From chapter 4, Walk the Mountain
Ten minutes, not a magic step count
This note is from Running with Llamas. It is general education, not care. The chapter rates the practice moderate.
Ten thousand steps is not a scientific finish line. A 2025 review found benefits at a lower daily count, and it did not crown a new minimum. Seven thousand steps is not a moral line either. A counter can show you whether today had a walk in it. It is not a judge. If a counter makes you anxious, skip it.
Public guidance asks adults for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus strength work on two days. Moderate, in the NHS talk test, means you can talk but not sing. The NHS also says a brisk ten-minute walk can be useful, and that enjoyable movement helps when depression is less severe. See a doctor if you have been feeling down. A walk you repeat is not a complete mental-health plan.
An umbrella review of 97 reviews (1,039 trials, 128,119 participants) found medium average effects of physical activity on depression, anxiety, and distress, compared with usual care. The median effects were −0.43, −0.42, and −0.60. Seventy-seven of the 97 reviews scored critically low on a review-quality tool. Higher intensity was associated with greater improvements. It is not a cure you have failed if a hard month returns, and it is not a reason to refuse therapy, medicine, or a doctor.
The practice. After a cue you already meet, add about ten brisk minutes of walking. If ten is too much, five. On two days, about ten minutes of strength at home: sit-to-stands, a wall push, or a carry you already make. If you have a heart condition, are pregnant, were inactive before a pregnancy, or have been still for a long time, and a clinician has not cleared you, skip harder efforts and ask first. Stop and get medical help if exertion brings chest pain, fainting, or breathlessness you do not understand. If you miss, the next cue is enough. Do not make the next day pay the missed one back.
Otis says, "I don't count steps. I just keep taking them."
Sources, as cited in the book and read 10 November 2026: