10,000 Steps Per Day?

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  • anasantos61
    anasantos61 Posts: 86 Member
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    I have a 9 to 5 job so during the day it's hard for me to get steps in but once I get home I am always moving. I walk around my house while I am making dinner and cleaning up. I use to sit on my behind for three hours watching TV. now I walk while watching TV.
  • redwoodkestrel
    redwoodkestrel Posts: 339 Member
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    I'm at a job where most days I could sit at my desk for 8 hours and only get up to go to meetings to use the bathroom. Once I got my Fitbit it really became obvious how little I was moving during the day - I'd usually get only around 3000 steps. So, I started taking breaks during my work day where I'd get up and walk for 10-15 minutes - it helps that I work in a museum so I can just go walk around the public floor. 2-4 laps is usually good. That was getting me up to 5-6000 steps, but being competitive, I really wanted to be hitting 10,000 every. single. day.

    So now I get up in the morning and run in place for 10-30 minutes, do my laps at work 2-3 times a day, and then walk 1.5-2.5 miles after work. That regularly gets me 10-13,000 steps. At the end of the day if I'm still not where I want to be I'll do more running in place.
  • dshalbert
    dshalbert Posts: 677 Member
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    I'm at a job where most days I could sit at my desk for 8 hours and only get up to go to meetings to use the bathroom. Once I got my Fitbit it really became obvious how little I was moving during the day - I'd usually get only around 3000 steps. So, I started taking breaks during my work day where I'd get up and walk for 10-15 minutes - it helps that I work in a museum so I can just go walk around the public floor. 2-4 laps is usually good. That was getting me up to 5-6000 steps, but being competitive, I really wanted to be hitting 10,000 every. single. day.

    So now I get up in the morning and run in place for 10-30 minutes, do my laps at work 2-3 times a day, and then walk 1.5-2.5 miles after work. That regularly gets me 10-13,000 steps. At the end of the day if I'm still not where I want to be I'll do more running in place.

    This. is. awesome. So yes, it can be done.
  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
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    Don't stress out, everyone is different:).

    I suggest setting your daily goal to maybe 3,000 steps and try to get it every day for a week, then up it by 1000 every week til you hit 10,000.

    People gave great ideas that you may want to try :)

    Wish you well in your journey.
  • molly_fargo
    molly_fargo Posts: 2
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    I found with my jawbone that some days I could easily hit 10k and other times it was much more difficult. One of my jobs is a desk job and the other is much more active. I try to take breaks from sitting and I'll walk up and down the stairs a few times or walk around the block if I have time. It isdefinitely disappointing when you miss your goal! Especially if you've had a streak going. There are so many little things to do each day to increase the number of steps you take!
  • TheBadW0lf
    TheBadW0lf Posts: 5
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    I just got my jawbone and I am finding that when I am work, even when I make excuses (doubling my bathroom/water filling trips) there is no way for me to hit 10K let alone more than that, but when I am working from home I can find more reasons to walk around (I have done more laundry than I thought possible!). I am hoping once it warms up here in the east I can hit my 10k more on the days Im in the office by spending my lunch hour outside.
  • Napier_mum
    Napier_mum Posts: 88 Member
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    I have a fitbit which I totally love! I usually manage to hit 10k steps now but at the start it was really hard work to increase them. The weather is pretty good where I live so I take my two kids (1 and 2 year olds) out for a 6km walk every morning. It can take us a while with all the stopping etc but it gets me to around 8k steps and then the rest of my normal moving about during the day gets me to the 10k.

    If I haven't gotten in all the steps I want to I will walk in place while cooking dinner or doing laundry, park further away when going shopping and anywhere we need to go that is within walking distance we walk. Eg kids play group and music classes etc. I used to always drive but it turns out that both are less than half an hour walk and the kids love getting outside (gets them tired too!)

    sometimes while we are hanging out at night I will dash up and down the hallway a few times to get my steps to a nice round number etc.

    The first few weeks it was really hard to just hit that 10k now most days I am up around 15k just by being aware of it.
  • gneeleanie
    gneeleanie Posts: 6
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    For me I find that incorporating steps throughout the day while doing other tasks is the most effective in hitting my step goal. A few people already mentioned stuff like, parking farther away from the gym/grocery store, taking the stairs rather than elevators, etc.

    You said you work at home - have you considered getting your desk adjusted to a sit-stand desk? If you sit for say, 8 hours a day and burn 50 calories/hr while sitting, a simple change as standing for 4 of those 8 hours could greatly increase your calorie burn AND add more steps while you work. Plus, sitting for long periods of time has been reported to be really bad for you, even if you exercise regularly.

    https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/too-much-sitting-linked-to-an-early-death-201401297004
    http://www.mayoclinic.org/sitting/expert-answers/faq-20058005
    http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135575490/sitting-all-day-worse-for-you-than-you-might-think

    I once used my Bodybugg (now called Bodymedia Fit) to calculate how many additional steps/calories I burn in an hour if standing while working rather than sitting, and it's almost 3x for me! If I could stand for the entire 8 hours I'm at work, I could burn like 700 calories without having to do anything else. Transitioning from sitting to standing though takes some time and an adjustment period, I've been able to work up to about 50% so far. Eventually I want to be able to stand during the entire time I'm at work, other than eating lunch or whatever.

    Here are some affordable options of swapping your desk setup from sitting to standing. I've tried them all, and at home I splurged and have a full-on electric sit-stand desk that is automatically programmed with my sitting and standing heights. (I also have a ton of equipment on top of my desk so I had to get something that would support 200lb+. At work though, I have a Varidesk, which is a bit pricey, but very convenient for switching easily between sit and stand positions without having to buy a high chair (which I personally found to be really uncomfortable.) There are even cheaper options where you can buy some random furniture parts at IKEA and customize your desk, but usually these options also require you to buy a high chair.

    http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-standing-desks/
    http://www.pcworld.com/article/2058662/spend-20-bucks-build-yourself-an-adjustable-standing-desk-in-20-minutes.html
    http://www.varidesk.com/
    http://www.ergotron.com/Products/Workstations/WorkFit/tabid/650/language/en-US/Default.aspx

    Plus, if you're standing while working, you can take less breaks to stand up and walk around, which you mentioned was very distracting (I agree, I used to have to do the same before I changed my desks.) I used to get up every hour and walk around for 2 minutes, it was VERY distracting for me. Now I just stand for 2-3 hours straight, get a lot done, am healthier, and am burning more calories AND getting more steps. Win-win-win-win situation! :D
  • Mav3rick54
    Mav3rick54 Posts: 180 Member
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    - when you're out and about, park further away from whatever building, etc you are going to.

    - park further away from your office building or wherever you work instead of going for that "rock star" parking.

    - Start the day off with a walk..a good 30-40 minute walk in the morning gets me around 3500 - 4800 steps right from the go

    - make sure you get up once an awhile just to walk around a bit. In just about one minute of steady walking I take around 120 steps

    - take the stairs at work

    - i work on the third floor of our office building and we have restrooms up here as well as a break room...but I take the stairs down to the first floor when I need the facilities or to refill my water bottle in the 1st floor break room

    lots of little things quickly add up.

    +1 to all the above. I have a fitbit and yes, it does take work to get to 10k and above when you have a sedentary life style. I have a desk job so I understand the challenges. I have not been under 10k since Christmas and have hit 30K+ one time. I have a secondary goal to see how many days in a row I can go without being under 10k. All of the above ideals are things that I started doing as well. They add up.... In the evening, if I haven't hit my goal yet, I will go take a walk. Sometimes it is just down to the corner and back or sometimes it is around the block. The bottom line is that it has motivated me to get up and move.
  • pamperedhen
    pamperedhen Posts: 446 Member
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    I know it seems hard to get in those steps. What I do is walk around the house or jog in place when watching tv. My kids get a real kick out of my creative ways of watching me get those 10,000 steps in!:laugh:
  • parselysage
    parselysage Posts: 28
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    I'm a stay at home mom too, and I found this semi-silly wii game called Walk It Out. If I can't walk my 3.5 miles with my walking buddy I pop it in and walk in front of my TV around the Island. It's NOT boring walking in place. I'm still very much available to the children. and if I don't use the wii board I can walk around and sway to the music while I'm making dinner. Tho half of those "steps" never register as steps because I'm not that co-ordinated.
    I hit my goal of 10k steps today and even got 5000 more because I really wanted to finish building the block of apartments I was working on, and then the last elusive song I wanted to unlock appeared. It's fun enough to want to come back to it, But I haven't finished the game so I don't know how I'll feel when every thing is built. I bought the game used and its been worth the 3$ I paid for it. I did have to turn off a few of the not so tasteful songs but other than that its been a lifesaver in keeping me off the couch eating bon-bons. :-)
  • gneeleanie
    gneeleanie Posts: 6
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    I have not been under 10k since Christmas and have hit 30K+ one time.

    This reminds me of the time I went to Disneyland with some friends 2 years ago. I wanted to see everything and I realized that one day was simply not enough, so we were all in hyper-drive the whole day. I burned a WHOLE POUND that day!! I wish I knew how many steps that came out to be, I'm really curious now.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
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    Is anyone else getting in their 10,000 steps. I'm afraid between having an active kid, a dog, a husband and getting dinner ready and on the table some days I'm just not going to hit my goal and be disapointed. I know its worth it but my lord, my foot is killing me today. Hopefully it comes easier going forward.

    Right there with ya. I went from running a technology crew and easily getting steps to a sit on my butt desk job. And any time after work is filled with kids sports, kids school, or whatever else. I had to make the time to get steps in. The first thing I learned is it isn't about getting them all at once, so I take a copule 15 minute breaks at work and I get in a 1 mile walk each break. I also end up just noshing at my desk instead of eating lunch so I take that 30 minutes and get in another 2 miles. That right there with general movement will get me close, so in the late evening I try to get in another walk to finish up.

    I also play tennis a few hours two or more times a week, so I get in LOTS of steps there.

    Just gotta find little ways to meet your goals!

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