. Tudor-Locke, C., Bassett, D. R. Jr., Sports Medicine 2004;34(1):1-8.