On 2 January 2021, a friend told me that their New Year’s resolution was to walk 10,000 steps a day. It was the dead of winter and I was still feeling the effects of a champagne hangover from a night celebrating the end of 2020.
When they asked whether I wanted to attempt the goal with them, I replied with a noncommittal yes. After all, it was freezing in New York City and the thought of walking aimlessly for hours outside didn’t sound appealing, no matter what the alleged health benefits.
However, a quick glance at my iPhone’s Health app did slightly more to motivate me, as the built-in pedometer informed me that I’d walked an average of just 5,361 steps a day in 2020 as a result of lockdowns and working from home amid the pandemic.
Throughout January and February, I made a few half-hearted attempts to complete my 10,000-step goal, at times questioning how my friend had found himself so dedicated to the daily exercise. It was one thing to go for a daily walk, but to walk for the hours needed to meet the number, especially after a day of working from my couch, seemed…
