If your step counter has been nagging you with 'still 6,345 steps to go,' don't roll your eyes. 10,000 steps a day isn't just a trend, it's a health reset button. It's simple, it's free, and it works.

The 10,000-step benchmark started as a marketing strategy for a 1960s Japanese pedometer, not a medical recommendation. Research now shows health gains can start with far fewer steps — as low as 2,500 ...