Man Challenges Himself to Walk 35,000 Steps a Day. One Week Later, Here’s What Happened-

Walking 10,000 steps a day has become the new gold standard for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The simple exercise comes with a range of benefits, enhancing both our physical and mental health. While the 10k standard is an achievable feat, as popularized by a Japanese company in the ‘60s and eventually by health organizations, some people tend to take step counts a bit too seriously. YouTuber and content creator Jack Massey (@JackSucksAtLife) took his step count to an intense new level in a unique social experiment. He was shocked by the results, which showed distinct changes in his body. 

Massey attempted to complete 250,000 steps in a week and document how the high-intensity walking would impact his daily lifestyle. To complete the challenge, the YouTuber had to take an average of 35,700 steps every day. Although skeptical at first, he was able to get on with the challenge without interruptions the first few days. But as the week rolled on, Massey felt his body catching on with the intense workout. He measured different parts of his body, from his arms to his thighs and stomach, to record the differences at the end of the challenge. 

Kicking off the week with a positive mindset, Massey got up early at 7:30 am and went for a walk lasting about 2 hours 8 minutes, and covering a distance of 13 km initially. His step count was recorded at 15,500 for the first half of his walking regime. Completing his second round of walks in the afternoon, he covered about 11 km with 14,000 steps. Finally, achieving his target and more with 35,900 steps with another evening walk of 2000 steps, Massey was elated to have gotten through the first day of the week without any problems. 

However, he informed his viewers of experiencing sore feet and joint pain by day four of the challenge. Massey pre-planned his walks by carrying coffee and some refreshments to help him push towards the goal. He also estimated that it was best to walk as long as possible without stopping. Despite the chilly weather and dark evenings, he continued to achieve his daily step count with minor pain in his legs. On the final day, Massey was left with only 22,000 steps, which he said was an “easy walk” as compared to the former days of the challenge. “While my swollen ankles, my blisters, and my aching heel were still present, they were not getting any worse,” Massey said in the video. 

In the end, the YouTuber compared the visual differences by collating before and after footage of his body. He claimed to look narrower and had seemed to lose fat in his lower belly. “I am two pounds lighter,” Massey said. While most of his previously measured body parts were smaller, his thighs had grown by half a centimeter along with his calf muscles. On the contrary, the creator had a black toenail and swollen ankles even days after the challenge. “Well, do I recommend walking 250,000 steps in a week? Absolutely not,” Massey suggested. Although, he noted that a step count between 8,000 to 20,000 steps would be feasible for people depending on their circumstances. 

Healthcare charity Nuffield Health advised that walking on a daily basis comes with several health benefits. It can help lower the risk of dementia by 50%, reduce joint pain for arthritis patients, improve mental clarity and creative flow, and also reduce the possibility of premature death, per LADbible. However, the debate remains on how many steps are too many. Though not scientifically backed, the 10k daily step-count goal has seemed to fare well with fitness fanatics– a number popularised by Dr. Yoshiro Hatano following the launch of his pedometer called ‘manpo-kei’, which meant the ‘10,000 steps meter’ in the 1960s. 

You can follow @JackSucksAtLife on YouTube for more fun challenges.