Simple goal: 10,000 Steps A Day in the Arizona Daily Star, Thursday, May 19, 2005

The goal of walking 10,000 steps a day is an easier, more effective fitness program for sedentary people than counting minutes walked.

In a new study women asked to take 10,000 steps a day exercised more than those given the goal of walking 30 minutes on “most days of the week.”

Easy to measure
1) Obtain an inexpensive pedometer; no need to calibrate it for your step length.
2) Wear it all day; ignore its reading on calories and distance

What the numbers mean for people with sedentary jobs:
2,000 steps - very little walking; day spent mostly sitting and driving
4,000 steps - short walks, stair climbing; perhaps an extended walk
7,000 steps - several extended walks, many short walks
10,000 steps – 30 minutes or more of steady walking, frequent short walks

Source: Medscape Medical News