In my stride: When walking becomes your compulsion!

Raju Korti
It is funny how something we take for granted – walking -- can become an existential pursuit. In 2015, I underwent a near-fatal coronary bypass. For nearly two years after, I was a picture of frailty: anaemic, feeble, with tottering feet that struggled even with short distances. The ground beneath me didn’t just feel uneven -- it felt indifferent. My cardiologist, ever cautious, told me not to run, not to exert, just to walk. “At your age and condition,” he said, “walking is the best cardio there is.” I wasn’t a walking enthusiast. But now, walking became non-negotiable. Not for fitness, but for sheer survival.

(Sketch representational)

What started as short, laboured trudges morphed over time into longer, more confident strides. Slowly, the fog of weakness lifted. Today, I average between 5,000 to 7,000 steps daily -- depending on my willpower and Mumbai’s temperament. There are days when I feel almost athletic, and others when I simply settle for an honest effort. But I walk -- every day. I have given up my motorbike and car without regret. When it rains, I pace inside. On days I miss it, I feel something’s amiss. What keeps me going is not just medical advice but a quiet conviction echoed in that old philosophical line: “Jeevan chalne ka naam hai, chalte raho subah-o-shaam.

”Of course, every wearable tracker today will flash a 10,000-step target at you like gospel. But recent findings published in The Lancet Public Health suggest we have perhaps over-walked the mark. A landmark global study led by the University of Sydney reviewed data from over 57 studies and found that 7,000 steps may be the sweet spot -- not 10,000. The researchers concluded that the benefits of walking increased steadily until the 7,000-step mark, after which gains began to flatten. In fact, walking 7,000 steps a day slashed the risk of early death by nearly 47%, dementia by 38%, and showed similar risk-reduction effects for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

What struck me was the study’s underlying message: consistency trumps obsession. You don’t have to chase an arbitrary number. For some, even going from 2,000 to 4,000 steps makes a world of difference. Every added step counts until it doesn’t -- and that “doesn’t” begins around 7,000.I walk today not to hit a number on a screen, but because walking grounds me. It has become an inward pilgrimage, a meditation in motion. A way to tell my body, and perhaps even life itself, that I’m still moving forward. If there’s one takeaway from my journey, it is this: step counts are deeply personal. The right number is not what your fitness band flashes but what your body can sustain, enjoy, and benefit from. Walk not just to live longer, but to live better.

So, go ahead -- lace up your shoes. But remember: the goal is not to race to 10,000. The goal is simply to keep going.