I moved from California to Italy. I started walking over 10,000 steps without even trying.

The author moved from the US to Italy and started hitting 10,000 steps without trying. Courtesy of the author Moving to Florence naturally doubled my daily step count. Research suggests 10,000 steps isn't necessary for better health. I stopped tracking every walk and started enjoying movement again. I sat on my gray couch in my California home , surrounded by plain white walls and a fiddle-leaf fig plant. Before turning on Netflix, I grabbed my phone, clicked on the heart icon, and checked my step count for the day. On an ideal day, I'd have at least 10,000 steps — the alleged holy grail number I needed to lower my mortality risk and improve my heart health. But on a more realistic day, as a health journalist working from home, I averaged between 3,000 and 4,000 steps.