Any 10,000 Steps (Daily) Success stories?

I got my fitbit today and managed 9700 steps, so really pleased with myself.

I'm in love with my fitbit one. I got it for Christmas and started using it on 12/26. I live in a major city, so getting steps isn't a challenge, but I challenge myself to get as many steps per day as possible- a minimum of 12,000. I usually am around 18,000-20,000.

Not a total success story just yet, but I am down 19.6 pounds since 12/26, even with some significant "life things" happening. It was a big eye opener to see how many calories I really needed- I'm actually super active, but I never felt that way. I routinely eat around 2,000 calories, and that seems to be working well for me!

I have hit my 15,000 daily steps 3 times but have yet to hit my 20,000.

I made a goal of 10,000 steps, but I have only reached it a couple of times. It's difficult when you have a desk job, because I do such little walking at work. Even when I wear it during my regular workout (Curves), I may only get up to about 5 or 6,000 in a day. I did figure out that a mile for me is around 2,750 steps, so if I have time to also go on a 3-4 mile walk, I can easily reach 10,000 +. Since wearing the pedometer, it really makes me realize how little I'm moving in a day. But, as a result, I am now going out of my way to figure out how to get more steps in throughout the day. Awareness is key!

The only time I hit over 20,000 was while walking at disneyland! Needless to say I ate a lot that day!

As a college student my average was at 8k from just walking to and from class. Living in the city made it easier to walk more as well. Now that I'm home, I'm lucky if I hit 3k because I work a desk job.

I had made 10,000 steps a day my goal since joining MFP nearly a year and a half ago. Like others posting on this thread, I have a desk job, so for me to get to 10K would require an actual effort to go out and exercise. At first I was hitting the goal about half the time - there were too many days that I would blow off the daily walks.

In February of last year I read an article online that changed my entire attitude. Basically, it describes a technique that helps you focus on your daily commitment to your goals, and does so in a visible, tactile way. I've posted about this before, but it's really a great article.

http://lifehacker.com/5886128/how-seinfelds-productivity-secret-fixed-my-procrastination-problem

I kept my first streak going for nine days, and then ended up getting sidelined with the flu. But I picked it up again and kept the chain alive for nearly seven weeks. That streak was broken last Easter because I was traveling to visit my daughter and her family. I haven't missed a day since - and passed the one-year mark this past Monday.

If 10,000 steps is too many to work into your schedule at first, start by setting a more modest goal. Once that becomes comfortable for you, bump your goal up a notch and let yourself settle in to the new routine. Before long you'll be hitting 10K steps every day, and the idea of skipping a day won't even cross your mind. Good luck!

This is a great article! I am going to use it to get myself to finally clean my house.

This is from last week:


63,794 steps which is just over 9000 steps daily, 98 floors climbed, 26.44 miles traveled. Love the Fitbit.

When I first began MFP, my daily steps were around 5K (I work a 9-5 desk job). I was completely disheartened when I realized that I was only halfway towards the "healthy norm" of 10k steps a day. However, after making several small changes in my daily routine, I've upped my average daily steps to 11-12k without too much effort. Here are a few tips that worked for me:

1) I take the train to work. There's a stop 2 blocks from my office, but I now get off at the stop before about 3/4 mile from my office and walk. If you drive into work, just park as far from your office entrance as possible.

2) Talk a short walk after lunch. I take a half hour walk, but even 10-15 minutes would give an extra 1-2k steps.

3) In line with #1, always park far away from restaurants, stores, etc when you're out. It may only a few hundred steps, but it's something.

You could also take a short walk after dinner, walk your dog if you have one for 10-15 minutes in the evening. It all adds up and makes 10,000 steps achievable for those of us who work desk jobs.

Hope this helps for those of you that find it difficult to reach 10k!

Also, a co-worker and I looked it up and I think 10K steps is about a 5 mile walk. Is that consensus?

Sorry this is long. Hope it helps someone else in similar shoes.

So I read about the 10K steps a day idea and thought well at least I can walk (sort of).

I got my fitbit from Amazon and man was I crushed when I put it on and after 1 week I was barely getting 2500 steps a day! 3500 was a good day. This was seriously bad news….10k seems like a triathlon from that starting point.:sad:

This is what I did to get to 10k steps a day.

- Starting Point: No activity, closer to 300lbs than not, and very, very little muscle strength in ankles, hips and knees.

- Figured out I needed to break it up into proverbial baby steps (screw the heart rate thing, I just needed to get my legs to swish back and forth 10,000 steps a day and there was no way I could mentally or physically sustain a huge chunk of walking. I would rather stab myself in the eye.

1. The Math: 10,000 steps – 2500 steps = 7500 steps to get done.

2. I noticed that on average it was minute for a 100 steps (like I needed to walk 75 minutes) - (math is 'ishy')

3. If I walked 10 minutes in the morning = 65 minutes left
4. If I walked 1x 15 minute break = 50 minutes left
5. If ate my lunch at my desk before my 'official lunch' break I could drive home and walk the treadmill 20 minutes, touch up my hair/makeup brush my teeth and be back at work on time. (-20 more minutes down) = 30 minutes left
6. If I walked the second break (-15 minutes) = 15 minutes left
7. In the beginning (first 2 weeks) If I was dying from the pain both mentally and physically I would use my recumbent bike 15 minutes (at level 2) and consider it done
8. Or I would dig super deep and walk the last 15 minutes

So here is the good part if I got more daily steps in I could eliminate that ‘end of the day’ 15 minutes or rest on one of my breaks.

Some tricks I do. Note: Don’t judge... if..well..some seem, “bad employee-esque” --I have given my everything to my company, gotten treated like *kitten* and my health has paid the ultimate price.

Tips to get more steps:

1. Park farther away – this is like against everything I have ever known and felt soooo ridiculous and I know everyone saw this at work and thought: OMG she’s not parked ‘in the doorway!’ I am known for front row parking...
2. Since you can generally go to the bathroom whenever the need calls: drink a crap ton of water and then you will have to go wee-wee. So now walk to the opposite side of the office to use the bathroom drill into your head "Breaks for walking not wee time" wee on company time.
3. Print to the printer that is farthest away from your desk. And print lots more! Find stuff to print (sorry I know this is bad bad. :embarassed: But I am desperate. Don’t judge).
4. Walk over to visit folks and converse about work in person vs. instant messaging, calling or emailing.

I am on 32 days straight & down ~ 15lbs.:happy:

I bought one of those gadjics and hit 10,000 steps and got blisters on my heels....lol....