Beyond 10,000 steps a day: Metabolic health coach shares 5 lifestyle habits that can make a difference

Walking 10,000 steps but still feeling tired? Govind Lohia, metabolic health coach, explains why protein, strength training, sleep and daily habits matter too.

You hit your 10,000 steps, try to eat healthy and still find yourself running out of energy by 4 pm. Sound familiar? Maybe your waistline hasn’t changed in months, either, despite trying to do all the right things. Before you blame yourself, there’s something worth knowing: walking every day is great, but it may not be the whole picture when it comes to metabolic health.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Govind Lohia, metabolic health coach and co-founder of The Good Weight, explains why hitting a step target may not be enough, and which everyday habits can make a difference.

1. Your healthy diet may be missing enough protein

“Look at what a ‘healthy’ day actually is in many homes. Poha or upma in the morning, two rotis and sabzi at lunch, maybe idli at night, some fruit in between. Good food, all of it. Put it on one sheet, though, and it’s mostly carbohydrate, with protein turning up as a small katori of dal. Some days not even that.”

Govind emphasises looking at the overall nutritional balance of meals rather than simply choosing foods perceived as healthy. Adequate protein supports muscle maintenance and recovery, while pairing carbohydrates with protein, fibre and healthy fats can help make meals more satisfying.

2. Walking alone may not be enough to maintain muscle

“Walking is great for the heart and the head. For muscle, not so much. And muscle is where a big share of the glucose you eat ends up. Somewhere after 30 we start losing it, slowly, unless we give it a reason to stay.”

Govind recommends adding resistance exercises to your weekly routine, with options such as squats, push-ups and resistance-band workouts. “Squats, push-ups, a resistance band at home, two or three times a week, the kind of sets where the last few reps feel properly hard. For most people we see, I’d take that over an extra 3,000 steps.”

The idea isn’t to ditch walking, but to combine it with strength training suited to your fitness level and abilities.

Regular strength training and movement breaks throughout the day can also support metabolic health. (Picture credit: Freepik)

3. Poor sleep could be affecting your metabolic health

“Sleep is the one nobody wants to talk about. Six hours, the phone in bed, a long commute on top. Even one short night can make the body handle sugar less well the next day, so some of the good work gets quietly undone.”

Research has linked insufficient sleep with changes in glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and allowing enough time for rest can therefore be an important part of supporting metabolic health.

4. Sitting all day matters, too

An early morning walk is a good habit, but it may not fully offset spending the rest of the day sitting at a desk or travelling.

“Then there’s the sitting. An hour’s walk at 6 am followed by nine hours in a chair is, for most of the day, still a sedentary life. Ten minutes on your feet after lunch and after dinner helps more than it sounds like it should.”

Breaking up long stretches of sitting with short movement breaks and taking a brief walk after meals are simple ways to stay active throughout the day. These habits complement your regular workouts rather than replace them.

An hour at the gym is excellent for your health, but it cannot completely undo fifteen hours spent sitting. (Unsplash)

5. Sometimes, there’s an underlying health issue

If you’re feeling unusually tired or struggling despite making consistent lifestyle changes, it may be worth looking beyond your routine.

“And sometimes it’s just what nobody tested. Low vitamin D, low B12, a sluggish thyroid, early insulin resistance. We pick these up quite often in people whose fasting sugar was ‘normal.’ If you’ve felt off despite doing everything right for months, ask your doctor about a metabolic panel. It might provide you answers,” says Govind.

If symptoms persist, speak with a doctor about whether testing is appropriate.

So, should you stop chasing 10,000 steps?

Not at all. Walking remains a valuable habit, but the step count is not a universal medical requirement or a guarantee of good metabolic health. What matters is the bigger picture: balanced nutrition, strength training, sufficient sleep, regular movement throughout the day and medical advice when something doesn’t feel right. Govind’s advice is simple: “Keep the walk, by the way. Nobody’s asking you to stop.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.