10000 steps when weather is bad

layladrew26
layladrew26 Posts: 111 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How do you get your 10000 steps in when its bad weather? I aim for 10000 steps a day minimum and have done for over a year. Its become a habit now and I feel bad if I don't hit the 10000. I know the odd day doesn't really matter if I don't hit my target but I kinda enjoy my daily walks in my back yard. I have been trying to walk around the house more last 2 days as weather is really bad but I nowhere near hit 10000. I'm lucky if I manage 5000. What do you guys do when its bad weather and you can't get out?
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Replies

  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 697 Member
    edited March 2018
    layladrew26 wrote: »
    How do you get your 10000 steps in when its bad weather? I aim for 10000 steps a day minimum and have done for over a year. Its become a habit now and I feel bad if I don't hit the 10000. I know the odd day doesn't really matter if I don't hit my target but I kinda enjoy my daily walks in my back yard. I have been trying to walk around the house more last 2 days as weather is really bad but I nowhere near hit 10000. I'm lucky if I manage 5000. What do you guys do when its bad weather and you can't get out?

    Do house chores in the most inefficient way as possible to rack up the step count.

    Go to YouTube and search Zumba or dance workout. I used to wear a clip on pedometer a year ago and I would tally alot of steps in under an hour doing the dance cardio workout on YouTube.
  • layladrew26
    layladrew26 Posts: 111 Member
    Brrr that sounds cold kangoojumps. Thanks for your input guys.....bouncy bouncy
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,597 Member
    edited March 2018
    First, you don't have to get 10,000 steps in ... if you like exercising, there are other things you can do like heading out to the pool to swim a few laps, or taking a spinning class.

    Second ... some ideas ...

    -- put on a coat and go outside anyway. I live on the Canadian prairies for a lot of years, and walked in all conditions.
    -- go to work or university, and walk around the office/halls and up and down the stairs.
    -- go to your local shopping centre and walk laps there.
    -- pick a street downtown, one with awnings to block the rain a bit, and walk up and down the street.
    -- drop in at a local gym and use the treadmill ... and maybe some of the other equipment. Perhaps take in a class.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    You could run in place indoors? or do a Leslie Sansone or Jessica Smith 'walk at home' workout.
  • Meelisv
    Meelisv Posts: 235 Member
    I was just in London over the weekend and wow - it was warm there, +4 instead of current -16 here at the very tail end of Europe.

    But as far as steps go, I sometimes go to nearby mall and do some window-shopping. That can give me 5000 steps easily inside the building. If the weather is at least tolerable walking there and back adds quite a bit of steps too.
  • TravisJHunt
    TravisJHunt Posts: 533 Member
    Treadmill
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Walk while watching online movies and streams.
  • Suuzanne37
    Suuzanne37 Posts: 114 Member
    10 minutes of cardio is approximately 1000 steps so DVDs are my go to; especially dance DVDs✨
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I do walk at home aerobic videos. Leslie Sansone (the originator), Jessica Smith and Lucy Wyndham-Read workouts on Youtube. Most are around 15 minutes for one mile. A mile or 2 spread out throughout the day a couple of times (first thing in the morning, mid-afternoon etc.) adds up.

    Using a mini-stepper while I'm watching TV or on the phone also helps me to get my miles in. My basic speed also gets me 1 mile in 15 minutes.

    Walking/jogging in place while watching TV works for me as well.
  • beartow
    beartow Posts: 3 Member
    I go anyway... -2 in London right now and I still went for my daily lunchtime walk. I find going out in bad weather helps with the discipline aspect of fitness.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    edited March 2018
    I’ve done it outside every day for 700+ days. Rain, shine, snow, hurricane. I do check the weather the night before and plan accordingly. Like to day, I got up early and got all my steps in before 7 since it will be raining tonight.
    ETA: make that 779 days!
  • teranga79
    teranga79 Posts: 202 Member
    It's -5 here (feels more like -20). I know there are colder places but that is definitely too much for me. Plus the pavements are really slippery (I'm in a cobbled area which doesn't help). Will do what I can around the house this evening but am thinking a couple of days with lower step count is definitely a better option than attempting to walk outside or get to the gym right now.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    treadmill
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Most days I do my walking inside my house. I get about 8,000 steps because that is my goal.
    I will set a timer and walk briskly from room to room for 30 minutes to an hour a couple of times a day. Usually listening to podcasts or music. I find if I get 4,000 steps by noon it isn't hard to get to my goal by the end of the day.
    I sometimes do walking workout dvd's or you tube videos. Leslie Sansone, Jessica Smith, Paula B fitness have indoor walking/running videos on you tube.
    Inefficient chores- putting away one didh at a time and doing a lap around the kitchen between each item. Hanging my laundry to dry.
    Not sitting down to watch tv or use the computer.
    Walking while waiting for food to cook or laundry to be done.

    I do walk outside when it was cruddy weather because I have to get somewhere. Dressing appropriately it isn't too bad. The worst was when it was super icy and I slipped and fell but I got something to put on my shoes now. If it is just your back yard and not streets and sidewalks maybe you can get out for some walking in shorter sessions.
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    How cold is it?
    It has been cold and snowy this winter here, I still am getting over 14,000 steps per day. If you are bundled up for it, it isn't bad. My dog loves the walks. We have been getting highs in the low 40's F this week, and the snow is melting, but there is still about 8 inches on the ground. Sloppy walking this week. I live in the country on a gravel road.
  • DaisyBlinks
    DaisyBlinks Posts: 18 Member
    My husband and I do mall walking when the weather is bad. Once we started doing it, we actually noticed that there's lots of people there doing the same thing. We never noticed when we were just shopping around but there's always a few older folks in workout gear doing laps. Target or Wal-Mart work pretty well too, just lap the store.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,737 Member
    DaisyBlinks wrote: »
    My husband and I do mall walking when the weather is bad. Once we started doing it, we actually noticed that there's lots of people there doing the same thing. We never noticed when we were just shopping around but there's always a few older folks in workout gear doing laps. Target or Wal-Mart work pretty well too, just lap the store.

    I do the Target thing during my lunch hour when the weather is bad. Sometimes I'm surprised that security doesn't stop me because they think I'm casing the joint. :)

    Normally, I walk outside for my exercise but I also do Leslie Sansone walking dvds in my apartment (usually pacing my apartment to the beat while doing computer stuff on my tablet) or listen to my mp3 player while pacing my apartment to the beat. I also catch up on the week's prime time tv I haven't watched yet or catch up on netflix on my tablet while pacing my apartment.

    Basically, when I'm home, I barely sit down.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    I hit the $10/month gym I have for the sole purpose of crappy weather cardio lol
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    missysippy930 wrote: »
    How cold is it?
    It has been cold and snowy this winter here, I still am getting over 14,000 steps per day. If you are bundled up for it, it isn't bad. My dog loves the walks. We have been getting highs in the low 40's F this week, and the snow is melting, but there is still about 8 inches on the ground. Sloppy walking this week. I live in the country on a gravel road.

    Also this. I mostly just hit the treadmill in the rain but I'm in Ontario and have had 15K steps daily on my 30 minute commute to work. Neck warmer, mitts, a down coat and boots!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited March 2018
    layladrew26 wrote: »
    How do you get your 10000 steps in when its bad weather? I aim for 10000 steps a day minimum and have done for over a year. Its become a habit now and I feel bad if I don't hit the 10000. I know the odd day doesn't really matter if I don't hit my target but I kinda enjoy my daily walks in my back yard. I have been trying to walk around the house more last 2 days as weather is really bad but I nowhere near hit 10000. I'm lucky if I manage 5000. What do you guys do when its bad weather and you can't get out?

    I aim for 8,000 to 10,000 steps too for general movement...but if the weather is bad and I can't get out, I'm not going to worry about it...I also do moderate cardiovascular exercise 4-5x per week as well...steps are just kinda gravy. I'd either get on my bike trainer or get on the rower.
  • xxrowanxx
    xxrowanxx Posts: 5 Member
    Besides house chores, I kind of pace around the house for my 10000 steps. I'm in NY, so I'm stuck indoors often 8n the winter.
  • Lesscookies12
    Lesscookies12 Posts: 140 Member
    Maybe walk up and down the stairs? Why go outside of the weather is bad??
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    There is no bad weather, just poor gear.

    Nothing wrong with a rest day once in a while.

    Or....strength training day! Get in some yoga too!

  • nsprieg
    nsprieg Posts: 24 Member
    Local mall and people watch!
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    If you can get out of the house but don't want to walk outdoors go to a mall or large store (I like Target or Walmart because they're both pretty large and walk every isle. I can easily get 4000 steps this way and sometimes will do it more than once/day. I have bursitis (sp?) in my hip and walking for too long is quite painful. I manage a good 10-12k/day just doing that if I need to.

    If you can't or don't want to leave the house, there's a pretty popular walking program online. I can't think of the woman's name but I bet someone here has already mentioned her.
  • Frankie_Fan
    Frankie_Fan Posts: 562 Member
    I do the Leslie Sansone walking dvds. She also has a YouTube channel, I think its called Walk at Home.

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