You probably know that walking 10,000 steps a day is the new “magic metric” for the health-conscious. Ten years ago if you asked someone how many steps a day they should walk, you’d get a shoulder shrug. Nobody counted steps. That was before the age of the “quantified self.”

Now, thanks to ever-more sophisticated wearables, we can track and measure every beat of our heart, every minute of our sleep, how many miles we’ve walked, how many stairs we’ve climbed, how many pounds we’ve lost. As they say, “it’s all good.” A 2010 study reported that walking greater distances improved cardiovascular health, personal growth (whatever that means) and other contributors to healthy living. The American Heart Association says a brisk walk can lower high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes if performed and maintained over time.