How to increase daily steps?

JAT74

I exercise daily via workout DVDs (cardio and strength training) which generally last for 30-35 minutes, in addition to doing 1-2 weekly dog walks of around 1 hour and also 1-2 cardio sessions in the gym of around 45 minutes each every week. I am also soon going to be re-starting a Pilates class once a week.

Other than that I'm extremely sedentary and it's starting to bother me as I know I'm a lot more active in terms of exercise than most of my friends but day to day I hardly move and don't know how to change this. I know that lots of people who work out of the house are able to complete their 10,000 steps easily every day and on top of that have their calorie burns from workouts too. This allows them to be able to eat more and pushes up their TDEE and also speeds up their weight loss, but unfortunately this doesn't apply to me.

My problem is I work from home and although I live in a house with 4 levels (including the garage) and I sleep and work upstairs, use the living room and kitchen on the ground floor several times a day and go to the garage in the basement where I have my gym and washing machine I am still unable to get in more than 4000 steps most days from daily activity. I don't know if the stairs are included in this as I haven't checked, but it does seem embarrassingly low.

I know this is the average number because I have started wearing a pedometer daily when conducting my normal life and the only days I find I walk more is when I go for a 1 hour dog walk some mornings, and on those days my steps can add up to 9500 by the end of the day. Once a week I also do a food shop and some Sundays I go for a walk around a local market but other than that I'm in the house all day every day, unless I get in my car and drive to a restaurant for lunch once or twice a week.

My dog is only very small and it's cold here right now so she doesn't want to be outside much anyway so even using her as an excuse to do more walking is not possible as I find that I take her out to do her business across the road from my house and then we come straight back into the house, usually with her pulling me inside so she can get in the warm!

Does any one have any suggestions about what I can do?

shadowofender

Always take the longest route. Make up a route that would be longer if needed. For example, if you need to get something from another room, walk around all of the other rooms on that floor before getting to your destination. Sounds silly, looks silly, but it helps. Walking to the mailbox? Longest route possible. Walk back and forth up the drive, even.

I work in an office and my printer is on the other side of our small building. I walk and get every single page after printing because that's how I get steps up.

ninerbuff

JAT74 wrote: »

I exercise daily via workout DVDs (cardio and strength training) which generally last for 30-35 minutes, in addition to doing 1-2 weekly dog walks of around 1 hour and also 1-2 cardio sessions in the gym of around 45 minutes each every week. I am also soon going to be re-starting a Pilates class once a week.

Other than that I'm extremely sedentary and it's starting to bother me as I know I'm a lot more active in terms of exercise than most of my friends but day to day I hardly move and don't know how to change this. I know that lots of people who work out of the house are able to complete their 10,000 steps easily every day and on top of that have their calorie burns from workouts too. This allows them to be able to eat more and pushes up their TDEE and also speeds up their weight loss, but unfortunately this doesn't apply to me.

My problem is I work from home and although I live in a house with 4 levels (including the garage) and I sleep and work upstairs, use the living room and kitchen on the ground floor several times a day and go to the garage in the basement where I have my gym and washing machine I am still unable to get in more than 4000 steps most days from daily activity. I don't know if the stairs are included in this as I haven't checked, but it does seem embarrassingly low.

I know this is the average number because I have started wearing a pedometer daily when conducting my normal life and the only days I find I walk more is when I go for a 1 hour dog walk some mornings, and on those days my steps can add up to 9500 by the end of the day. Once a week I also do a food shop and some Sundays I go for a walk around a local market but other than that I'm in the house all day every day, unless I get in my car and drive to a restaurant for lunch once or twice a week.

My dog is only very small and it's cold here right now so she doesn't want to be outside much anyway so even using her as an excuse to do more walking is not possible as I find that I take her out to do her business across the road from my house and then we come straight back into the house, usually with her pulling me inside so she can get in the warm!

Does any one have any suggestions about what I can do?

Go to the mall for an hour and window shop while walking around. When I first had my DD, and she was too young to go to day care (she had to be at least 3 months old), going to different malls in the area and walking around (in VA) was my main form of cardio.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

JAT74

Thanks, unfortunately my house isn't that big! I sleep and work in my main bedroom and there is only one other room on that floor (not counting the en suite bathroom next to the bedroom!). There can't be more than 10 steps between the bedroom and the other room (TV room). I do go up and down stairs a lot every day, but only one flight ie. between the room I work in and the living room/dining room and kitchen which are both next to each other.

I can probably go 4 days in a week without stepping foot in the garage because I only every go in there to do the laundry or use the cardio machines we have there which I use once or twice a week. I almost never go to the top level of the house as that has one room up there which is rarely used.

I have even tried dragging my dog on a walk around the block as the mailbox is at the end of my street but as there is a place for her to do her business literally at the side of my house across the road, she prefers to go there and digs her heals in and refuses to walk any further if I try to take her anywhere else when it's cold!

The last few weeks my boyfriend hasn't been well with stomach problems so he hasn't wanted to go out for walks as much as we normally do and that's why I've forced myself to go to the market on Sundays just so I can get an extra hour's walk in, but then I have another problem which is that I spend too much money!

NancyN795

If your budget allows it, get a standing desk. The motorized, adjustable ones (that you can either stand or sit at) have been very pricey, but IKEA now has one for <$500. Still, ouch! (I'm planning on getting one, though.)

If your work flow allows it, set a timer every time you sit down to work. When it goes off, get up and move. Since my FitBit dashboard shows me steps in 15 minute chunks, I set my timer for 10 minutes, with the goal of getting at least some steps in every 15 minute period. However, I'm retired, so I don't have a work flow issue. If I were trying to crank out a good piece of software, I'd need a longer uninterrupted period to achieve flow. However, I think this approach could still be used, but with a longer timer setting. The tough part for me is remembering to set that timer when I sit down. I'd love to have an automatic timer. Maybe I need to invent it.

Well, my timer went off. Time to move.

terricherry2

To be honest it sounds like you're making a lot of excuses. I don't mean to be rude or harsh but so far reasons you can't walk any more - your house is too small, you work from home all day, your dog won't let you, your bf is ill, if you go to the market too much you'll spend money.

On a helpful note, I have a sedentary job so while I'm sat at my desk I do little things that make me move more. Doesn't add up to steps but every little contributes. I'm a fidget so I use it to my advantage. Tapping my feet, drumming my fingers, rolling my shoulders, circling my ankles. They're not going to magically turn me into an athlete but it's better than staying still all day.

fruitsalad15

Hi there, not sure if this would help, when I'm boiling the kettle for a cup of tea I walk back and forth in the kitchen, its 9 steps long and I can do it 10 times while the kettle boils. Each time is a extra 100 steps (with the walk to the kitchen and back again. I know that probably only maybe 300 extra steps in the day for tea but I do it for everything. Anywhere I find myself standing waiting for something I walk around, up and down the room, round in a circle etc!

I also have a jawbone to help remind me to keep moving. Sometimes I walk to the kitchen at work just because my jawbone has buzzed at me to move my butt!

Good luck!

bostonwolf

Unless you are willing to leave your house or willing to buy a treadmill, you already know the answer to you question.

I live in Massachusetts and see people out walking and running every day, even the day after major storms. At some point you just need to commit to it and make it happen.

marysamezz

Is there any way you could get out and take a walk on your lunch break? That's probably the only way you could do it if you work from home. Standing while on your computer helps too it might be worth it to get an ergonomic desk that raises, and maybe get a foot elliptical or treadmill. If you can take breaks you could always run up and down the stairs in your house, 10 minutes of stairs burns 90 cals

CaitlinW19

Do you have a bathroom on a lower level of your house? At my office I started making myself drink about 90 oz of water throughout the day (sip sip sip all day long) which results in my needing to take a few more trips to the ladies room a day. I always go to the bathroom on the lower level of the building, down two flights of stairs. That has helped a lot. Maybe take your dog for a walk inside...up and down those stairs a few times...when it's cold.

themedalist

I think you'll find some great ideas here on a new website devoted to helping people sit less. And it was inspired by the actions taken by a group of My Fitness Pal friends!

http://www.quittingthesitting.com/

meritage4

You can walk without your dog or boyfriend. Really. Get dressed for the weather. Walk for 8 minutes outside. Turn around and walk home. There 15 minutes of exercise done! repeat most days-lengthen time.

dbmata

JAT74 wrote: »

Does any one have any suggestions about what I can do?

Yup. I work from home too.

So in order to increase your daily steps, you'll need to walk more.

Yup. Walk more.

amandadyer

When I'm working from home I'll find some dance/zumba videos on youtube. They're usually 3-5 minutes, so it makes for a nice, quick break while I'm working.

JAT74

Not heard of those but it's out of my budget unfortunately! I also have back problems on and off so need to be sitting down when I work. I'm only working part-time at the moment which is good in a way because it allows me to fit in my workouts every day during the day as I don't always get up early enough in the morning to do them.

I could set an alarm on my phone to take some steps during breaks but I teach classes by telephone mainly so I usually get up to go to the kitchen to make tea or to take the dog outside during my breaks anyway. Maybe I should take 5 minutes to do some crunches or plank or just to jog on the spot or do some other form of exercise instead.

CaitlinW19

Or do a 100 jumping jacks each break.

Karen_DisneyFan

Look up some Leslie Sansone "Walk Away the Pounds" videos on YouTube. You get a decent work out plus lots of steps - while walking in place in your living room or office.

It's been so snowy and cold that I just want to hibernate on the weekend, but I'll force myself to get up and do a video to get some steps in. When I'm at work I can walk around the warehouse on my breaks. I don't always get up to 10,000 steps but I can get pretty close with just a 1/2 hour a day of walking at work.

globalgamble

You'd be surprised, the steps add up. I'm on my 3rd fitbit, and it's a game changer. IF you can afford to get an electronic step-counter (fitbit, Nike, Jawbone) do it! All suggestions here are good. It's about making an effort, take advantage of everytime you are on your feet, repeat routes, whatever! You just have to do it, and you do it because you can! One day, I won't be able to get a 30,000 step day so while I can, I do. Workng out twice a week is not enough if you want to be serious about making physical changes. IF you are able-bodied, step it up!

I have a desk job as well I will say, once you start getting in the step game, it's addicting. Soooooo, get in the game!

dbmata

You teach classes by phone.

My cell phone has no cabling to tether it to anything. A headset is an effective method to keep your hands free. Go for a walk.

JenNicole11

Just change your way of thinking, and get up and walk. My job is extremely sedentary and highly stressful. I have a son and somewhat of a small house. Before I made an effort, I was only getting 2-4K steps in a day. I make an effort to get 10k or more steps per day in now and have had great success with it because I changed my way of thinking. I make it a point to get up and walk now every hour. I take the steps instead of the elevator. I park farthest from the entry of every place I go to. If I work from home, I make it a point to take a 5-15 minute walk every 1-2 hours. If the dog doesn't want to be outside, leave it inside when you go on your walks. I don't take my dogs with me on every walk because they do exactly what your dog does. It takes a conscious effort but will become more of a habit after awhile.

Good luck!

EmmaFitzwilliam

Go outside and do a lap around the house. I commute over an hour each way to work, and while I have a built-in 1/3 mile walk between my train stop and my office, I don't have a lot of extra time for exercise. I've managed to kick up my steps by walking around the bathroom "pod" in my building. (The way the building is designed, there is a pod of rooms (including the Ladies' ) surrounded by a hallway. I do two laps around that "pod" when I go to the washroom. I also signed up with the Charity Miles app (which works via GPS, so won't work on a treadmill) and - weather permitting - manage to walk about a mile over my lunch break.

JAT74

As I said already, working out isn't my problem. I have a home gym and I either use it or one of my workout DVDs daily for 35-45 minutes minimum and most days it's for at least 1 hour 15 minutes in total.

I know that's not nothing, and neither is the trips outside with my dog, walks up and down stairs and walking to and from the rooms in my house but it just feels like I don't move much.

I am not much of a fidget so I need to force myself to move more. I like the suggestion about walking around when making tea, my boyfriend is a real fidget and he walks up and down our living room when he's talking on the phone but I always talk on the phone sitting down. I can't walk around with my phone when I'm working because it's a corded phone and I'm looking at my PC writing notes too, but I could do it when I'm chatting to my mum or my friends etc.

At one stage I replaced my chair with a fit ball so maybe I'll implement that again. I will have a look for short workouts of 5-10 minutes I can do during breaks too as that sounds interesting. I don't feel that I'm getting enough of a workout for my abs right now so that would be a good starting point and I like Zumba so that's a good idea too.

itsthehumidity

Didn't you just say you have a four story house? Start at the top, walk to the bottom, go back up, repeat until you reach your steps. Climbing stairs is a great way to get exercise.

xmichaelyx

Sleep in your walking clothes and when you wake up, put on your shoes and walk for 2 miles. Better yet, run. Better yet, lift.

Stop listing all the reasons you can't do it and just do it, like everyone else here does.

JAT74

I am saving up for an activity tracker, I've got an Omron pedometer but I'm not sure it tracks stairs and it's not really activity tracker so I would like to get something a bit better. I'm going to look up some short workouts I can do during breaks and I'm also going to make an effort to walk up and down stairs more often. I could even put the treadmill or Eliptical machine on for 5 minutes I suppose. I usually cook during my lunch break but could walk in and out of the kitchen as the living room/dining room is quite long and that would probably add a few steps if I walked up and down a few times.

I always knew I was sedentary outside of workouts but it wasn't until I started tracking steps that I realised how much.

JAT74

To the last poster I do walk and run both indoors and outdoors and I do lift (4 times a week). It's between my logged 'exercise' that I worry about not moving enough.

When I had a walk to the tube station, a walk to the platform and a walk to my office plus a walk up and down stairs which there, to and from the different offices etc. I moved SO much more than I do now.

I love working from home but I feel like a coach potato a lot of the time that's all!

kimny72

I always used to get home from work, eat dinner, and then plop down and the couch and not move until it was time to go to bed. Now that I am trying to get my steps up, I changed a couple of things (other than the obvious throw on a jacket an take a walk). Every commercial break I think of one quick task to get up and do. Put the dishes in the dishwasher, take out my contacts, put away that book I finished, etc. The other thing, I stand up in front of the TV and I walk, march, run in place. Throw in some jumping jack and jump rope moves if I have the energy. I probably look like a dork, but I can easily add 1,000 steps a day just with that.

Whenever I go to the grocery store, I walk an extra "lap" or two around the perimeter. I always park toward the back of the parking lot. Once you start doing some of these things, you'll start to naturally see other ways to move around more than you used to!

DianaJaneD

Check this out for some great ideas and a couple of short videos about it. I'm one of the people in the "Movers and Shakers" section! http://www.quittingthesitting.com/

JAT74

Thanks, I'll have a look at the link you suggested. Hopefully I'll be able to get those steps in more!

77tes

themedalist wrote: »

I think you'll find some great ideas here on a new website devoted to helping people sit less. And it was inspired by the actions taken by a group of My Fitness Pal friends!

http://www.quittingthesitting.com/

I particularly like the suggestion to only take a little coffee from the pot at a time. Just a practical way to make yourself get up and walk.

HelenWater

1) You don't commute, so you could walk for 20-30 minutes at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day.
2) You could set an an alarm to go off every 30 minutes and walk around for two minutes - walking from top to bottom and back again or taking your dog out should do that.
3) I've carried my dogs for part of a walk a few times. It just adds to my workout