"Walking is a very accessible activity for people to start or continue and absolutely contributes to a healthy lifestyle," says Shelby Johnson, MD, a physical medicine & rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester.

But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has challenged Americans to try and double or triple that amount by incorporating more walking into one's daily routine.

The University of Kansas KU Medical Center calls the 10,000 steps recommendation, "the ‘magic pill’ everyone is seeking" when it comes to positive health outcomes.

Walking that duration of time each day, "improves cardiovascular health, strengthens bones and muscles and can help maintain or obtain a healthy body weight," adds Johnson.

What's more, if it’s too difficult or unrealistic to block out 30 minutes of walking to do all at once, "breaking it up into three short, 10-minute sessions will give you all the same health benefits," says Michael Fredericson, MD, director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation division of Stanford University.

"Studies have shown that regular brisk walking can be just as effective as running in reducing the risk of heart disease and improving overall levels of fitness."