Sedentary Office Workers: How Do You Get Your Steps In?

CMNVA

So, kind of a spin off on the other thread about Sedentary Office Workers.

I am one. My job is basically sitting at a computer all day. If I get up and roam around, I'm not doing my job so I can't force steps in without possibly getting in trouble.

I find that my steps are VERY low, even in on weekends.

I get up in the morning, shower, do my hair, and go. I commute for an hour. I sit all day, then commute an hour home. I fix dinner which is just me kind of standing and moving about a small space. If it's an exercise day, I might hit 5,000 steps.

On the weekend, even with exercise, it's a real stretch to hit 10,000 steps. I've only done it after a 3 mile job and a trip to the mall. I am not "sitting" at home but am doing housework and stuff.

So in reading the other thread, I am marveling at office workers who are managing to get in 10-15K steps. What's your day like?

CattOfTheGarage

I walk a mile each way to work from the bus stop and about three quarters of a mile at lunch. I have no choice in where the bus stop is, it's a mile away and that's it. Can you adjust your commute to get off or park a bit further away to get a walk in?

I also cycle and walk a lot on my days off. There's not much I love more than cycling or walking.

If I want to burn some calories fast, I step up and down on the bottom step of the stairs for 10min.

AmyOutOfControl

I usually go for a 45-60 minutes run or walk before work. I have to carve out exercise time everyday- an appointment with myself.

Can you take 20-30 minutes of your lunch and walk? Maybe after dinner go for a walk around the block?

annacole94

I go for a half hour walk at lunch.
I walk to and from the bus stops, or to and from the parking lot.
I walk somewhere on my coffee breaks, even if it's a lap of the building.

I usually hit about 6K steps, which is about an hour of walking for me. Start small. Walk to a bus stop on further away, get off one stop earlier, spend a few min of a break walking. It will add a few thousand steps.

Machka9

Walk as part of my commute to and from work.
Walk at lunch.
Approx. 25 flights of stairs each day.
Walk with my husband after work to the beach.

With that, I discovered I manage about 15,000 steps a day.

And then on weekends I cycle long distances ... or occasionally go on a long hike.

CMNVA

Thanks! So I work in a sort of dangerous area so not able to walk outside the complex or be let off farther away.

I can, and do, walk after work but since I'm so sedentary all day, I don't get my steps up to a respectable level. But it's good to hear how everyone is doing it. About the most I can do is walk around my floor but even then it's hard because we have secure areas and other offices start questioning me if I'm in an area that is not mine.

CattOfTheGarage

What about going up and down the stairs a few times on your break?

CattOfTheGarage

Or ask if you can have a standing desk?

oocdc2

I'm in the same boat, and I've just accepted the fact that I have to get up early (0400) to exercise. I feel much better now that I'm doing it.

BruinsGal_91

I park my car on the top floor of the parking garage (five floors) and take the stairs.

Every hour I get up from my desk and walk from one end of the building and back again, which also takes in three floors.

At lunch time I do a 1.5 mile walk.

At home time I walk back up the stairs to my car.

This usually gets me to around 10k steps. Of course if I'm in meetings then it gets a bit more difficult to do my hourly walk, but I do everything I can to sneak some extra steps in.

I still consider my job as sedentary and this is how I'm set up on MFP. None of this is logged as 'exercise', I just let my Fitbit calculate the extra calories.

I only log additional exercise if it's something I've done at the gym or on the treadmill, or if I've gone for a run.

Have to say, getting the Fitbit was a real eye-opener as to how little I used to move on a weekday.

CMNVA

oocdc2 wrote: »

I'm in the same boat, and I've just accepted the fact that I have to get up early (0400) to exercise. I feel much better now that I'm doing it.

I already get up at 3:50AM (but that's just to go to work)!!!

I'm going to have to try to do better in the evenings. I'm just trying to figure out a way to get more movement throughout the day. I'm fairly good an carving out time for dedicated exercise; however, even with that, my "movement" for the day is low.

mitch16

If you're driving to work, park as far away from your building as safely possible (I even do this when shopping); if you're taking the bus or train, get off a stop early. Take the long way any time you go anywhere in your office, including to the bathroom or water fountain. Take the stairs whenever possible.

kali31337

What are you doing on your exercise days? Do you have access to some gym equipment such as an elliptical or treadmill? When I use these I ALWAYS hit my steps

CMNVA

kali31337 wrote: »

What are you doing on your exercise days? Do you have access to some gym equipment such as an elliptical or treadmill? When I use these I ALWAYS hit my steps

On my exercise days, I have been doing C25K. I don't get more than 3 miles in though. I also have a treadmill in my home for bad weather but I get very bored on that so don't do more than 40 minutes.

On the days that I C25K, that gets me about 7,000 steps. If I happen to go shopping/mall on that day (weekend), I can hit 10,000-11,000. If I'm just doing normal stuff, I might get to about 9,000. On work days, maybe in the 8,000s. It just depends how much running I can do on the exercise time. But if I do no exercise, I'm in the 3,000 range. Pitiful!

jelleigh

Nah not pitiful. Totally understandable. But something you can change bit by bit if you can be more conscious of it. I worked in an office too but I was sometimes in conference calls that I could take from my mobile so I would wander the floor while the meeting was on. just try adding bits where you can and it will add up. If you are OK finding exercise time and like C2K, just do the runs 5 days instead of 3. You will build up resistance faster and it won't hurt you. Good luck to you!

Derpy_Hooves

I'm like you @CMNVA , on average I have 8K steps a day, but that's because I try to up it in the weekends.
I do spinning/circuit most evenings though, so I get exercise in, but the Fitbit doesn't log steps for that or barely anyway.
I add small things, like going to the downstairs toilets rather than the ones on my floor (2 stories), and as mentioned by someone else, I don't park near th front door. But really, that's not adding much to be honest.

RiderCG

This thread was great to read. I don't have a fitbit so don't count my steps - but do have an office Job and worst of all - I work from home. So I literally walk 15 steps from my bed to my desk in the morning and that's about it.

I go to the gym after work but never thought to add things in during the day... I feel so silly! I'm going to try incorporating some of these ideas in my routine. Awesome!

kikicooks

I rigged my desk so I can stand most of the day so sometimes I walk in place, side step, dance around lol. I also find an excuse to walk around when I can.

mitch16

I work from home most days... I take laps around the kitchen island while I am on telecons (might be annoying in an office setting though) and always use the bathroom upstairs.

I have also been know to take laps around the bathroom at night when I am brushing my teeth if my steps are a little low.

You have a treadmill at home--can you get some steps in while watching television or surfing the internet?

Don't get too hung up on the number--any extra activity you can get in during your day is good!

MaybeLed

I also have a job where I'm chained to my desk but regularly get in 10k a day during the week.

My commute is an hour, but 25ish minutes of that is walking. I walk to the tube station and walk to the office. I used to get the bus, I always assumed it was faster but you only need one traffic jam to ruin that. When I decided to walk I had to leave 5 minutes sooner but my commure ALWAYS is the same time now (barring tube strikes).

On my lunch break I walk for a solid 30 minutes, then eat at my desk. I take a different route everyday and learn about the streets near my office. Then on the way home I get another 25 minutes in, and if I'm not in a rush I'll go to a stop further away from the office or get off a stop early and get a few more in that way. Also I don't go to the loo's closest to my office, I try to meet people in person so I have to travel around the building. Standing phone calls also work if you don't mind the funny looks....

I wasn't aiming to get 10k just kept looking at where I could get a few more in here and there and made it fit.

smotheredincheese

I jog on the spot while I wait for the kettle to boil when I'm making tea

BruinsGal_91

RiderCG wrote: »

This thread was great to read. I don't have a fitbit so don't count my steps - but do have an office Job and worst of all - I work from home. So I literally walk 15 steps from my bed to my desk in the morning and that's about it.

I go to the gym after work but never thought to add things in during the day... I feel so silly! I'm going to try incorporating some of these ideas in my routine. Awesome!

I occasionally work from home and on those days I get up every hour and walk on my treadmill for five minutes, or if it's a nice day, I go outside and walk to the end of the street and back. I figure if people are allowed to go outside for a smoke break, I'm sure as heck allowed a five minute leg stretch.

kazminchu

Honestly? I don't. My situation is similar to yours - 45min commute by car to an isolated office building (no parking further away to walk to work), 8hrs sat at my desk, and around 1hr each evening spent cooking/cleaning. I average 6k steps a day, including days where I work out. Days where I don't work out I'll be around 3k. However, this hasn't impeded my 85lb weight loss, and I would say my fitness is reasonable. I wouldn't get too hung up on hitting a certain number of steps, you still have to live your life.

annacole94

RiderCG wrote: »

This thread was great to read. I don't have a fitbit so don't count my steps - but do have an office Job and worst of all - I work from home. So I literally walk 15 steps from my bed to my desk in the morning and that's about it.

I go to the gym after work but never thought to add things in during the day... I feel so silly! I'm going to try incorporating some of these ideas in my routine. Awesome!

If you carry a phone, you can use it as a pedometer to count your steps and add some calories to MFP. I use Google Fit, but there's an iPhone version of something too. Adding in little bits of movement definitely adds up - there are days that I hit 2 hours of "activity" without going to the gym.

StaciMarie1974

I walk for 40-50 minutes during my lunch hour, and eat at my desk. Depending on your work environment, I realize eating 'at the desk' may not be an option. I do get up and walk around a few minutes each hour. Nothing excessive. I also walk/run in the evenings. I am up at 5:30am, leave the house by 6:30am, 1 hour commute which takes a little longer on the way home.

CMNVA wrote: »

So, kind of a spin off on the other thread about Sedentary Office Workers.

I am one. My job is basically sitting at a computer all day. If I get up and roam around, I'm not doing my job so I can't force steps in without possibly getting in trouble.

I find that my steps are VERY low, even in on weekends.

I get up in the morning, shower, do my hair, and go. I commute for an hour. I sit all day, then commute an hour home. I fix dinner which is just me kind of standing and moving about a small space. If it's an exercise day, I might hit 5,000 steps.

On the weekend, even with exercise, it's a real stretch to hit 10,000 steps. I've only done it after a 3 mile job and a trip to the mall. I am not "sitting" at home but am doing housework and stuff.

So in reading the other thread, I am marveling at office workers who are managing to get in 10-15K steps. What's your day like?

Need2Exerc1se

This time of the year my steps are about 2000 - 3000 per weekday if I don't do purposeful exercise. I generally do some type of workout on my lunch hour, but some days that doesn't work out. Yesterday there was a crisis at work and I did not take a lunch break. I had < 3000 steps yesterday.

My steps vary greatly. Anything from 2000 to 15000. But some of the exercises I do don't provide steps. I have a Total Gym, for example. I can workout on that thing until I am soaked with sweat and can barely lift my arms to shower and get only a couple hundred 'steps'.

In nicer weather I have 2 big gardens and 100+ acres to hike around on so steps are not an issue then.

ggeise14

I work out in the a.m.'s and on my cardio days 10K is no problem but on strength days, I make sure I park in the lot farthest away and usually make a bathroom trip each hour. When I fill my water bottle, I walk up two floors to get in extra steps. I have a stand up desk so that helps and this winter I've even done You Tube walk videos during lunch for 10 min to get in more steps.

beaglebrandon

CMNVA wrote: »

I am one. My job is basically sitting at a computer all day. If I get up and roam around, I'm not doing my job so I can't force steps in without possibly getting in trouble.

I'm sitting at my desk all day developing computer software. It's not all typing - there is a lot of thinking.

So I get up twice a day and take a walk outside around the building complex (20 minutes each). I use that time to not only get steps in, but to think about what I'm coding. So, I'm doing work.

I also take a 2 hour lunch every day, approved my my bosses, and workout at a gym for 90 minutes and take a 30 minute lunch.

Running_and_Coffee

I workout in the morning...usually hit 5-8k steps just from my workout, and then the rest I get just from running around my house/the grocery store etc.

happysherri

I'm an office worker. I don't stress about steps, however I do workout - combo strength training with cardio about 5 times a week. I work hard in my workouts and feel great about that and see so much progress with my muscles. The only time I ever got over 10,000 steps when I did wear my FitBit was in the summer when I went home and mowed the lawn (big yard). Heck, even when I would jog on my trail, I didn't get 10,000 steps.
As others have said maybe walk on breaks. Good luck

Theo166

Just an idea. What if you left early for work and had a walk around the office before starting, or at the end of the day? Sometimes by leaving earlier for work, you can beat the rush and shorten your 1hr commute time.