How many miles must you cover over the course of a day to earn an "active" fitness label?
a. 2 miles
b. 5 miles
c. 7 miles
You'll need to cover at least 5 miles to meet fitness guidelines. That's equivalent to about 10,000 steps, so clip on your pedometer and get counting!
The flip side
Know what fitness label you'll earn if you cover roughly half that 5-mile ground? Sedentary. People who walk little more than 2 miles (less than 5,000 steps) over the course of a day are not considered active at all.
Get it where you can
The good news is that you can tally up those miles not just during the course of a formal workout but through any kind of physical activity—from puttering around your house while you cook or dust to walking to and from your car. But give yourself a head start by taking a 30-minute walk each day.
Take the RealAge Test to see if all your daily activities and workouts add up to big health benefits.
