Frequently Asked Questions

10K-A-Day is based on research showing active individuals — those who achieve 10,000 steps a day or more — have lower risk for many chronic conditions including heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, and obesity. People who are regularly active also report greater energy, better mood, improved sleep, and other quality of life benefits.

Achieving 10,000 steps a day is a challenge for many. That’s okay. You can work up to it gradually and achieve health benefits no matter what your current activity level. Just wearing the step counter motivates individuals to add another 2000 without a lot of extra effort. Then, after work or dinner, most people check their step counter, see they’re at 5000 or 6000 steps, and decide to go for a 2-3 mile walk or run to reach 10,000.

All exercise — even a brisk 10-minute walk — is good for you. So take advantage of any opportunity to add activity to your day and record your progress. But for long-term success, aim for at least 10,000 steps each day by not only adding more steps to your regular routine, but also setting aside 30-60 minutes of dedicated walking time.

For every 2000 steps you record, you’ll move a mile on the 10K-A-Day route.

No. Whether you’ve completed a route or you’d just like to jump to another one, you can move on without losing your accumulated steps. Your progress will be recorded on the current route and your steps will continue to add up on the new one. If you decide to return to the previous route, you’ll pick up where you left off.

The goal of 10K-A-Day Team participation is to reinforce a lasting exercise habit with a fun, friendly competition that emphasizes consistency over athleticism and increases your chances for success. Each day you record 10,000 steps or more, you earn a 10K-A-Day token for your team. Scoring is based on a combination of team averages for daily points (1000 steps = 1 point) — not to exceed 25 points/day** for each individual — and number of tokens earned. The more tokens you earn, the greater the impact on your overall team score. To learn more, point to the Team tab, then click How It Works.

** Note: you may record more than 25 points (or 25,000 steps) a day, but to encourage consistency, only 25 count toward your team average.

The purpose of tracking daily steps is to have a simple measurement that shows how active you are so you can begin stepping up your activity. Most people take 2000-4000 steps a day. To determine your approximate mileage, divide your steps by 2000. For example, 10,000 steps divided by 2000 equals 5 miles.

It’s not required, but if you record your steps daily, you’ll enjoy the full experience of 10K-A-Day as you watch your progress along the route.

Many people do — studies show active people are more likely to maintain a healthy weight than those who are inactive. Yet that’s not the program’s only goal; its advantages go well beyond helping you maintain a healthy weight.

Use the Contact link at the bottom of each page on the website. A 10K-A-Day representative will respond within 1 business day.

All data is compiled and stored in a secure server and will be reviewed only in the aggregate by staff for program evaluation purposes. For more details, see the Privacy Statement.