Though the 10,000 steps a day “rule” is actually a marketing gimmick, there is some merit to getting a few thousand paces under your belt (or should that be soles?) daily.

Some research suggests that 7,000 steps a day can help to lower heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, depression, and falls risk, and can even reduce your likelihood of all-cause mortality by 47%.

But since I gave up my sleep tracker, I’ve grown a little weary of step-counting devices too. So, I tried a 3-3-30 walk on my lunch break instead (experts say a midday stroll can help to boost our mood and health in winter and early spring).

That’s because some research says the half-hour activity could improve your blood pressure, aerobic capacity, and strength even more than “regular” walking,

It’s a type of interval training, a bit like the “Jeffing” or “run walk run” method is for runners.

It involves walking briskly for three minutes, then more slowly for another three minutes, on repeat for half an hour.

A study into the technique concluded that “High-intensity interval walking may protect against age-associated increases in blood pressure and decreases in thigh muscle strength and peak aerobic capacity”.

These results were stronger for the interval walking group than the steady-pace walkers.

Speaking to HuffPost UK previously, doctor and consultant practitioner, Dr Hussain Ahmad, said: “If you’re aiming to maintain general health, brisk walking for at least 150 minutes a week (about 30 minutes a day, five days a week) can help reduce the risk of heart disease, improve mood, and support weight management”.

Brisker walking is associated with a 20% lower risk of early death compared to 4% for slower walkers.

Just to add the vitamin D-boosting cherry on top, doing the surprisingly efficient workout when the sun is at its highest – from 11am to 3pm – can boost your mood, sleep, and energy in the cooler months.

I don’t know if it was because I tried 3-3-30 walking on the same day this year’s endless barrage of storms gave way to sunshine, but I couldn’t believe how much it boosted my mood.

It’s also way more practical than my noble, but unrealistic, step count goals, which sometimes required either an earlier wakeup than I can usually manage or a dark, depressing post-work stroll.

A plus: because I wasn’t checking my step count during the walk, I was able to concentrate more on the nature around me (including some impossibly cute fluffy gislings, pictured above).

That meant the walk was more sustainable, more enjoyable, and (probably) more efficient. No wonder I’ve been trying to get friends and family on board.

2025 was a busy year for my step tracker. I tried “Japanese walking,” “retro walking,” “meditative walking,” “rucking,” walking earlier in the mornings, “6-6-6 walking,” “mindful walking,” strolling like a Jane Austen heroine, and “colour walking” this year (phew).

And while I only outright disliked one – “plogging,” I’m afraid, is not my cup of tea – it’d be pretty unreasonable to have expected all of these to stick.

Predictably, most have not. “6-6-6” walking, for instance, was based on great theory, but I found it a little too prescriptive in practice.

“Rucking” probably did help my posture a bit. But if I don’t need a bag, I don’t need a bag; and after a couple of weeks of trying the trend, I slowly stopped looking for an excuse to fill one up (and did not buy a weighted vest).

So, I thought I’d share the three I still regularly engage in, and why I find them so beneficial.

I’ll be honest: I was a little sceptical of this walking method at first, though it’s based on research that links the method to improved blood pressure, stronger thigh muscles, and better aerobic capacity than those who walked 8,000 steps a day at a regular pace.

The idea is to walk quickly in intervals (a slower cousin of running’s “Jeffing,” AKA the “run-walk-run” method).

I walked fast for three minutes, then slower for another three, five times. That cut my daily walking time to just half an hour.

GP Dr Suzanne Wylie said at the time, “From a clinical perspective, any form of consistent, moderate-intensity walking, especially if it incorporates posture, breathing, or mindfulness as Japanese walking sometimes does, can further enhance cardiovascular and mental health”.

While that’s true, I’ve stayed “Japanese walking” for other, more selfish reasons: it’s fast, it feels more satisfying than a regular walk, and I think it’s made my quads stronger.

A more recent addition to my routine, this method has proven surprisingly addictive.

It’s simple: you walk backwards. While I did this in a park at first, which was indeed mortifying, I’ve since stuck to treadmills.

Another reason to get over the initial embarrassment? “Retro walking” has been linked to better arthritis results when paired with conventional treatment, lessened back pain for athletes, more balance, gait speed, and lower body benefits for older people than “regular” walking, and even brain boosts.

“When you walk backwards, your movement pattern changes completely: you use different muscle groups and place different loads through your joints,” Dr Wylie said.

“In particular, it tends to activate the quadriceps more and places less compressive stress on the kneecap compared to forward walking, which may explain why some people notice improvements in knee discomfort.”

That explains my real reason for sticking to the trend: it’s proven great for my worn knees.

Can you tell I love a walking trend – something quantitative, research-backed, and trackable?

That’s all well and good, but when I got injured earlier this year, I learned the importance of “meditative” walking.

Yes, it seems I needed expert advice to tell me to chill out and enjoy my walk.

“We can discuss the physical benefits of running and walking all day long, but it is perhaps the mental benefits that are most important.

“Walking… has been associated with breath regulation, decreased anxiety, decreased depression, and increased overall sense of well-being,” said Joy Puleo, pilates expert, avid runner, and director of education at Balanced Body.

“Take the pressure off doing it right, doing it too fast or too slow. Just commit to the walk, enjoy your time outside, ask a friend to join.”

This is perfect when I don’t feel up for a longer walk; in the past, I’d have given up on going outside due to worries my stroll “wouldn’t count”.

I could not have been more wrong about that, I now realise.

Amidst what can sometimes feel like a barrage of exercise advice, the NHS says that the benefits of a simple walk often go “overlooked”.

The movement, after all, is linked to better heart, brain, and mental health.

And, some posit, “Nordic walking” may be even better for you than the “regular” kind.

It’s been associated with higher calorie expenditure and less joint pain than going for a normal stroll, while some research suggests it may even ease chronic fatigue.

Here, we spoke to Dr Giuseppe Aragona, GP and medical adviser for Prescription Doctor, about why “Nordic walking” seems to be so good for us – and how it stacks up against the oft-repeated 10,000 steps rule.

Nordic walking involves using two poles to propel yourself as you walk. It was first popularised in the ’90s by skiers, hoping to build their strength off-season.

Because it involves the use of your torso and arms, it engages more of your muscles (up to 90% vs regular walking’s 50-ish %, Harvard Health said).

“In many ways,” Dr Aragona told HuffPost UK, “it offers advantages over simply aiming for 10,000 steps a day”, provided you move enough to meet fitness recommendations.

After all, she explained, the figure “was never based on robust medical evidence; rather, it emerged as a marketing concept in the 1960s.

“What we now know is that meaningful health benefits can be achieved with far fewer steps, and that the quality and intensity of movement matter just as much as the number of steps taken.”

Nordic walking may be a more vigorous activity, the GP continued, because it gets more of your body moving.

“Studies suggest it can increase energy expenditure by around 20% compared with ordinary walking at the same speed, so people often achieve a moderate-intensity workout more quickly,” she stated.

“For most adults, around 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week is the recommended target, and Nordic walking is an excellent way to meet that… Nordic walking can make each step ‘count’ a little more towards cardiovascular fitness.”

Dr Aragona explained that the technique is an excellent choice for those suffering from joint pain, “including those with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis”.

That’s because “The poles act almost like a support system, distributing some of the body weight through the arms and reducing the load going through the hips, knees, and ankles. This can make walking more comfortable and allow people to walk further or more confidently than they might otherwise manage.”

Additionally, Nordic walking encourages better posture and a longer stride – both of which the GP says can reduce stiffness.

And the added stability and balance the poles offer “can reduce the fear of falling and allow [people] to remain active, important for joint health in the long run”.

The sport, which is often associated with older people, can “be an excellent full-body workout for any age group,” as “It strengthens the core, improves coordination, and provides a cardiovascular boost without the higher impact of running,” Dr Aragona shared.

“Younger adults who find walking ‘too easy’ often enjoy the increased challenge and pace they can achieve with poles,” she ended.

“It can also be ideal for people recovering from injury, those who want a low-impact form of cross-training, or anyone looking for an outdoor activity that improves fitness and strength simultaneously.”

It feels like we went from 9pm sunsets to a black sky at half bloomin’ four in a matter of seconds.

And with increasing darkness comes the onset of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and vitamin D deficiencies for some. That’s not to mention potentially dysregulated sleep and decreased physical activity, either.

So perhaps it’s no wonder that Brenig Moore, health and safety and technical officer at Astutis, told HuffPost UK: “Lunch breaks matter all year round, but more so over the darker seasons of autumn and winter”.

In fact, Moore said, a 15-minute change to your lunch break could be considered a “basic safety requirement”.

Sunlight during winter is scarce, which can deplete your stores of vitamin D and even disrupt your sleep.

But it will likely be too dark to get enough of that sweet sunlight on the other side of your work day.

So, the Royal Osteoporosis Society’s advice – “to let the sun shine on your face or arms for about 10 minutes between 11am and 3pm” – might be best achieved for many on their lunch break.

“It is a basic safety requirement to get out and take a small walk for at least ten minutes to boost your alertness, mood and energy,” Moore revealed.

He added, “Short days mean your body’s natural wake/sleep cycle is disrupted. Even just fifteen minutes outdoors can help you avoid that mid-afternoon slump that leads to mistakes, stress and burnout.”

Even your joints struggle in the colder, more sedentary months, he continued.

“Cold weather tightens muscles and joints, and what’s going to make that even worse is sitting in the same office chair all day… Moving at midday resets posture and reduces aches that lead to long-term issues.”

It may be especially useful in times of high pressure, the health expert stated: “Winter workloads spike, but powering through kills efficiency… The people who pace themselves work smarter, not longer. A 30-minute break can save hours of tired mistakes.”

“You may find your mood to be a lot lower in winter than it is in summer, and this isn’t uncommon,” Moore said.

“A break in natural light helps keep serotonin levels stable, and stops stress building up and overwhelming you.”

Not enough motivation?

“Constant screen time drains the brain. Stepping away at lunch resets concentration and judgement, which will lower the risk of accidents happening both at work and at home,” the expert ended.

“By going out and resetting your brain, you’re less likely to come back to the office or your laptop and make any mistakes. Some accidents may just be something as simple as not including an attachment in an email, but some accidents may be something that could cause injuries for you or others in the workplace.”

BRB, just putting my trainers on…

Good news for fellow slow runners: it turns out zone two cardio, which sees joggers plod along at a conversational pace, is incredibly good for us.

Professional runners spend about 85% of their training doing that sort of low-impact activity. It puts runners at about 60-70% of their max heart rate.

But if even that sounds a little too much, zone zero movement (yes, really) might be the under-appreciated, super-low-effort way to keep you active without a pricey gym membership or even a pair of trainers.

Never putting your heart above 50% of its max rate, it can be done accidentally – it’s that easy and approachable.

Primary care organisation The Lanby describes zone zero training as a kind of “active rest” – it “aids in active recovery, ensuring your body is ready for the next challenge”.

It means your heart rate never goes above half its maximum level, as we mentioned above. Your max heart rate changes by age: in general, it’s calculated by subtracting your age from 220.

So, say you’re 30 years old. Your max heart rate is around 190; and zone zero training will never see your pulse go above 95 beats per minute.

It can include slow walking, gentle cycling, and yoga. But popping to the shops, doing a bit of light tidying, and pottering around in the kitchen count too.

Zone zero training is not only a great way to make exercise accessible to those who might find the idea of a full-on workout a bit much, but active recovery also benefits active people as it helps to flush out waste material that builds up in tired muscles.

Some experts think that those who work out might subconsciously compensate for the added load by not engaging in zone zero moves (like tapping your foot or taking an extra few steps) throughout the day. Remembering to include zone zero work in your routine might help this.

Taking a short stroll after eating, in particular, might help to even out your blood sugar, too. And some suggest that pottering can keep you alive for longer.

These can include:

• Stretching at your desk
• Light walking
• Yoga
• Walking meetings
• Rolling your feet on a roller or ball as you work
• Gently yoga
• Slow cycling
• Tidying
• Cooking.

Parking a couple more metres away from work than usual or popping to the shops instead of ordering in can all add up.

That’s not to say that zone zero training should replace current health guidelines – the NHS says we should stick to 75 minutes of high-intensity or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity (over 50% of your max heart rate) activity a week.

Not doing so has been linked to shorter, less healthy lives.

Still, going from no activity to some has enormous health benefits too – and whether you find yourself intimidated by intense exercise or are struggling to properly recover from your most hardcore workouts, zone zero may offer an approachable answer.