Ask anyone how many steps they had today and they'll know exactly what you mean. That's because in today's increasingly sedentary world, how many steps someone takes in any given day has become an important indicator of how active and physically fit they might be. And thanks to devices like smartphones, smart watches, and other fitness trackers, step tracking has become as easy as carrying or wearing a device and letting it track your activity automatically without giving it a second thought.
Of course, it's one thing to say you walked 12,600 steps, and it's quite another to know how many miles that actually is. Any guesses?
Based on an average stride length of 2.5 feet, 12,600 steps would amount to approximately 5.97 miles.
So now you know how far 12,600 steps is, but it's just the beginning of taking control of your fitness. Read on to learn more or calculate another amount.
Is 12,600 steps per day considered sedentary or active?
At an annual physical, your doctor may ask you how much activity you get daily. He or she may ask how many hours a week of aerobic exercise you get, or they may just ask if you're sedentary or active. If you average 12,600 steps per day or simply walked that much today, do you know how that would be classified?
According to one study, there are many categories to activity. For example, fewer than 5,000 steps would be considered sedentary, 5,000-7,499 is considered a low activity level, 7,500-9,999 is considered somewhat active, and 10,000-12,499 steps is considered active. Getting 12,500 steps in or more? You'd be highly active!
This means that 12,600 is consideredhighly active. If this is you, impressive! You must be a fan of running, biking, or walking on the golf course. Or maybe you have a job where you're on your feet all day. Whatever the case, keep it up!
12,600 steps converted to other distance measurements
12,600 steps is equivalent to approximately 10,500.00 yards, 31,500.00 feet, and 378,000.00 inches.
If you're more metrically inclined, 12,600 steps is equivalent to approximately 9.60 kilometers, 9,601.32 meters, and 960,131.68 centimeters.
12,600 steps as a percentage of 10,000 steps
Many people aim to take 10,000 steps a day. While the correct number of steps per day is dependent on your individual health, ability, and walking goals, 10,000 is a pretty good number to shoot for because it amounts to approximately 4.73 miles per day. That'd be pretty good for most people!
If you walked 12,600 steps today, that would amount to 126.00% of 10,000. You did it. Great job!
How to walk more
If you'd like to walk more, the easiest thing you can do is increase your steps slowly and by a set percentage. For example, you can average your daily number of steps for the past week or month and try increasing it by 5% each week after this. You would do that by mutiplying your daily average by 1.05. So if this week's average was 12,600 steps a day, next week you would try to walk about 13,230 steps a day, the week after that you would try for 13,892 steps a day, and so on. Then you could stop at a number you feel is sustainable for daily walking.
How to calculate your own stride length
Calculating your own stride length can be valuable if you have a pedometer that requires you to enter your own stride length.
Because stride length varies from person to person and is influenced by leg length, walking speed, and walking style, not everyone will have the same stride length. In order to determine your own stride length, simply walk a known distance, such as 20 feet, and count your steps as you go. Then divide the distance by the number of steps.
Relevant HSA expenses
If you have an HSA as part of your health insurance plan, you may be wondering if pedometers or other step-tracking devices like Apple Watches or Fitbits are considered eligible expenses. While it's possible you can use your HSA to pay for these devices, you may need a letter of medical necessity. It's also possible your specific plan already considers these to be eligible items, but because it's not typical you should check with your plan or benefits administrator first.
Explore step amounts similar to 12,600
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Disclaimer
The information on this page is intended to be an educational reference and is not to be taken as medical advice. If you think you're having a medical emergency, please call 911 immediately.
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