I Explain Why 10,000 Steps Isn’t a Myth, But a Pathway to a Healthier and Happier Life for Movement Reserves. Walking is not just for burning calories or weight loss, which is only the tip of the iceberg. Let’s focus on the larger part with nuances and growing evidence.
Walking into Mental Clarity as the Most Natural, Cheapest, and Effective Workout to Enhance Movement Reserves
Many face growing risks of metabolic disease, cardiovascular events, cognitive decline, and other consequences of inactivity. It might sound ambitious, but reading this story could change how you see movement forever.
For those who feel intimidated by gyms, overwhelmed by fitness ideologies, or unsure where to start, this story, based on my research into cognitive reserves and movement reserves, offers a reassuring truth: the simplest form of exercise is often the most transformative.
I am referring to steady and long-distance walking as the most natural, affordable, and effective workout available to almost everyone.
No medication or supplement can replace the benefits of regular physical activity. Exercise remains the most reliable and scientifically supported intervention for improving both healthspan and lifespan.
For example, so far, the only proven prevention for Parkinson’s disease is developing movement reserves. I will explain movement and cognitive reserves in more detail in another chapter, as they are closely linked to healthspan and lifespan.
In short, movement reserves refer to the body’s retained capacity for physical adaptability, while cognitive reserves describe the brain’s retained capacity for mental adaptability. Together, they illustrate how the mind and body share overlapping networks that protect resilience and performance throughout life.
Yet, paradoxically, exercise, especially walking, is one of the most neglected habits in our modern world. The industrial revolution mechanized work, the digital revolution immobilized it, and comfort quietly replaced movement.
My wise centenarian neighbour humorously says that their grown-up children would even go to the toilet in their car, referring to the short drives they make daily, such as walking 1 km to the Milk Bar, as too much.
Walking, however, remains our biological birthright. Our bodies evolved to walk, to run, to explore, forage, migrate, and connect. Walking is typically associated with burning calories in the context of weight loss, which works.
Nevertheless, walking is much more than that.
Every step with rhythmic movement of legs and arms activates a cascade of biochemical reactions that harmonize metabolism, heart function, lung function, cognition, and mood.
Walking reconnects the mind with the body and the body with the environment. Thus, walking is one of the most effective natural psychosomatic remedies.
When I began my own walking practice in nature with intention and observations decades ago, with bushwalking with friends, I discovered that fatigue faded, stress softened, thoughts cleared, emotions stabilized, and anxiety disappeared. I understood that this was not just philosophy but was tightly linked to our physiology.
Walking is among the simplest and most effective physical and mental therapies we have. Yet we dismiss it as too mundane.
Walking 10,000 steps sounds like a cliché, and some so-called fitness experts, who are primarily interested in calorie counting and weight loss aspects, find this ineffective and attempt to debunk it, discouraging people from benefiting from this fantastic tool for their healthspan and lifespan.
Based on my personal experience, extensive literature reviews, and observation of hundreds of case studies in my circle, I can confidently confirm that this 10,000-step cliché holds biological and psychological truths.
Over the course of decades of fasting, fasted cardio, ketosis, mind-body experiments, and reading scientific literature, I have learned that walking is not just a means of movement for calorie burning, but a multifaceted tool (metabolic, neural, hormonal, cardiovascular, mental, and social).
Why I Wrote This Chapter for Ketosis + BDNF Book
This is not an ordinary fitness story. I wrote it for the 77 percent of people who live sedentary lives, unable or unwilling to engage in regular exercise. Readers from Medium can read the details on EUPHORIA.
In this chapter, I explain why walking 10,000 or more steps daily can stimulate ketone production, lower inflammation, enhance mental clarity, and nurture both physical and mental benefits that medical interventions can hardly replicate.
Walking is usually associated with heart health, yet its impact on the brain receives far less attention. From my experience and research, I am convinced that walking can nourish the brain as much as it can strengthen the heart.
However, walking does not stop at the heart or the brain. It revitalizes the liver, clears the lungs, supports the kidneys and pancreas, nourishes the skin, strengthens tissues, energizes mitochondria, and even helps the genes express health more effectively.
10,000 Steps as a Useful Heuristic
The number 10,000 was not born in a lab. It originated from a 1960s Japanese marketing campaign called manpo-kei, meaning “10,000-step meter,” which was their first wearable pedometer.
Yet the 10,000-step became a cultural anchor because it represented something achievable and meaningful. Therefore, instead of debunking it with useless evidence-seeking syndrome, we need to use this valuable tool.
There is a lot of evidence in the literature about the benefits of prolonged walking if we can read and understand the nuances.
Studies now show that walking 3,600 to 12,000 steps a day lowers mortality risk, improves cardiovascular health, and enhances metabolic function.
Consistency matters more than precision, but 10,000 steps provide a reliable baseline as a daily rhythm and motivation that shifts our biology away from sedentarism. Step by step, we build flexibility, resilience, clarity, and physiological momentum.
Long Walking Might Induce Ketosis and Build Metabolic Flexibility
At first glance, walking may seem too gentle to alter metabolism. Yet its subtlety and slow impact are the secret. It activates energy systems without pushing the body into excessive stress, thereby keeping cortisol levels in balance.
When glycogen stores are depleted during fasting or low-carbohydrate diets, walking can initiate fat oxidation. The liver converts free fatty acids into ketone bodies — acetoacetate, acetone, and the most powerful of all, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). BHB fuels many organs, including the heart and brain, and serves as a signaling molecule that regulates inflammation and stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
Brisk walking, like fasting, can enhance mitochondrial biogenesis, improving energy efficiency and mental endurance. It stabilizes glucose through GLUT4 activation, reducing insulin resistance and enabling ketone metabolism to flourish.
Through my long-term self-tracking, I found that days with 15,000 or more steps were associated with lower fasting glucose levels, higher ketosis, and a more stable mood. Walking may not induce deep ketosis like fasting, but it sustains metabolic flexibility — the ability to shift between glucose- and fat-based fuel, a metabolic state linked to longevity and cognitive vitality.
The Neuro-Cardio Bridge — How Steps Heal Heart and Brain
Walking can influence both the heart and brain through intertwined pathways. I will summarize them in five bullet points for you to remember easily.
1. Reducing Inflammation: Active muscles release myokines such as IL-10 and irisin, which suppress chronic inflammation. This reduces neuroinflammation in the brain, protecting the brain from cognitive decline.
2. Improving Circulation: Walking increases cerebral blood flow and angiogenesis, particularly in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, areas central to memory, learning, and emotion.
3. Boosting BDNF: Even moderate activity raises BDNF, enhancing synaptic growth and resilience to stress. Combined with ketosis, this effect becomes amplified.
4. Balancing the Autonomic System: Walking shifts the nervous system toward parasympathetic tone, lowering anxiety and improving heart rate variability (HRV).
5. Strengthening Cardiovascular Health: Regular walking improves lipid balance, reduces blood pressure, and lowers oxidized LD, creating a healthier vascular network that nourishes brain tissue.
In my data journals, as step counts increased, triglycerides decreased, CRP levels dropped, and HRV improved. My cardiologist friends were surprised that my vascular markers remained strong past age 60.
However, my walking regimen is unique, which may not appeal to everyone, but it might be a good option for those who live close to a beach or a large garden with well-maintained grass.
Walking Barefoot, Which Reconnects Body, Mind, and Earth
Humans evolved walking barefoot. Modern shoes isolate us from the Earth’s natural electrical field, yet the body itself is a conductive system.
Grounding, also known as earthing, refers to direct physical contact with soil, sand, or grass, allowing for a subtle exchange of electrons that helps neutralize oxidative stress.
A 2015 study demonstrated that grounding could reduce inflammatory markers, alter cytokine profiles, and improve recovery from muscle soreness. A 2022 pilot study found that grounding enhanced sleep quality in Alzheimer’s patients, reduced pain, and stabilized mood in older adults. I will share these details in a literature review.
These findings echoed my personal experiences and observations of others. When I first began walking barefoot on grass and sand decades ago, I noticed an immediate sense of calm. Stress melted away. My breathing rate slowed, my thoughts cleared, my energy felt balanced, and my nervous system calmed.
Over time, barefoot walking became part of my daily routine. I made it a soft and self-motivated rule to walk around 10,000 steps a day. This number equates to 90 minutes of daily walking for me. It can take shorter or longer for others.
Regular grounding improved my HRV and sleep quality as measured by my smartwatch. Sunlight exposure was a bonus as it optimized my vitamin D and cortisol/melatonin rhythms.
My proprioception (the body’s internal sense of movement and balance) became sharper even as I got older, improving posture and coordination.
Eventually, my barefoot walks became social. Friends, neighbors, and coworkers joined me. I even introduced barefoot walks as a team-building exercise in several workplaces. The atmosphere always changed: people smiled more, spoke more softly, and left lighter than they arrived.
Of course, a few remained sceptical and criticized us as primitives, so they lost an opportunity. We respected their choice. Everything I do is by invitation, and my friends have the right to accept and decline with no hard feelings.
I also experimented with commercial grounding mats and sheets. They provided mild benefits, but none matched the holistic effect of direct contact with the earth. Nature itself remains the best conductor of balance.
For me, walking barefoot became neuro-grounding, which is a dialogue between biology and the planet. It can activate mitochondrial metabolism, stabilize hormones, and calm the nervous system, which is a triad that strengthens both physical and mental health.
In summary, as decades passed, I noticed seven consistent and observable benefits of 90-minute barefoot walking daily:
1. Reduced stress and anxiety
2. Lowered inflammation and pain
3. Balanced cortisol and neurotransmitters
4. Improved immunity and sleep
5. Enhanced HRV and metabolic stability
6. Induced greater sensory awareness
7. Provided a deeper connection with nature and community
Barefoot walking may not be for everyone as it requires safe terrain, gradual adaptation, and awareness of one’s limits.
For those unable to practice outdoors, simple alternatives like sandboxes or grounding mats can provide a partial benefit. What matters most is the intention to reconnect to return to what the human body evolved to do.
Now, I’d like to shift gears and discuss the benefits of doubling 10,000 for addressing specific metabolic health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes or fatty liver disease.
The 20,000-Step Miracle — Mark and Lucy’s Story
A few years ago, I shared an inspiring story on this platform, and I will summarize it briefly to give you an idea of what long-form walking, such as 20,000 steps daily, is like. They are not for everyone, and it is not advice. I only share this to give you a unique perspective and possibility.
Among my most inspiring encounters was with Mark and Lucy, a mature couple who transformed their health after their seventies.
Mark and Lucy had lived active farm lives, but developed fatty liver disease and later type II diabetes after retiring to the city. Sedentary lifestyle, refined carbohydrates, and stress gradually altered their metabolism.
When we met, Mark asked how I maintained vitality at my age. I shared my walking, fasting, and calisthenics habits. They decided to begin walking, starting with 10,000 steps a day with me.
Within weeks, their sleep improved and their energy increased. Encouraged, they doubled their distance. With support from their doctor and a local community group, they began walking 20,000 steps daily — divided into three sessions. Their progress astonished both of them: one kilogram of weight loss per week, sharper focus, and glowing skin.
Soon, they added simple isometric exercises such as planks to strengthen their core. As visceral fat melted, their waistlines began to shrink. Lucy started meditating before bed, while Mark learned to manage his stress through breathing and mindfulness.
Then came the dietary shift. With the help of a certified dietician and a supportive integrative physician, they reduced refined carbohydrates, increased bioavailable proteins, and introduced time-restricted eating. Within a year, their fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity normalized. They no longer required medication.
Their physician confirmed that their diabetes was in remission. It was a triumph achieved through lifestyle, not drugs. More importantly, their mental health improved, their sleep deepened, and their confidence returned.
Their success inspired a community. Together, we organized a charity. Their generosity funded dietitian sessions, health coaching, and exercise programs for disadvantaged people.
Their story proved a simple truth: when we take responsibility for our health and walk with purpose step by step, change happens at every level: metabolic, emotional, and social.
Conclusions and Key Takeaways
From my perspective, walking heals because it is an integrative activity. It can bridge systems such as the metabolic, cardiovascular, endocrine, and neural systems. The longer we sustain the habit, the stronger these connections grow.
You can start walking wherever you are. Even 3,000 steps helps, as confirmed in a 2023 meta-analysis. You can increase gradually. Combine walking with modest fasting or a lower-carbohydrate diet for metabolic synergy. You can walk outdoors whenever possible, as sunlight can help enhance your circadian rhythms and mood.
I know everyone is busy nowadays, but the busiest executives I know allocate 90 minutes daily, partitioning it 30 minutes early in the morning before work, 30 minutes during lunch break, and 30 minutes after work before or after dinner, depending on their goals. This keeps their bodies insulin-sensitive and lowers their cortisol levels for a healthier and happier life.
You can vary your pace. Hills or intervals can stimulate BDNF more than monotonous paths. You can track steps if it motivates you, but do not become enslaved to metrics.
The body listens best to rhythm, not numbers. You can pair walking with strength work, stretching, and sleep hygiene for compounded benefit.
Walking is powerful, but it works best when combined with a balanced lifestyle. People with mobility issues, cardiac conditions, or diabetes should always consult healthcare professionals before making significant changes.
Overtraining without reaching a proper fitness level or walking on unsafe surfaces can increase the risk of injury or chronic stress. I only walk barefoot on safe beach sands and well-maintained gardens, and I still pay attention to every step, such as avoiding stepping on a stone or a stick.
Barefoot walking with attention and focus on the environment is an additional cognitive activity for me. We also need to take time to rest and have some downtime after long walks. As covered before: The Brain Needs 4 Types of Workouts and The Brain Needs 3 Types of Rest.
Of course, walking alone cannot heal mental health conditions like depression or metabolic illness without proper nutrition, restorative sleep, and social support. Yet as a foundation, it remains one of the most accessible, affordable, and evidence-supported ways to reclaim health.
When I look back at my first 10,000-step bush walk decades ago with friends and family, I see how it transformed into something far more profound. Daily long walks with joy improved my metabolism, strengthened my heart, and calmed my mind.
We know a great deal about the philosophy and art of walking, but the science of walking continues to evolve. However, a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that every mindful step can alter biology, chemistry, mind, and consciousness, thanks to our evolutionary development.
If you walk with intention, you give your heart strength, your brain clarity, and your spirit sanctuary. Whether you take 3,000, 10,000, or 20,000 steps, with shoes or barefoot, let’s keep in mind that motion is the most ancient form of medicine. Mother Earth is patiently waiting to support and heal us, with mindful and joyful steps.
I shared several sample chapters from this upcoming book, Ketosis + BDNF: The Healing Molecules That Saved My Life. Here are the links to the chapters I published as early access to this book. As beta readers, your feedback will be appreciated to refine it and make it a valuable resource for the community.
Ketosis + BDNF: The Healing Molecules That Saved My Life
How I Reversed Metabolic Syndrome, Restored Brain Health, and Regained Vitality After 50medium.com
When My Body Began to Fail Me at a Tender Age
A Sample Chapter from “Ketosis + BDNF: The Healing Molecules That Saved My Life — How I Reversed Metabolic Syndrome…medium.com
What Is Beta-Hydroxybutyrate and Why I Decided to Write a Comprehensive Memoir Book About It
Mother Nature’s Masterpiece: The Molecule That Restores, Protects, and Propels Deserves a Bookmedium.com
Neurobiology of Ketones in the Brain with Practical Lived Experiences
Ketone Bodies Can Lower Stress, Make Us Healthier, and Enhance Our Learning Abilities. Here’s the Summary of Mechanisms…medium.com
Can Ketosis Prevent or Treat Depression and Anxiety?
I Care Deeply About This Question Based on My Research and Personal Experiences, and Here’s What I Can Offer as a…medium.com
Related Stories for Producing Ketones Naturally
β-Hydroxybutyrate: 2 Vital Role of Ketogenesis in the Brain for Dementia Prevention / Treatment
Biochemistry of Ketosis Simplified with Nuanced Perspectives and Personal Experiences
A New Clinical Trial Found a Low-Carb Diet Better Than the Dash.
Perfect Storm in a Teacup: Can Intermittent Fasting Increase Heart Disease Risk by 91%?
Here’s Why I Focus on Nutritional Biochemistry Rather Than Diets
I wrote several stories about ketosis and the ketogenic lifestyle, reflecting my experiences and literature reviews, which you can find in the following list:
Ketosis and Ketogenic Lifestyle
Edit descriptiondr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com
I wrote many stories explaining the fundamental requirements of the brain and nervous system with nuances in previous stories, so I link them as reference here:
Here’s How to Make the Nervous System More Flexible and Functional
Here’s How I Train My Brain Daily for Mental Clarity and Intellectual Productivity.
You can find many relevant stories about brain health and cognitive performance on this list.
Brain Health and Cognitive Function
Edit descriptiondr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com
If you are interested in brain and cognition, you may check out this concise book coming soon: What the Brain Needs, Why We Fail, and How We Can Fix It. Here are two sample chapters.
What the Brain Needs, Why We Fail, and How We Can Fix It
Practical Wisdom for Brain Health, Learning, Happiness, and Fulfillment.medium.com
6 Essential Requirements of the Brain
Summary of a sample chapter from my new book “What the Brain Needs, Why We Fail, and How We Can Fix It”medium.com
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Welcome to the Expert Contributor Network Curation Program at Digitalmehmet Content Ecosystem
I created this new initiative to empower experts and help them transition to the eminence path with community support…medium.com
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For Substack writers, we created a 6-level course on Udemy titled From Zero to Substack Hero, which I also offer via my Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights on Substack. If you are interested in joining, you can use these discount vouchers:
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