How Many Steps You Really Need to Get in Each Day - Study Says

 Research shows that the number typically recommended for decades may be off.

With wearable health monitors more popular than ever, the goal of hitting the recommended 10,000 steps every day has become part of a routine for many. But that step count, which has been held as the standard for decades, may not actually be the number you need to be reaching. Instead, research from Harvard Medical School has shed light on how many steps you really need to get in each day, finding that the necessary count is likely much lower than you thought.

You may actually need less than half the number of steps currently recommended to stay healthy.

A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine in 2019 compared the step patterns of 16,741 women over seven days. The results showed that getting in just 4,400 steps each day significantly lowers the risk of death in women, with more steps further decreasing the risk up until they hit 7,500 steps.While some studies have found health benefits resulting from hitting the long-held goal of 10,000 steps each day, these latest findings challenge that decades-old belief. In fact, the idea appears to have been started by a popular Japanese step counter sold in the mid-1960s known as "Manpo-kei," which literally translates as "10,000 step meter," The Conversation reports.

Five thousand steps may be the minimum daily steps you can take to avoid health complications.

Other recent studies have shown that there seems to be a base minimum for daily movement. In a Feb. 2021 report, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that those who walk fewer than 5,000 steps a day were less able to metabolize fat the day following their inactivity.This suggests that a buildup of body fat could lead to health complications, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes due to a sedentary lifestyle, The Conversation reports.

But how you get those steps in matters, too.

While getting in ample movement as part of your routine is important, how you move matters too. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that people do at least 150 minutes of "moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity" each week—which includes brisk walking, as well as gardening or biking slower than 10 miles per hour—or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity.But other studies have found that lower intensity exercise done throughout the week can still have a cumulative impact on your health goals. This includes a Canadian study from 2016, which found that even getting halfway to the WHO's suggested 150-minute goal led to significant health benefits. 

Changing a few routines can make it easier to hit your daily steps goal.

Fortunately, getting closer to hitting that daily step goal can usually be achieved with a few simple changes. Start by checking your current daily step average and aim to increase the count by 2,000, which can be achieved by walking to work or while running errands, Lindsay Bottoms, PhD, from the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K., wrote for The Conversation.She also recommends inviting friends to join you on a walk instead of at a bar or café, as well as making a point to stand up and move around at many points throughout the day if you're sitting at a desk.

How to Flirt on Instagram - A Grown Man's Guide

 Follow, like, and DM your way to romantic bliss.

A half-generation ago, if you were romantically interested in someone, you did one of two things to fan the flame of their own ardor: You either flirted with them in person or flirted with them over the phone. How times have changed. A single friend of mine recently told me that his go-to, low-risk method of wooing is simply using social media. Yes, he has figured out how to properly flirt on Instagram. There are several non-creepy and even romantic ways to do it."Sometimes just following a [woman] can feel like a bold move," he says. "But believe it or not, it works. If she doesn't follow back, that's pretty helpful information. And if she does follow me back, I'll just start liking a photo or two and see where things go… Recently, I got into a back-and-forth with a [woman] in which we kept wordlessly liking each other's photos every couple of minutes. Eventually we DM'd and went on a date."

For the record: he's 38 years old.

Now, whatever you think about this safe, distanced, and even childish way of flirting (for the record: I would urge all men to pick up the phone, always), you simply can't argue with results. So I called up a few dating and social media experts to compile the ultimate dos and don'ts of flirting on Instagram to help you follow, like, and DM your way to relationship bliss.

Do: Follow them before you slide into their DMs.

If you want to get someone's attention, follow them. "Most people view who their followers are and if the other person follows you back, you are already ahead of the game," says Jen Hecht, president of The Dating Advisory Board. This is one action on Instagram that really won't be perceived as too aggressive by anyone, regardless of whether you know them in real life or not. But one word of caution: If you request to follow someone who has a private profile and they don't accept your request, don't request again. Sorry. They're just not that into you.

Don't: Like every single photo they post.

All of our experts agree that a mass liking of someone else's posts is a terrible idea that comes off as obsessive. If you are going to like more than one photo, though, here's one salient piece of advice: "I advise guys to like a variety of pictures, not just selfies and sexy photos," says Jonathan Bennett, certified counselor, dating expert, and founder of The Popular Man. "Build a rapport and get to know her by actually exploring photos that reveal more than just her looks. Women know what a guy is after when he only focuses on the sexy photos."

Do: Send a thoughtful DM.

Ah, to direct message or not to direct message? Sometimes, it might seem like sending someone a DM is a little bit too forward, but "it's not creepy if it's done tastefully," says Hecht. After all, you're an adult, and you know what you want. "Be light, funny, and engaging when sending the message," she advises. If you're reaching out to someone you've never met before, be especially careful to keep things appropriate. "How would you reach out to a prospective business client if you were trying to set up an initial meeting? The same principles apply reaching out to a love interest," Hecht posits. If you already know your love interest, however, skip the DM and text or email them instead.

Don't: Send multiple DMs.

"The basic rule of social media flirting is don't be creepy," says Bennett. Repeat messages when you're not getting a response? Yeah. Creepy. Instagram messages have a handy feature that displays the word "seen" once the recipient has read the message. If your love interest has read your message but has not responded, take the hint.

Do: Frame comments as questions.

The best way to get a response from someone you're interested in on Instagram is to simply ask them a question, according to Mae Karwowski, social media marketing expert and founder and CEO of Obvious.ly. "Comment on the content of someone's photo in a nice, non-aggressive way," she advises. "Make the comment a question about what is happening in the photo, not that person's looks. Remember, you are trying to start a dialogue," she adds.For example, if you're leaving a comment on a photo of the person on a beach, say something like: "Your vacation looks amazing, how was it?" Do not write: "You look like a total smoke show." Simple, right? Right.

Don't: Say anything you wouldn't say in person.

Don't get weird behind the filter of social media. "A good guideline is asking yourself: 'Would I say this or do this if I saw this [woman] in person?'" says Bennett. "If the answer is no, then don't do it on Instagram either."

Do: Take things offline.

The end goal here is to meet this person in person, so don't prolong the online conversation when it's possible to go on a date and find out if you're right for each other. "Get out of a public newsfeed as quickly as you can," says Karwowski. "Say, 'I just DM'ed you,' and continue the conversation there. If that goes well, move to text, email, whatever you two want to do." Once you've both shown interest, there's no reason to waste time playing games.

Don't: Send mixed signals.

If you're not interested in meeting someone offline, don't pursue them online. "We need to stop hiding behind our devices," says Hecht. Ghosting, bread-crumbing, and cushioning have become easier than ever to do because of social media, and it's not a good look, especially for an adult man. "Be human," Hecht adds. Don't just reach out to someone to boost your ego or as a way to fill your time when you're bored.

Do: Make your move and then let it go.

Overall, Karwowski has one all-encompassing rule for Instagram flirting: "Drop a hint once and then drop it, especially if you do not know the person," she advises. "Repetitive comments, likes, and other actions expressing interests do not count as actual flirting." If they don't take the hint, move on or seek out a more straightforward way to let them know you're interested, like calling to ask them on a date.

Don't: Rely on social media to get dates.

"The truth is that Instagram was not intended as a dating site, so it can be very confusing when it's used as one," explains Nikki Goldstein, sexologist and author of Single But Dating. "How do you know if someone is liking your photos because they actually like your photos or because they like you? There might be a few more obvious clues if they are sending you direct messages and asking you out for a date but e-flirting in terms of follows and likes can be misleading and confusing and leave someone asking, 'What does it mean?'" In other words, if you're really sure you like someone and you have the means to contact them outside of Instagram, that's probably a better bet.

Never Do This With Your Cooked Meat - CDC Says

 You've probably made this dangerous cooking mistake more than once.

Cooking a meal is about so much more than putting food in your belly—it can be full of creative expression, or a way of sharing community. But it can also be a source of great responsibility, given all the ways it can go wrong.The cooking of some food items is notoriously more fraught than others—with meat being among the most likely to cause foodborne illness. Before you slap another steak on the grill, read on to find out which culinary habits could be putting you and the folks you cook for at risk.

Never put cooked meat back on a plate that held raw meat.

If you're using one plate to hold meat when it's raw, then returning it to the same plate once it's cooked, you could be putting your health in jeopardy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that this can be dangerous because "germs from the raw meat can spread to the cooked meat." It's an easy error to make, and one you've probably made at least once out of convenience.Instead, you should plan ahead by bringing two plates—one for before, and one for after cooking. "Always use separate plates for raw meat and cooked meat. The same rule applies to chicken, turkey, and seafood," the CDC says.

Rinsing the plate may not be enough to clean it.

Even once you've finished cooking, you should take special care with how you handle plates that have held raw meat. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), simply washing those dishes by hand may not be enough to decontaminate them from harmful bacteria."Cleaning is the first step to get rid of bacteria from these surfaces," the USDA explains, referencing any surface, plate, or utensil that has come in contact with raw meat. "Foodborne-illness-causing bacteria can remain on surfaces for a very long time. Campylobacter can survive in your kitchen for up to four hours, and Salmonella can last for up to 32 hours (and both can be found on raw poultry)." The authority explains that washing a plate with warm, soapy water may remove some debris and germs, but it is not enough to effectively kill all of the bacteria that could make you sick.

Instead, you should sanitize items that have come into contact with raw meat.

Rinsing your dishes is important, but it's only the first step to decontamination, says the USDA. "Whenever you cook raw meat or poultry, make sure you clean and THEN sanitize not just your surfaces but also the kitchen sink," the USDA warns.The authority recommends using a dishwasher to clean plates, utensils, and cutting boards that are non-porous and dishwasher safe—and to use the highest heat setting available, ideally over 140 degrees Fahrenheit.If you're wary of putting certain items in the dishwasher, using a sanitizing solution made of one tablespoon unscented liquid bleach and one gallon of water can help kill any residual bacteria. The USDA recommends pouring the solution on any item that needs to be decontaminated and allowing it to sit for a few minutes, or soaking smaller items in the solution itself. Rinse the solution off with fresh water after a few minutes and then use clean paper towels to dry the items off or allow them to air dry.

Make sure to thoroughly wash your hands both before and after cooking, too.

Keeping your plates and surfaces clean and sanitized is important, but the CDC says it's just one small piece of the kitchen safety puzzle.The health authority recommends washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and running water both before and after cooking to avoid transferring bacteria from your hands to your food or vice versa. However, the CDC cautions against washing certain food items—specifically meat products and eggs—because this can transfer dangerous bacteria from those items onto your sink and other surfaces in your kitchen, potentially contaminating other food. Instead, simply cook meat and egg products thoroughly to reduce harmful bacteria.