Walking 10 000 steps a day during your company fitness challenge

We all probably know the magical number of daily steps, 10 000. We track steps with our activity monitors or smart phones and if at the end of the day, we haven't reached our step goal, we are walking back and forth at our homes. Familiar?

But is it scientifically proven that 10 000 steps a day is a must have? Are we happier or healthier if we take these steps? Let's find out!

The science behind 10 000 steps

The specific number “10,000” comes from a marketing campaign performed a bit before the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964. A company came to market with a pedometer named Manpo-kei. “Man” means 10,000, “po” means steps and “kei” means meters. The campaign was really successful and we even follow that almost 60 years later. 

So at that time there was no science behind these numbers, but as it was so successfully brought to society, many scientists were super curious about the truth. So nowadays there are a lot of studies about daily steps with different target groups.

Recent research has shown that people who take nearly 12,000 steps a day are many times less likely to die earlier than those who take only 4,000 steps a day. Based on this, YuMuuv has formulated the 100% step goal in exactly 12,000 steps - exceeding it today has no clearly researched and scientifically justified benefits for those who exactly meet this goal.

But also you need to consider sex, age, height and weight to set the individual goals. So different studies show that averagely the minimum steps should be at least 7 500 daily. That is the minimum range where you keep your heart working as much as it is daily needed. By that logic, you might assume the more steps they took, the better. 

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Underrated workout

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends slow weight loss for lasting results — up to one pound per week. Adding an extra 10 000 steps a day usually burns about 2000 to 3500 calories per week. One pound of body fat is about 3500 calories, so depending on your weight and walking intensity, you can lose about one pound per week simply by completing 10 000 steps daily.

So here are some ideas on how to keep yourself (or your employees) motivated to take your daily steps. Also all the challenges are suitable for teams worldwide so if you have offices in different countries, that's not a problem! Steps can be counted everywhere and sent to one place - YuMuuv.

1. Corporate Step Challenge

The most popular one, but also the easiest to track. Set the goal to walk 10k steps a day and participants can choose by themselves how they want to reach the goal, by walking, running, or even just by shoveling the snow. 
For that challenge there is also no need for activity trackers, so all your employees, who at least have a smartphone, can participate. It also does not matter whether workers are walking in the same country or getting their legs tested on different continents. So it is easy for an organizer to get a friendly corporate fitness challenge going.

2. Activity Formula Challenge

Activity formula consists of 3 components – steps, calories and intensity minutes. For Fitness Friday, it means a participant has to do at least 12k steps a day, collect 20 intensity minutes (which means for 20 minutes during the whole day, participants' heart rate has to be averagely at least 65% of his maximum heart rate, more you can read from our physical activity level calculator blog) and also burn calories, based on the participants' sex, age, height and weight. 

3. Stairs Challenge

On Fridays, elevators are “broken”. Again, a really easy challenge to track, but also excellent to create a habit to take stairs. It helps your employees to move a bit more during your work day, collect some extra steps, but also higher heart rate wakes up before sitting behind the table. So work will also have a better flow. 

4. Walking Meetings Challenge

We are so used to that if the meeting starts, we turn our cameras and microphones on and start the meeting behind the table. But especially nowadays when most of the meetings take place through the internet, why not walk at the same time? We do walking meetings with the YuMuuv team every morning so we guarantee that it works!

5. Collective Step Challenge

There are plenty of opportunities to measure individual achievements with colleagues, but you can also set a team-wide/company-wide goal and then work together to achieve it. For example, collect 1mil steps in a month with a team and then draw some prizes between participants or, if the target is achieved, the company makes a donation to a pre-agreed organization.

6. No Car Challenge

As you will start moving without a car, you suddenly realize how many different opportunities there are to collect some extra steps. 

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YuMuuv stands behind you during your corporate fitness challenge

Our favorite way to move is together! Just a few years ago, an employer-provided health program was just a nice-to-have welfare initiative. But recent research shows that today, 40% of employees are more loyal to their employer if they feel that the benefits it offers have a positive impact on their lives.

Is it more work behind the table, awareness, or an increasing amount of people who own activity devices? At the end of the day it doesn't matter, but what does, is the fact that physical activity is getting more important for your employees.

In YuMuuv we have made managing the challenges very simple for you. Starting with admin manuals for you to navigate easily in the app and user manuals to get your employees fast on board. In addition, communication templates with important information for you to send out and the full annual plan you can insert all at once, just in 10 minutes.

We have a customer support and help center so you don't have to deal with employee's problems or technical questions. We have an automatic ranking sheet about your employees, but also with all the companies that are moving with YuMuuv. And a lot more just to help you enjoy that journey with others as well with minimal managing effort!

So if you feel now that your employees would be a fun support team to move with, let us know and we will make it reality!