I’ve been adament about getting 10,000 + steps 6/7 days of the week for the past 2 months. I thought I’d answer a few questions! Why the focus? How do you get them in? When did you start? and who are the Maasai people you keep talking about?
How it started:
Intuitive Eating focuses on 10 principles. During one week of every month, I pick a different one to focus on. The month of June’s focus was, “Exercise to Feel the Difference.”
A friend of mine referred me to a Documentary called, “In Defense of Food.” I loved it.. (Highly recommended.) Something that stood out to me was when Micheal Pollan said, “Fat is now our issue. The healthiest people in the world, the Masaai, live off of nothing but cattle blood, beef, and milk.”
“Interesting.” I thought, “The healthiest people in the world eat meat? They aren’t vegan? They eat dairy? Sounds like a high fat diet…..” I decided to fact check it. Turns out, WA-LA. It’s true! I spent a few hours researching more, and more….
The Maasai
The Maasai. Photo: Matt Crypto
The Maasai people, are located in East Africa. They live in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, their diet does, in fact, consist of the cattle blood, beef, and milk.
The Maasai’s diet is just as full of fats as the diet of people living in the West, America. Unlike Westerners, however, the Maasai do not have many problems related to lifestyle diseases.
What? I wondered, WHY? HOW?
Since heart disease started to creep up in the 1960’s-1970’s, America began to be interested in the Maasai people. We did several “studies” on the Maasai people, only involving questionnaires. The conclusion we made, as to why they were so healthy was, “they do a lot of high intensity exercising and running.Their performance is of an athlete.”
However, we couldn’t have been more wrong.
Just now, the DANISH have conducted a study, involving trackers (kind of like a FitBit) put on the Maasai people, to track their daily activity.
Turns out, the Maasai don’t run much.
Surprisingly, the measurements show that the good health of the Maasai is not due to intense physical activity all day long. It seems that moderate but constant physical activity explains the health difference between them and Westerners.
What is the difference between America vs. The Maasai?
They walk. A lot.
Although America’s and The Maasai’s fat intake are the same, the Maasai don’t have any of the heart diseases, or diabetes unlike Americans, and this is why.
“Most of their everyday physical activity is in the form of walking; very little time is spent running, which may not correspond to most people’s image of the Maasai.”
This study has shown us, that the Maasai move a lot more than we do.
“On average, the Maasai move 75 percent more than we do in the West”
The measurements also showed that while the Maasai move considerably, the intensity of their movements is low.
The only “high intensity physical activity” would be found during their ritual celebrations throughout the year, where they engage in high intensity jumping during dancing.
So there you have it! That’s why I started walking, everyday. So much more I could say about it, but that for another blog.
Thanks to my friend for the Documentary recommendation, which let me to ask questions/fact checking, which lead me to understanding the importance of getting my 10,000 steps in daily, walking, and moving.
It’s that low intensity moderate walking and moving, that will burn the calories you need in order to not store unneeded and excess fat. No matter your high intensity workout you are already doing daily, we need the benefits of walking 10,000 steps daily.
The Average American walks 4,500 steps a day.
Now you know! I challenge you all to 2 things.
1. Walk
2. Question more.
Keep an open mind, and question what you read. Do some research. Learn something new. We all have potential, so fill your life with growth.
Physically. Mentally. Spiritually.
Sources:
In Defense of Food: Micheal Pollan
The Maasai keep healthy despite a high-fat diet: Irene Berg Peterson
thehealthylifeisgood 