JJ Virgin4x NYTimes Best Selling Author, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Fitness Hall of Famer

Step Into Summer Challenge with JJ Virgin

6 Jul 2026 · 1 min

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1:21

In this segment of the "Step Into Summer Challenge," JJ Virgin answers a viewer’s question about daily step recommendations and outlines her comprehensive exercise hierarchy. She cites research indicating that around 7,000 steps per day is the sweet spot for lower cardiovascular risk and emphasizes spreading movement throughout the day to aid blood‑sugar regulation. She notes that high‑intensity movement is far more efficient, with one minute of intense activity equating to four to nine minutes of moderate effort. Building on this foundation, she prescribes a minimum effective dose of resistance training—about 30 minutes, twice a week—followed by high‑intensity interval training (HIIT) twice weekly to generate lactate, which she says benefits both brain and heart. Finally, she recommends adding a yoga session for mobility, proprioception, and balance. The hierarchy positions non‑exercise movement (steps) as the base, then resistance training, HIIT, and yoga as progressive layers to optimize health and performance.

Chapters

Jackie asks, how many steps per day are recommended? Here's the reality. The studies are like 7,000 seems to be the sweet spot, but that doesn't mean more isn't better. Here's how I think of this. I want to make sure that you have a good foundation, just moving more all throughout the day, and ideally all throughout the day, not all at once, because whenever you're moving, it's helping with blood sugar regulation. Now, the more intensity you move with, the better. We now know that 1 minute of intense movement can equal anywhere from 4 to 9 minutes of moderate movement. So while I want you moving all throughout the day, if some of that could be running up the stairs, that's even better. But I foundationally, I like to make sure that you're moving 7,000 or more steps per day just as a baseline. And that's what the latest studies says, 7,000 seems to be that sweet spot of like lower cardiovascular risk, etc. Then you add on to that. Next, I want to make sure you're getting your resistance training in. Minimum effective dose, 2 days a week, about 30 minutes. Same thing there, if you could add more, great. Next thing I would add from there is high-intensity interval training to produce lactate, which So great for your brain and for your heart. Love to see you doing that twice a week. Next thing I would add would be a yoga class for some mobility, proprioception, balance. So that's how I think of the exercise hierarchy, but it all starts with making sure the non-exercise part, those steps, are just foundational in your life.