How Many Daily Steps Do You Really Need for Better Health?​

It takes 28 steps to walk from your bedroom to your refrigerator and 317 to get to work. If you manage to rack up even a couple thousand steps between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., it’s a pretty good day. Time to hit the gym if you’re going to get 10,000 steps, appease your fitness tracker and edge out your friends on the step-count leaderboard.

But do you really need to hit 10,000 steps per day for better health? Short answer: Not really.

What You Need to Know About the 10,000-Step Recommendation

Pedometers sold in Japan in the 1960s were marketed with the name “manpo-kei,” which means “10,000 steps meter,” according to a Sports Medicine review. Just like that, the number stuck.

And while the original 10,000-step recommendation was anything but scientific, overall, it holds up pretty well in helping the general population improve their health, says Daniel Neides, medical director of the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. On average, healthy adults take between 4,000–18,000 steps per day, according to a review from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. And in a 2015 PLOS ONE study, people who increased the number of daily steps from 1,000 to 10,000 cut their risk of death by 46%.

“What we know is that 10,000 steps equates to about 4–5 miles, or an hour to an hour and 15 minutes of brisk walking,” Neides says. “That’s about the midway point of what we are looking for from people in terms of physical activity.” To prevent cardiovascular disease, the sweet spot is 20 minutes–2 hours of aerobic exercise per day, says Neides, noting that heart disease, the number 1 cause of death in the U.S., kills more people than all forms of cancer combined.

That’s why he’s way more concerned with minutes than steps. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t have a step recommendation; instead it recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate exercise like brisk walking or 75 minutes of vigorous activity like running per week. For anyone counting, that works out to anywhere from 3,500–8,000 steps per day. And, no matter how much aerobic activity you get, the CDC still recommends getting at least two hours of strength exercise per week. That raises an important point: Dumbbells lifted don’t count toward your step count, but they make huge improvements to your overall health, Neides says.

Hit Your Perfect Step Count

In the end, as long as you are more active today than you were yesterday — whether that means steps counted, minutes active or weights moved — you’re going to get healthier, Neides says. Improving health is about just that: improving, rather than hitting a magic number.

Case in point: In the PLOS ONE study, people who increased their daily step count from 1,000 to just 3,000 steps per day, five days a week, reduced their risk of death by 12%.

“If a previously sedentary person is getting 3-, 5-, 7,000 steps, that’s outstanding! I don’t care if it’s not 10,000,” Neides says. “And for people with some health conditions, 10,000 might not even be healthy.” Plus, some people just enjoy stepless workouts like weight lifting more than walking or running. No matter what, the best workout is the one you’ll stick with.

But, if you are already relatively healthy and active, there’s no reason to stop at 10,000. According to Neides, as long as you cap your aerobic exercise (including walking) at about two hours, 20,000 steps or 10 miles of brisk walking, your health will likely benefit. After that, maybe not so much. In a recent study in the European Heart Journal, people who ran seven miles per hour or faster for 2.5 miles or more per week actually did more harm than good to their overall health.

But however many steps you decide to take, they won’t score you better health if the rest of your lifestyle isn’t up to snuff. “For real benefit, steps have to be done in tandem with healthy eating, good sleep and stress management,” Neides says.

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5 Best Moves for Stronger Glutes

Glutes (aka butt, bottom, backside, booty or tush) hold a lot of power, and strengthening them can help you become a better runner, cyclist, walker, jogger, skater, swimmer, dancer, squatter…you get the idea, right? Strong glutes are a win-win for your body because they help take pressure off of your knees and back. When your glutes don’t work properly, other muscles have to compensate to do the work. This can result in discomfort and injuries.

It is rare for the glutes to take center stage because the quadricep muscles are bullies and tend to take over many lower-body exercises. Even worse, your back and other muscles will try to compensate for weak gluteals.

But the following five exercises give your glutes a chance to “shine” and be the star of the show! You can do these back to back or incorporate them into a total-body workout:

• Supine Bridges (Double and Single Leg)
• Clamshells
• Squats
• Single-Leg Squats
• Step-Ups

All of these exercises can be done without weights, or you can add weight or resistance when appropriate. You’ll need a chair and a step or platform (stairs work here, too).

After a short, dynamic warm-up, complete 8–12 repetitions of each exercise. Start with one set, and work your way up to three sets.

1. Supine Bridges (Double and Single Leg)

Start by lying down on your back with your legs hip-width apart and feet relaxed, with heels pressed into the floor. Squeeze and activate your glutes to lift and extend your hips off the floor. Don’t over-arch your spine, and keep your head and neck relaxed.

2. Clamshells

Lying on your side with knees flexed and feet together, open legs like a clamshell to activate your gluteus medius muscle. You can add resistance with a band for a greater challenge.

3. Squats

Stand tall in a bilateral stance, and push your hips and weight back into your heels as you sit back into an imaginary chair. Keep your spine neutral (don’t collapse the upper body) and your knees tracking your toes.

4. Single-Leg Squats

Use a chair or a TRX (suspension training system) to assist you. Keep your standing foot relaxed as you push your hips back with your knee tracking the toes of your standing leg. Start by actually sitting down on the chair (unless you are using a TRX), and work your way up to barely tapping your gluteus to the chair. Single-leg work is a great way to feel which leg may be stronger/weaker and can help flush out imbalances in strength.

5. Step-Ups

Find a strong surface that has enough room for your foot to complete a single-leg step-up. Place your foot on a step or platform, and push the hips back to activate your glutes, pressing your heel into the platform. Step up until you are standing upright, with your hips underneath your shoulders and glutes engaged. Slowly step back to the floor. Keep your knee and hip angle at less than 90 degrees of flexion.

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Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

Spice up your weeknight meals with The Roasted Root’s southwest stuffed bell peppers! Filled to the brim with black beans and corn, this dish helps you get your daily doses of veggies and fiber — one stuffed pepper provides 8 grams of fiber! A generous portion of grated cheese on top makes these peppers irresistible.

Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 Anaheim pepper, cored and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups cooked rice (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 cup corn, drained and rinsed (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce, divided (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 4 medium bell peppers (any color), cored and seeds removed
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3–1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat to 350°F.

Add the olive oil to a large skillet, and heat to medium high. Add the onion, and sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add Anaheim pepper, and sauté another 2–3 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder and salt, and sauté until garlic is fragrant, about 2–3 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, rice, corn and black beans. Stir well and cook just until rice has absorbed most of the enchilada sauce, about 1– 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stuff each pepper with the rice and vegetable mixture, filling each cavity to the top. Top each pepper with grated cheese, and place peppers in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. The peppers should fit snugly in the baking dish and should hold one another up.

Pour remaining enchilada sauce and the water around the peppers so they’re sitting in a sauce bath. Place on the center rack of the oven, and bake for 30–40 minutes, until cheese has melted and the tops of the peppers have softened.

Remove peppers from the oven, and allow them to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 stuffed bell pepper

Per serving: Calories: 355; Total Fat: 13g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 7mg; Sodium: 470mg; Carbohydrate: 50g; Dietary Fiber: 8g; Sugar: 9g; Protein: 11g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 659mg; Iron: 14%; Vitamin A: 19%; Vitamin C: 195%; Calcium: 12% 

Julia Mueller writes the food blog, The Roasted Root, and is the author of Delicious Probiotic Drinks and Let Them Eat Kale!. Having grown up in Lake Tahoe, Julia loves to snowboard, mountain bike, and hike. She enjoys developing recipes that are nutrient-dense, easy to prepare, and approachable to make any night of the week. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Ask The Dietitian: Can You Survive Without Carbs?

Are you carb-curious? The popularity of low-carb, ketogenic and other Atkins-style diets are fueling an intense fascination around this macronutrient. As a dietitian and self-professed science junkie, I feel the need to deepen our understanding of this topic so as to not glorify or demonize a nutrient (unless it’s well-deserved!). So, why are carbohydrates so important? Are they really essential in the diet? Read on to find out.

3 Reasons Why Carbs are Important

Carbohydrates achieve staple status in our diet because they supply a magical thing called glucose, a sugar. (OK, it’s not magic, just science.) If you weren’t automatically transported back to biology, let me explain.

1. Carbohydrates are an efficient fuel source. Our body runs on calories, and it gets those calories by metabolizing carbohydrates, fat and protein from our food. Since our body smartly spares protein for rebuilding and repairing tissue, carbohydrates and fat are by far the fuel of choice. While every cell is capable of burning glucose  for energy, the same is not true for fat.

2. Certain organs and tissues require glucose. Our brain and red blood cells rely on the plentiful glucose in carbohydrates. Through gradual adaptation, the brain can learn to use fat in the form of ketone bodies, but our blood cells will always rely on glucose. In fact, our body fights really hard to keep our blood glucose levels within a narrow window. Once you dip below the minimum threshold of 20mg glucose/dL of blood you risk slipping into coma or having a seizure. This biological fact is partly what drives the daily recommendations for carbohydrates by major health organizations (see below).

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General Carbohydrate Recommendations

• The National Academy of Medicine sets the recommended dietary allowance  at 130 grams per day. This is the minimum amount of carbohydrates needed to provide enough glucose for the brain and red blood cells from carbohydrates.
• The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans set the acceptable macronutrient distribution for carbohydrates at 45–65% of total daily calories. For someone who eats a typical 2,000-calorie diet, this is 225–325 grams of carbs per day — well above the RDA.
• The World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization recommend that 55% of total calories come from carbohydrates per day.

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3. Carbohydrates are everywhere! Carbs make up a large percentage of the U.S. food supply, contributing anywhere from 50–60% of calories since 1910. This makes sense given that the world’s staple crops are carb-heavy. These include cassava, corn, plantain, potato, rice, sorghum, soybean, sweet potato, wheat and yam. Fruits and vegetables, the foundation of a well-balanced diet, also contain carbohydrates. Even dairy contains milk sugar, which is a carb. Most modern societies base their diets on carbohydrate-rich foods.

3 Reasons Why Carbs are Not Essential

Here’s where the argument that carbohydrates are essential starts to crumble:

1. Protein and fat can provide glucose. The healthy human body is fully capable of reforming the amino acids from protein into glucose. Even the breakdown of fat for energy yields the tiniest bit of glucose. If an individual is eating enough calories, even if those calories are mostly from fat or protein, that person can still satisfy the glucose needs of their brain and blood cells and maintain their blood glucose at a normal level.

2. Carbohydrate deficiency doesn’t result in illness. Nutrition science defines a nutrient as “essential” if we must get it from the diet because our body can’t make enough of it to meet our needs. Deficiencies in protein, essential fats (linolenic and linoleic), vitamins and minerals all match up to an impairment or disease. This same phenomenon doesn’t exist with carbohydrates.

3. It’s possible to survive on very little carbohydrates. Reach outside the literature, and it’s easy to obtain anecdotal evidence of people who survive on very low-carbohydrate diets. (Note that we’re not taking into account sustainability or personal happiness when subsisting on these diets.)

• The Atkins diet advocates followers eat as little as 20 grams of carbohydrates per day! To give you an idea of what this means: 20 grams is the amount of carbs in 1 small (6-inch) banana.
• The classic ketogenic diet is 80–90% fat. It was originally used as a therapy for epilepsy but is now gaining popularity for use in weight loss.
• The traditional Inuit diet, which is what the natives of northern Canada subsisted on for many years, is empty of refined sugar and grains. Instead, there’s plenty of fresh seal, walrus and other marine life on the menu. A 1980s study of that diet found that it contained, on average, 23% calories from protein, 39% calories from fat and 38% calories from carbohydrates.

The Takeaway

Carbohydrates (including fiber) don’t necessarily make the cut as “essential” nutrients, but they are very important. Eliminating carbs completely from the diet is not only impossible, it’s impractical. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy all contain carbs and are foundational to a healthful diet. When it comes to choosing how low-carb you should go, keep in mind that:

• Everyone responds differently to varying levels of carbohydrates. Our bodies are unique, so what works for one person may not work for another. The key is to do some research, then experiment to figure out what works best for you. Enlisting expert guidance from a doctor or dietitian can make this process easier.
• The best diet is one that can be followed over time. Consistency is key to a healthy lifestyle. Setting yourself up with a plan that allows 20 grams of carbs per day may not be the best way to achieve this. A balanced diet is one that allows flexibility for you to fit in foods you enjoy regardless of carbohydrate content.
• “Low-carb” can be a healthy lifestyle. Most low-carb diets don’t go as low as you think, hovering around 35–40% of calories from carbohydrates. For many, the term “low-carb” has become synonymous with eating less refined carbs and added sugar and eating more fruits and vegetables. Needless to say, I’m on board with that!

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7 Weight-Loss Lessons Americans Should Borrow from the French

We’ve heard it for years: The French don’t get fat.

It’s difficult — if not altogether impossible — to find a country that loves food more than France. Still, the average French citizen is about half as likely to be overweight as the average American, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development. Rates of obesity in France are even slimmer. Call it the French paradox.

So, what are the French doing right? Here are seven habits you can put into practice for healthy weight loss and maintenance:

1. Cook — from scratch.

“People in Paris eat more at-home cooked meals than do people in New York,” says Clémence von Mueffling, the French-born founder of Beauty and Well Being. “Growing up in France, we learned recipes from our mothers,” says the daughter and granddaughter of French Vogue beauty editors. “We never relied on restaurants or processed foods.”

However, a 2016 study in BMJ Open reveals that ultraprocessed foods, including frozen meals and soda, make up 58% of the calories and 90% of the added sugar that the average American consumes per day. And people who frequently cook consume fewer calories per meal than those who eat out, per research from Johns Hopkins University.

2. Eat more fruits and veggies.

French cuisine is about more than wine, cheese and baguettes. According to 2015 research published in Appetite, the French eat more fruits and vegetables than Americans do, and French family dinners place a greater emphasis on produce consumption, too.

Produce is so important to the French that the country’s version of MyPlate is a staircase with fruits and vegetables (“fruits and légumes,” in French) second only to water.

Meanwhile, national trends show that the French are further increasing their fruit and veggie intake, according to a recent report from the European organization LiveWell for LIFE. Try doing the same. In one 2015 Harvard University study, men and women who ate the most fiber-filled fruits and vegetables with lower glycemic loads maintained significantly healthier weights over the course of 24 years.

3. Slim down your portion sizes.

The French aren’t big on supersizing their meals, instead opting for lighter meals with smaller portions, says David Benchetrit, M.D., director of the Clinique du Poids weight-loss clinic in Paris. In fact, when University of Pennsylvania researchers examined restaurant meals in both Philly and Paris, they found that U.S. meals were, on average, 25% larger than the Parisian versions. Yikes.

A 2015 review of 72 randomized controlled trials concluded that portion size dictates about 15% of our daily caloric intake, with greater portions sizes leading to excess food intake and weight gain. People tend to eat the same number of servings, no matter how big they are, Benchetrit says.

4. Savor your meals.

Eating smaller portion sizes doesn’t mean that you have to cut back on how much you enjoy your foods. Nine out of 10 French people say that they greatly enjoy eating, while only 39% of Americans do, according to the book “The French Twist: Twelve Secrets of Decadent Dining and Natural Weight Management” and the Pew Research Center. “Eating food and pleasure are two things that go together for the French,” von Mueffling says.

The French actually sit down to eat their meals. “Sitting down and sharing meals with others is something that Parisians really like to do,” she says. People leave work for lunch, drink their coffees in cafes and rarely — if ever — eat on the go. Good thing. Research in the Journal of Health Psychology shows that eating while walking inhibits the brain’s ability to gauge food intake, thereby leading to overeating later on.

5. Think outside of the gym.

The French aren’t overly concerned with “working out,” but they instead focus on “activity,” whether it’s in a gym or not. They perform physical activities they are passionate about and don’t get hung up on what the best new exercise is, von Mueffling says.

When it comes to your health, the best exercise is the one that you enjoy doing, according to self-determination theory, the leading theory of motivation. Research consistently shows that intrinsic motivation, or doing something simply for the joy of doing it, is more effective than extrinsic factors.

6. Drink red wine.

According to LiveWell for LIFE, the average French citizen drinks more than one glass of alcohol per week but fewer than two to three glasses per day. That may be the sweet spot when it comes to both weight loss and health. In one study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who drank a light to moderate amount of alcohol per week gained less weight and had a lower risk of becoming overweight during a 12.9-year follow-up compared with people who didn’t drink alcohol. Meanwhile, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health maintains that moderate drinking seems to be beneficial for the heart and circulatory system and likely protective against Type 2 diabetes.

Although ethanol (alcohol) in itself appears to have some health benefit, much of the weight- and health-improving benefits of alcohol are linked to red wine, for which the French are famous. For instance, in a 2015 International Journal of Obesity animal study, resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine, was found to increase metabolic rate and convert calorie-storing white fat into calorie-burning brown fat. Just follow the French’s lead and don’t overdo it: The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines moderate drinking as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

7. Eat often.

The traditional French daily routine contains three main meals plus one afternoon snack, according to LiveWell for LIFE. The average American skips breakfast, eats a couple of huge meals per day and often goes for hours between eating. And while your total daily caloric intake is the main factor when it comes to weight loss, PLOS ONE research suggests that eating small, frequent meals is beneficial for muscle mass, which often takes a nosedive during weight loss and is critical to maintaining a healthy metabolic rate.

What’s more, eating small, regular meals as opposed to large, infrequent ones can help to prevent blood sugar spikes and dips that are linked with fat storage and excess caloric consumption.

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Mexican Chili Beef Pasta Bake

Keep dinner simple tonight with Clean Eating’s Mexican chili beef casserole. This hearty nutritious meal packs in 9 grams of fiber and 30 grams of protein per serving! Ancho chili powder gives this dish a hint of smoky heat without being overly spicy, but if you don’t have it on hand, feel free to use regular chili powder instead. Freeze leftovers, and bake it for a quick, reheatable meal on a time-crunch night.

Mexican Chili Beef Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 large white onion, chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 (15-ounce) cans no salt added diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 2 jalapeño peppers, 
seeded and chopped
• 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 12 ounces whole-grain farfalle
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Optional garnishes

• 1 medium avocado, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Mist a 
13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

Mist a large skillet with 
cooking spray, and heat on medium-high. Add beef, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt 
and black pepper, and cook, breaking up beef with a spoon until no longer pink, about 7–8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans, jalapeños, chili powder, garlic powder and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and return 
to pot. Stir in beef mixture.

Spread half of beef-pasta mixture into baking dish, and sprinkle with half of cheese. Top evenly with remaining beef-pasta mixture and cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, 12–14 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with avocado and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges (if using).

Nutrition Information

Serves: 8 |  Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

Per serving: Calories: 433; Total Fat: 15g; Saturated Fat: 8g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 55mg; Sodium: 475mg; Carbohydrate: 46g; Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 30g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 459mg; Iron: 29%; Vitamin A: 15%; Vitamin C: 25%; Calcium: 26% 

Clean Eating is not a diet; it’s a lifestyle approach to food. Our magazine features delicious, healthy recipes and weight-loss meal plans that highlight real foods and natural ingredients. Lose weight with the Clean Eating Academy, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for daily inspiration.

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