Walking 10,000 steps—about four or five miles—has become the latest wellness benchmark and cure-all trend. It’s all over social media, with numerous fitness brands touting it as the ideal, science-backed way to stay in tip-top shape, and for good reason.

According to research, there is some validity to this claim. Walking 8,000 steps just a few days a week can improve heart and lung health, as well as overall well-being. Studies suggest that it’s also an effective and practical way for most able-bodied people to burn calories, reduce the risk of disease, and even boost their mood.

So, Is 10,000 Steps Necessary?

“Most studies show that walking 8,000-10,000 steps a day lowers your risk of death by 20–50 percent,” says Erik Brodie, personal trainer at the Preserve in River Oaks. “Walking is a lot more low-impact than running, so you can still get a lot of the same benefits you’d get from running without a lot of the cons, like the impact that your joints take over time.” Walking can also be more accessible: You don’t have to focus as much on having the perfect form or gait, and there’s less risk of injury, he adds.

The concept of 10,000 steps as the pinnacle of wellness, however, has murky origins. The number reportedly traces back to a successful Japanese marketing campaign for a pedometer that launched just before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The Japanese character for 10,000 resembles a person walking, so the device was eventually called the 10,000 steps meter.

Even if 10,000 steps, specifically, may be a tad overblown, research shows that there are numerous overall health benefits to gain from walking a minimum of 8,000 steps a day. A 2023 study by the JAMA Network found that participants who took 8,000 steps or more at least two days during the week had a substantially lower risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Research shows, however, that benefits tend to plateau beyond 10,000 steps.

How to Walk More in Houston

While achieving 10,000 steps a day is realistic for most people, Brodie says there’s still a large percentage of people who lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle. In Houston, perhaps the most car-centric major city in the country (where a trip to the nearest H-E-B still requires driving), this can be a significant hindrance. What’s more, it’s extremely hot during a substantial portion of the year, making it sometimes unbearable to take a stroll outside. So, how do you hit 10K in Houston? The short answer: Think beyond the single workout—your whole day counts.

“You have to change up your routine to get as many steps in as you can, whether that is starting up a couple of thousand steps in the morning, spending some of your lunchtime walking, if possible, and then walking after work,” Brodie says.

If you struggle to meet your daily step goal because you spend most of your day sitting at your desk, take as many breaks as possible, or stand up and move around when time allows, he says. It’s about getting it in when you can; it doesn't have to be all at once.

“A lot of people think they have to go to the gym for two hours every day and walk five miles, but it’s really about trying to get it in here and there,” Brodie says. “Even if you have a day or two where you were a little lower at 7,000 or 8,000 steps a day, you can just add another mile on the weekend just to try to get that average as close to 10,000 steps as possible.”

Additionally, if you have the space in your home and the budget, Brodie suggests purchasing a walking pad. “They’re on Amazon starting at around $250. They’re lighter than treadmills and you can just slide them behind the couch if you need to,” he adds.

If that’s not an option, head to the nearest of all 43,139 acres of parkland in Houston. For a city that gets a lot of flak for not “being pretty,” Houston took the No. 8 spot for the Lone Star State’s best park system in 2025.

Houston boasts more than 700 parks perfect for locals and visitors looking to put a little pep in their steps. Here’s a breakdown of some of the city’s best park trails made for walking.

Where to Get Your Steps In: Houston’s Top Walking Trails