The 10,000 steps!

wisdomfromyou
wisdomfromyou Posts: 198 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I finally got the memo about the proverbial 10,000 steps daily minimum.

I'm probably a Johnny come lately to the proverb - but better later than never.

I estimate that I get most of my steps during my hour of exercise. The rest of the day, the steps are not many - that I know for sure. I have never used a pedometer ( plan to get one)...but my question is:
given most people today have sedentary jobs, how is it even possible to squeeze in 10,000 steps a day? Even if I take the stairs when I go to work, even if i get some stuff done in the kitchen...the reality is that a good part of my day MUST be spent NOT taking steps, but reading, clicking and typing - or else, employer's work won't get done.

There simply is not enough time during the day left for "step taking". I also canot constantly interrupt my work to move around.
All of a sudden, an hour of exercise a day is no longer good enough - we need to be moving all the time like peasants did when they were trying to earn a living by working the land and the farm.

So who gets the 21st century jobs done?

Dear Lord, we are in trouble.

Any tips and advice appreciated.
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Replies

  • Amazon_Who
    Amazon_Who Posts: 1,092 Member
    For one thing you work up to it. Since Apri 28th when I was at around 3000 steps and now I I reach 8000 to 12,000 every day except Sunday. I walk 2 miles in the morning. The higher days are usually when I go to Costco and Walmart. :)
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    edited July 2016
    wisdomfromyou wrote: »
    given most people today have sedentary jobs, how is it even possible to squeeze in 10,000 steps a day? Even if I take the stairs when I go to work, even if i get some stuff done in the kitchen...the reality is that a good part of my day MUST be spent NOT taking steps, but reading, clicking and typing - or else, employer's work won't get done.

    For sure.

    If you drive to work, park at the far end of the lot. That obviously gets you more steps, and helps avoid dings in your paint too. :smile: Do that also any time you drive to the store, etc.

    Get up every now and then and go to the bathroom. While you're at it, spend an extra 2 or 3 minutes walking in the hall, or around the building.

    If coworkers call or email you with questions, offer to come to their desk and talk about it.

    I spend my lunch break walking, and then eat at my desk. Not everybody can get away with that and I don't know if it's possible for you.

    The point is that none of these things is like going for a 20 mile hike, it's all little things that add up. And on that note, since you don't have a pedometer at the moment, think about all the trips you're already making to the kitchen and bathroom and whatever else, those add up, too. On my most sedentary days at work, I still leave the office with about 2,000 steps.

    Shadow2soul is right, you should start with a free smartphone app instead of spending money on a pedometer. If you find it valuable you might still want to buy one so you don't have to be attached to your phone all the time, but until then, try an app to get a better idea how much you're moving now.
  • corsayre8
    corsayre8 Posts: 551 Member
    I only got my fit but recently, so the numbers I'm going to provide are estimates based off my iPhone calculation.

    When I first started MFP, (this go around anyhow), my iPhone had me at an avg of under 3000 steps on workdays. So I started walking at both my 15 minute breaks and my 30 minute lunch. This was enough so that my average jumped to over 8000.

    With the Fitbit I'm catching all the additional steps for which I wasn't carrying my phone, and as long as I get those three walks in, I'm easily at 9000.

    I really don't worry to much after that point as I alternate my evening excersise, and a lot of what I do is non step based (swim, water aerobics, spin, horseback riding). So as long as i get some activity in, I don't feel guilty that my steps a slightly short. Especially considering that sometimes my activity is running if dog walking - on those days I'm way over.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I get between 20,000-25,000 steps a day, but i can only achieve this because I work part time from home, so I've got plenty of time . I would probably struggle to get 10,000 steps if i had a full time office job. I'd have to go for a huge walk/run after work and at lunch time.
  • Redbeard333
    Redbeard333 Posts: 381 Member
    Some days I have to make time for it, by either purposefully going out for a walk or by getting on the treadmill if the weather is bad. I roughly estimate that 1000 steps takes me 10 minutes, so during the day I look at my step count and figure out how long I have to walk in the evening to hit 10k.
  • pomegranatecloud
    pomegranatecloud Posts: 812 Member
    I have a sedentary job and easily get to 10,000 steps per day without trying to get steps in at work or counting my exercise steps. At work, I pretty much sit at my desk the whole time. Aside from getting up to go to the bathroom (right by my office), get coffee from the kitchen, or buy lunch if I didn't bring it (usually no more than a 2 block walk) I'm either sitting at my desk or sitting in a meeting. But, I am generally active outside of work. I live in a city and walk everywhere. I walk to work, the grocery store, exercise classes, etc.
  • dykask
    dykask Posts: 800 Member
    edited July 2016
    Why do you have to get the 10,000 steps in at work? Do your work but work walking into the rest of your day.

    A lot of pedometers even count steps from chores, etc. I understand Fitbits are good for getting every kind of step counted. My Garmin doesn't seem to count until I've taken several steps and then only if I'm actually walking, running of moving so hard I might kill myself. I love my activity tracker but it cheats a little.
  • RheneeB
    RheneeB Posts: 461 Member
    I agree with the other post about you possibly being surprised how many steps you are actually getting in. Once you get a pedometer (and it is worth spending a little extra for a good one) you will be able to track your steps better. I have a misfit shine and love it because it is waterproof so I never have to take it off...those 15 steps to the shower add up!!! I typically average about 12,000 to 16,000 a day now compared to a year ago (8,000 average) because I have learned creative ways to get those extra steps in. The great thing about being able to track them is that you have a visual throughout the day to know how many you have done and how many you have to go!
  • ScubaSteve1962
    ScubaSteve1962 Posts: 609 Member
    If you're doing cardio during your exercise don't worry about the 10k step myth. work more on getting your heart rate up during exercise.

    http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm
  • need2belean
    need2belean Posts: 358 Member
    I work at a sit down job too. I try to hit my steps from walking on my lunch hour and I take the longest route to get to the bathroom instead of just going down my hallway. Another thing to realize is that depending on how tall people are, the less steps you get. So, I'm 6'0" tall. In an hour walk, someone who is 5'4" could get 7k to 8k steps. However, I will barely get 5000-6000 even doing over 3 miles because my stride is so much longer than others. That's why I refuse to do daily challenges on fitbit with short people unless I know I'm going for a long run or something because it's nearly impossible to beat them otherwise.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    I have an office job and get up to 30,000 steps per day. Not every day, obviously, but still.

    I used to walk to work (about 3 miles roundtrip) but recently moved about 4 miles from my office. I still involve walking in my commute - instead of driving, I walk to the train and then from the station to my office. That's about 5,000 steps roundtrip (it's about 1.3 miles one way from door to door) and then I don't have to deal with parking, spend less on gas, etc. I'm still near enough that occasionally I get up early enough to walk there on my non-running mornings too (turns my commute from half an hour into just over an hour, but it's a nice time to compose my thoughts, listen to a book, or whatever.) Obviously this isn't an option for everyone but if you can find a non-driving option it really helps get more activity in your day.

    I walk at lunch a couple times a week (2,000-6,000 steps depending on how long I have time for) and I have a gym membership near my office too, so I can go for a quick run at lunch or even just walk on the treadmill if the weather's bad or whatever. It's way better than sitting in the lunchroom at work, I can read a bit, zone out, get away from the office, it's really nice. Usually at the gym at lunch I'll do another 3 miles or so (about 7,000 steps.)

    Twice a week, I run before work, 6-8 miles depending on how long I have, which is about 15,000 steps by itself and how I get to 30,000 in a day.

    I also often walk in the evening to grab a few groceries or whatever, and even a trip to Costco or whatever can get me another couple thousand steps easily. Sometimes I squeeze in a quick evening run too (no more than 3 miles) if I've got the energy and it's nice outside.

    Steps aren't the most important thing but I feel better trying to involve a little activity in my day when I spend so much of it sitting on my butt in an office chair. I like walking and I love running so I enjoy it, and all I've really had to give up is sitting around with my coworkers at lunch and I now go to bed early enough to get up at 5 and run or walk at least half the week.
  • smotheredincheese
    smotheredincheese Posts: 559 Member
    tri_gal_87 wrote: »
    I work at a sit down job too. I try to hit my steps from walking on my lunch hour and I take the longest route to get to the bathroom instead of just going down my hallway. Another thing to realize is that depending on how tall people are, the less steps you get. So, I'm 6'0" tall. In an hour walk, someone who is 5'4" could get 7k to 8k steps. However, I will barely get 5000-6000 even doing over 3 miles because my stride is so much longer than others. That's why I refuse to do daily challenges on fitbit with short people unless I know I'm going for a long run or something because it's nearly impossible to beat them otherwise.
    But surely you would take the same number of steps as a shorter person, your steps would just be longer? Like you'd just cover more ground?
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    I have a desk job too, and I average 15K steps/day. Here's what I do:

    I usually get up and walk for 45 min to an hour before work. That gets me anywhere from 6-8K steps.
    Daily morning routine including up and down stairs at the house, getting kids ready, getting myself ready, maybe another 500 cals.
    Taking kids to school/camp, then park myself in the back part of the parking lot at work and walking into my office - 1000 steps.

    On a really good day I try to hit 10K steps before I even sit down at my desk at work.

    While at work, I try to get up and walk around the building a couple of times - long way to the bathroom, walk to coworkers desks rather than email, just get up and circle the cubicles every once in a while.
    I eat lunch at my desk and try to walk for 20-30 minutes outside afterwards.
    I try to get out for a shorter 10 minute walk in the afternoon as well.

    In the evening, same as the morning activities - by the time I get to my car, get the kids, run any errands, get home, get dinner on the table, I usually have 13-15K steps.

    This summer we are trying to take evening walks, even if just around the block, as a family. That is usually another 1000-2000 steps.

    On weekends, we try to walk to neighborhood restaurants, go hiking, walk to the park, etc.

    I don't usually sit down, other than at work, driving, and at meal times, until the very end of the night when the kids are in bed. If I don't have my steps in I will often do laps around my basement till I do.

    It's not that hard, but it does take effort. It was worth it to me, as through my efforts to increase my activity level (I've probably doubled my average steps in the last couple of years) I now have a TDEE of around 2200 which makes maintenance pretty awesome!

    Oh look at that, time for a walk!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    I work from home at the computer, so I don't even get steps walking to & from the car. My normal day is 1000 steps. I have to take 2-3 intentional walks per day to get my 10,000 steps and I do just that. Tomorrow is my 2 year fitbit anniversary. I've logged 5,5 million steps and 9200+ floors since then!
  • wisdomfromyou
    wisdomfromyou Posts: 198 Member
    Waow. Weird how so many people with very sedentary jobs seem to get so many steps in.
    Based on my estimations, I am nowhere close to 10,000 steps a day - in fact, very far.

    I walk back and forth to the gym and to the nearby store every day and that will give me about 2 miles at the very most. The steps I take around the house or at work (when I am there) for the rest of the day will not amount to more than a mile. I understand "the parking far away" trick and other similar measures but few acknowledge that such measures take away time from other tasks that MUST be completed during the day and for which employers or children do not make amendments.

    Parking far away also means allocating extra time before leaving. I must leave much earlier which I most of the time I cannot afford because I often go with back-to-back with my tasks between children, career and cooking.

    As people's workloads increase, the time they can allocate to just freely step around naturally decreases.

    I will need to buy a pedometer that will give me the total number of steps I take throughout the day just to learn how far I am from the 10,000.
    But based on my estimation, I am very far.
  • wisdomfromyou
    wisdomfromyou Posts: 198 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    I work from home at the computer, so I don't even get steps walking to & from the car. My normal day is 1000 steps. I have to take 2-3 intentional walks per day to get my 10,000 steps and I do just that. Tomorrow is my 2 year fitbit anniversary. I've logged 5,5 million steps and 9200+ floors since then!

    2-3 intentional walks a day would pretty much ruin my entire day in terms of attention allocated to other tasks (work, children, cooking). How long are each one of your walks?
  • wisdomfromyou
    wisdomfromyou Posts: 198 Member
    I see many people get up/interrupt work all the time to squeeze in steps. Unfortunately, my type of job requires long stretches of uninterrupted concentration. Just reading about how many times people get up from their desks to walk around makes me realize I would not be able to get anything done in my line of work if I did this.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited July 2016
    wisdomfromyou wrote: »
    Waow. Weird how so many people with very sedentary jobs seem to get so many steps in.
    Based on my estimations, I am nowhere close to 10,000 steps a day - in fact, very far.

    I walk back and forth to the gym and to the nearby store every day and that will give me about 2 miles at the very most. The steps I take around the house or at work (when I am there) for the rest of the day will not amount to more than a mile. I understand "the parking far away" trick and other similar measures but few acknowledge that such measures take away time from other tasks that MUST be completed during the day and for which employers or children do not make amendments.

    Parking far away also means allocating extra time before leaving. I must leave much earlier which I most of the time I cannot afford because I often go with back-to-back with my tasks between children, career and cooking.

    As people's workloads increase, the time they can allocate to just freely step around naturally decreases.

    I will need to buy a pedometer that will give me the total number of steps I take throughout the day just to learn how far I am from the 10,000.
    But based on my estimation, I am very far.

    Most people take 2000-2500 steps per mile. So 2 miles is roughly 4k - 5k steps. I think you are vastly underestimating your step count. So your walk to/from the gym is already putting you about halfway there.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    wisdomfromyou wrote: »
    Waow. Weird how so many people with very sedentary jobs seem to get so many steps in.
    Based on my estimations, I am nowhere close to 10,000 steps a day - in fact, very far.

    I walk back and forth to the gym and to the nearby store every day and that will give me about 2 miles at the very most. The steps I take around the house or at work (when I am there) for the rest of the day will not amount to more than a mile. I understand "the parking far away" trick and other similar measures but few acknowledge that such measures take away time from other tasks that MUST be completed during the day and for which employers or children do not make amendments.

    Parking far away also means allocating extra time before leaving. I must leave much earlier which I most of the time I cannot afford because I often go with back-to-back with my tasks between children, career and cooking.

    As people's workloads increase, the time they can allocate to just freely step around naturally decreases.

    I will need to buy a pedometer that will give me the total number of steps I take throughout the day just to learn how far I am from the 10,000.
    But based on my estimation, I am very far.

    You will probably be surprised how many steps you take from daily activity. When I first got my FitBit I realized that I get about 6K steps just from the day to day tasks related to household and child related activities. If you add in a 2 mile walk each day, that would be another 4,000 or so steps, depending on your stride length.

    My parking in the back of the parking lot adds an extra 5 minutes before work and after, but probably an extra 1000 steps. I have a pretty flexible job, but I wouldn't say that me fitting in some extra steps here and there negatively impacts the work I do or that my employer needs to make amendments for.

    Believe me I get the idea of being a busy working mother. But you asked how people get their steps in, and I'm telling you it can be done. I average 15K steps a day and I don't think either my employer nor my children feels they are being neglected.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    wisdomfromyou wrote: »
    Waow. Weird how so many people with very sedentary jobs seem to get so many steps in.
    Based on my estimations, I am nowhere close to 10,000 steps a day - in fact, very far.

    I walk back and forth to the gym and to the nearby store every day and that will give me about 2 miles at the very most. The steps I take around the house or at work (when I am there) for the rest of the day will not amount to more than a mile. I understand "the parking far away" trick and other similar measures but few acknowledge that such measures take away time from other tasks that MUST be completed during the day and for which employers or children do not make amendments.

    Parking far away also means allocating extra time before leaving. I must leave much earlier which I most of the time I cannot afford because I often go with back-to-back with my tasks between children, career and cooking.

    As people's workloads increase, the time they can allocate to just freely step around naturally decreases.

    I will need to buy a pedometer that will give me the total number of steps I take throughout the day just to learn how far I am from the 10,000.
    But based on my estimation, I am very far.

    I'm not sure why you are so worried when you don't even know your baseline yet. This number is not set in stone. Get a pedometer if you want, and see where you stand now. Then make small changes that increase your steps but that fit in with your life. You'd be surprised how it adds up.

    And I park in the farthest parking space. For me, it adds 500 or so steps each way, but only a few minutes. I take the long way to the bathroom, and back.

    You don't have to hit 10,000 every day. My fitbit just helps me become aware of how much I move, and how I could improve. Don't overthink it!
  • brewcrew101
    brewcrew101 Posts: 15 Member
    Some easy ways that I get more steps in include going shopping, doing household chores, and walking my dog. Still, it is hard to get to 10,000 steps outside of exercise! I definitely wouldn't view it as minimum, though. I think that it's just a good goal number to keep in mind and you can feel really good about yourself if you do reach that goal!
  • wisdomfromyou
    wisdomfromyou Posts: 198 Member
    ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »
    If you're doing cardio during your exercise don't worry about the 10k step myth. work more on getting your heart rate up during exercise.

    http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm

    I hope you are right. Yes, I try to do both cardio and weights. I walk briskly (sometimes run with intervals) to the gym and once I get there I do some weights. Then I stop at the store nearby, pick up a few things and then walk back. That's usually my routine. There are about 0.7 miles to the gym and 0.7 back. So 1.4 miles walk and whatever happens to the gym where I do weights...but I must confess I don't exactly kill myself lifting.

    I am a naturally low energy person. If left to my own devices, I would sit and read all day.
    My idea of heaven is forever living in European coffee houses with coffee and croissants in front of me.
    Most of my activity is cerebral, not physical. I could sit and read heavy books for hours on end but after an hour of exercise I feel like this is pretty much the most I can give in terms of physical exertion.

    Unfortunately, I read that concentrating all of your physical activity in one hour of exercise a day doesn't make much of a difference and that you must be moving all the time throughout the day.
    Whether some people have the type of jobs where they can constantly interrupt work to move around doesn't change the reality that in the 21st century, most jobs are sedentary and some require intense concentration that is not conducive to regular interruptions for healthy steps.

    So I hope you are right that I can atone with 1 hour of exercise a day. :-(

  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    I will be 65 in September.
    20-25k/day.
    Office job, long hours. 45 minute commute 1 way.
    I go to the gym 1st thing in the morning (very early, before work) always have between 10-11K after the gym. (mostly elliptical, but sometimes treadmill)
    I get between 5-6K during the time I am at work. I have a desk that raises and I stand a lot of the day.
    Walk the dogs in the evening (even in the winter & I live in Minnesota and it gets very cold here).
    When I first got my fit bit (2/2013) I struggled to get 10,000/day. If you want it bad enough, you can do it.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    I sit at a desk all day. But I walk for an hour in the morning (7 steps), plus 30 minutes in the evening (2500 steps) and try to get up and walk around the office. I average 15k. I also run/walk 10 miles on Saturday mornings for a total of 75 miles per week. Must haves: a pedometer and good walking shoes.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    wisdomfromyou wrote: »
    ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »
    If you're doing cardio during your exercise don't worry about the 10k step myth. work more on getting your heart rate up during exercise.

    http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm

    I hope you are right. Yes, I try to do both cardio and weights. I walk briskly (sometimes run with intervals) to the gym and once I get there I do some weights. Then I stop at the store nearby, pick up a few things and then walk back. That's usually my routine. There are about 0.7 miles to the gym and 0.7 back. So 1.4 miles walk and whatever happens to the gym where I do weights...but I must confess I don't exactly kill myself lifting.

    I am a naturally low energy person. If left to my own devices, I would sit and read all day.
    My idea of heaven is forever living in European coffee houses with coffee and croissants in front of me.
    Most of my activity is cerebral, not physical. I could sit and read heavy books for hours on end but after an hour of exercise I feel like this is pretty much the most I can give in terms of physical exertion.

    Unfortunately, I read that concentrating all of your physical activity in one hour of exercise a day doesn't make much of a difference and that you must be moving all the time throughout the day.
    Whether some people have the type of jobs where they can constantly interrupt work to move around doesn't change the reality that in the 21st century, most jobs are sedentary and some require intense concentration that is not conducive to regular interruptions for healthy steps.

    So I hope you are right that I can atone with 1 hour of exercise a day. :-(

    I understand the bolded, and I felt the same way. But I found when I incorporated some movement, I was actually able to concentrate better. I would walk around my floor two or three times, and it would wake me up a little and increase my focus. I also came up with some really good teaching ideas while walking around a bit.

    Again, don't overthink it.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    wisdomfromyou wrote: »
    I see many people get up/interrupt work all the time to squeeze in steps. Unfortunately, my type of job requires long stretches of uninterrupted concentration. Just reading about how many times people get up from their desks to walk around makes me realize I would not be able to get anything done in my line of work if I did this.

    I don't do anything apart from at lunch, personally, and I still get 20,000 - 30,000 steps in because I make time for running or walking outside of my working hours. Early morning, lunch, after work, the time is there for most people if they really want to take it. I don't like the cult of "busy"...we're all busy, we all have jobs and family commitments and hobbies and housework and all that, you know? But I want to be busy well into my old age and healthy and strong, so I had to find some time in my day to get off my butt and take care of my body so it can take care of me in the future.

    That said, step-based workouts aren't necessarily important to your health and I think the "10,000 steps" thing is pretty meaningless if you're exercising otherwise. I'd argue that if you're getting to the gym or pool or on the bike or whatever every day, then walking a lot isn't really a big deal. The important thing is getting your body moving and breaking a sweat and getting your heart rate up for an extended period of time.

    Sitting as much as we do isn't good for anyone, but a job is a job and not all of us have the luxury of doing otherwise, and I get that. Gotta pay the bills. But that's why I run, so that I can make up for all that sitting. It's really important to me so I do it even though it often means less downtime with my husband in the evening and a lot of planning my days.
  • ncfitbit
    ncfitbit Posts: 1,058 Member
    wisdomfromyou wrote: »
    I walk back and forth to the gym and to the nearby store every day and that will give me about 2 miles at the very most. The steps I take around the house or at work (when I am there) for the rest of the day will not amount to more than a mile. I understand "the parking far away" trick and other similar measures but few acknowledge that such measures take away time from other tasks that MUST be completed during the day and for which employers or children do not make amendments.

    Parking far away also means allocating extra time before leaving. I must leave much earlier which I most of the time I cannot afford because I often go with back-to-back with my tasks between children, career and cooking.

    As people's workloads increase, the time they can allocate to just freely step around naturally decreases.

    I will need to buy a pedometer that will give me the total number of steps I take throughout the day just to learn how far I am from the 10,000.
    But based on my estimation, I am very far.


    Maybe you're not as far off as you think. My goal is 5 miles a day or 12,000 steps. I would encourage you to track your steps. It's very motivating and make those little things like parking further away seem worth it, even if it adds a few more seconds to your errands.

    And if you have a job that requires a lot of concentration, I would think clearing your head every once in a while with a break might improve your productivity. Emmanuel Kant was a big walker. ;D

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I purposefully make the effort outside of exercise.

    I do walk in the morning for 3miles which is about 6k steps.

    Anything above that (office/desk job) is because of the following:

    I don't email or phone I go and talk if I can.
    Getting water/bathroom (take long way around)
    Park at the end of the parking lot
    Getting up every hour for a walk (usually to go down stairs to check mail etc)
    Getting ready for work
    Get home and I keep the house cleaned and usually walk around the yard and pick various weeds or do some yard work.

    On the weekends it's even more with grocery store, errands and a 5 mile walk

    On days with no walk I average about 6k steps.

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