Man, 28, walked 17 miles a day for a week – what it did to his body

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but what about walking 35,000 steps?

That’s exactly what 28-year-old British YouTuber Jack Massey Welsh did for an entire week – racking up 250,000 steps in just seven days.

The result was a mix of surprising body changes and brutal injuries.

“For me it was worth it just for the experience,” Wales said in a recent video, which has since gone viral with over 1.5 million views.

Before the challenge, Wales weighed himself and took body measurements to track his progress.

He said he didn’t change his diet much, other than adding an extra 150 grams of protein a day to maintain muscle mass. He also started taking glucosamine for joint support.

Then he set off, splitting his 35,000-step goal into two daily walks—each about two hours.

“I’m tired, but I’m good,” Walsh told his followers on his first day. “It is just one step before the other.â€

But by the second day, he was already feeling the burn.

“Now putting one step in front of the other is no easy task,” admitted Walsh, his legs sore from walking 17 miles the day before.

By day four, the pain in his muscles had subsided, but a new challenge emerged: joint pain.

“It feels like right now the only limiting factor in this challenge is just the physical joint pain in my feet,” Walsh said, adding that painful blisters were also slowing him down.

By day five, the agony was so intense that Wales turned to painkillers to keep walking as he battled swollen feet and ankles. Shortly after completing the grueling challenge, he developed a black toenail — a painful sign of foot trauma or poor footwear.

Despite the injuries, Wales said the experience was worth it. “What an amazing sense of accomplishment that was,” he told viewers.

At the end of the week, Walsh took his measurements again and the results were impressive. “I feel like I’m tighter – which I didn’t really expect,” he said, adding that he was 2kg lighter.

“Every body measurement is slightly smaller, except for my thigh which has grown by half a centimeter,” Welsh said. “I didn’t expect to see any change, so this is really surprising.”

But before you lace up your sneakers and attempt 250,000 steps a day, Wales has a warning: don’t try this at home.

“My joints just couldn’t keep up,” he said. “It’s been two days and I’m still waiting for the swelling around my ankles to go down.”

While he doesn’t recommend this extreme feat, Walsh suggests aiming for a more moderate 8,000 to 20,000 steps per day based on your personal fitness level. “I really think most people will feel better if they end up walking more,” he said.

For context: Most Americans average only 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day, the equivalent of 1.5 to 2 miles. Anything under 5000 steps is considered sedentary.Â

Walking 10,000 steps a day has been touted as the golden number, but it turns out that benchmark lacks strong scientific support. More likely, it was simply a purpose chosen by marketers to help sell a pedometer in the 1960s.

So how many steps should you aim for? A review of 15 studies published in The Lancet suggests that people over 60 should aim for 7,000 steps a day to increase their chances of living longer. For younger adults, the health benefits appeared to decrease to about 9,000 steps.

Bottom line: Don’t obsess over the numbers – just move.

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that even a brisk 10-minute walk each day can add years to your life. Some of the health benefits include stronger muscles and bones, increased heart and lung function, and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Walking has also been shown to do wonders for mental health, easing symptoms of anxiety and depression while increasing energy and focus.

The best part? It’s low impact and requires nothing more than a good pair of shoes.