Diet Bites Logo

The Amish Diet
Influencing Weight Factors

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

The Diet Of the Amish Culture

A is for Amish and A is also for awesome fitness! The Amish rank high when it comes to fitness, weight control and overall health.  

A pedometer study on the Amish people gave great insight to what can be accomplished by walking:

-The average Amish man took about 18,000 steps per day.

- The average Amish woman, about 14,000 steps per day.

Most of the steps were recorded during the Amish's daily tasks.

Harvest time pumps those numbers up further still.Even on the Day of Rest, Amish got in about 10,000 steps.

What is Considered Active?

While this may appear to be a huge amount of steps - and it is in comparison to most individuals amid their daily activity routine, the activity monitored in the Amish amid health studies is on par with recommended activity:

2,500 steps per day is considered a sedentary lifestyle.

2,501 to 4,999 steps per day is recognized as a very low activity lifestyle.

5,000 to 7,499 steps per day is considered as low activity.

7,500 to 9,999 steps per day is 'some what' active.

10,000 to 12,499 steps per day is recognized as an active lifestyle.

12,500 steps or more per day is recognized as a highly active lifestyle.

Let's give an example to put this data into perspective. If a female who is 5' 0" in height walks 2,050 steps, she will have walked approximately one mile. If she walks 5,100 she would have walked two miles.

To be considered as highly active, she would need to walk 12,500 steps or a little over six miles per day.

And good luck with that, because a good deal of ordinary non-athletic or individuals who are not of the Amish culture would have great difficulty in managing that on a day-to-day basis.

The Amish Diet

What was even more amazing was the diet of the Amish people - not a low fat, low carb or low calorie diet with the main staples in the diet being gravy, meat, potatoes, eggs, vegetables, pies, cakes and bread. Snacks are rare. Although the diet is high in fat, carbohydrates and calories, food intake is balanced by energy levels.

The study was performed by David R. Bassett, Jr. in conjunction with the University of Tennessee, published in the edition of "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise".

Following in Footsteps of the Amish Diet

If you are able to walk more than 12,500 steps per day - you should be very proud of your accomplishment. You likely have a job occupation where walking is incorporated into your daily responsibilities associated with your work, or you make time for activity either before or after work time.

Most of the modern world is saddled to a computer and desk chair for the good portion of the day. How long would it take for those individuals to walk that six mile marker? Let's investigate in our next bullet point.

How long does it take to walk a mile?

The following are our best estimates based on personal testing. Clothing was summer wear; nothing was carried or was any type of ankle or wrist weight used.

At a slow pace it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to walk one mile.

Amid a brisk walk, it requires about 15 to 20 minutes to walk one mile.

At a fast walk - which is simply a 'running walk', it requires from 10 to 15 minutes to go one mile.

What about when jogging? About 11 minutes. Running? About 7 minutes.

Therefore, if the female we noted above runs the mile in 7 minutes, it will take her about 42 minutes of straight running to finish those 6 miles. If she walks at a slow pace, it will take her almost three hours to complete the six miles.

Keep in mind that physical endurance is always part of the equation and is influenced by weight, age, state of health, energy levels and so forth. Times will differ from individual to individual. An athlete or long distance runner can probably wax the times indicated above.

In Summary

Walking like the Amish is a fantastic and effect manner for dropping excess pounds. Start out slow and build your walking time accordingly as time goes by. Most importantly, set doable walking goals.

Related Articles

The History of Ethnic Diets

Hispanic | Oriental | African American  | White American

Irish | Scottish | English Diet | American Indian Diet

The Islander Diet | The Arctic DietAborigine Diet

Middle Eastern Diet | Eskimo Diet

Articles in this Section

Diet Bites | Disclaimers

Diet Bites is a Trademark