Fitbit users or other step counter users...

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mandypizzle
mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
edited November 2014 in Fitness and Exercise
I see so many of you get like 18,000-20,000 steps a day!! I'm baffled! PLEASE list ideas on getting in those extra steps through the day! During the Summer I can easily get in 15,000 because I walk with the kids all the time but during the winter months, it's REALLY hard! I homeschool my kids, have a pretty sedentary job on the weekends, and it's cold outside! I go to the gym in the mornings and am moving a lot around the house but I"m only getting 5,000-8,000 a day the last few weeks! It's SO clear now why I gain weight winter after winter lol. I don't want to do that this year! I want to hit at least 10,000.... somehow

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  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    edited November 2014
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    I was pretty much walking 3 miles a day last Winter, while the kids were in school. Now I just go to the gym instead and use the elliptical or treadmill for 45-60 minutes every other day (or more often). So I don't get my 10,000 steps every day, but probably get 15,000 every other day or so... it's good enough for me (I lift weights the other days).

    With the kids home all day though, unless you bundle them up and go walk with them, or wait until your husband/partner (if you have one) is home and can watch the kids while you go for a walk/do a home workout, I can't really see any option, short of joining a gym with baby sitting and going there every day.

    Or you could buy a stationary bike for $100 and just do some of that while you homeschool, watch tv, whatever - it won't give you steps but it's still good exercise.

    The last option obviously is to decrease your calorie goal so you don't gain weight.
  • Asheea
    Asheea Posts: 211 Member
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    Yep, I totally understand. That's why I bought a treadmill. Like you, I was only doing 5-8k steps last year. When DST ended it got dark at 5 pm and it was too dark and cold to go walking outside. We bought a treadmill in January and I have skyrocketed not only in my steps but weight loss as well. I'm now hitting between 16-20k a day.
    I do 90-120 minutes a day on it. Not all at once mind you but through out the day. I bought one from Sears for 500 and I love it. It does everything I want and more.
  • tamolli59
    tamolli59 Posts: 1
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    If you have access to On Demand (cable) or Youtube (internet), you can do a walk exercise video. Many mornings I do one before I go to my office. You can do 1-mile, 2-mile, 3-mile, etc. and most are completed within 30-45 min. I have a desk job that requires a lot of concentration so I get lost at my desk sometimes. If I do a walk video before work I feel energized during the day and it definitely helps my step count.
  • carryncoulson
    carryncoulson Posts: 29 Member
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    I`m not able to walk around my neighbourhood because of safety as well as allergy issues so I have gotten very creative, especially working from home. I walk around the biggest room in my house. I walk during commercials either around my coffee table, marching in place if I`m watching a TV show or I hula hoop (thats fun). I also don`t keep the remote controls nearby which forces extra steps. I also walk around my kitchen when I warm things up in the microwave, or if I`m waiting for my kettle to boil. I also walk from one end of the house to the other when the bath water is running. When I fill my pets food bowls, I fill them up one at a time at the furthest tap in the house ( I have a lot of pets so that really works). It takes an average of 10 minutes to get to 1000 steps, so all these things have made it easier for me to reach my 10 000. I also used to average 6500 to 8000, but these extra things really do the trick and I`m sure you can come up with new creative things to do. I now almost always hit my 10 000 target.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »

    Or you could buy a stationary bike for $100 and just do some of that while you homeschool, watch tv, whatever - it won't give you steps but it's still good exercise.

    When I am on my exercise bike I wrap my fitbit around my foot inside my sock and I get steps counted (take the clasp off first).

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Yeah jogging in place while watching tv really works too. I did that for a while!
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    I often march in place when I am close to my goal at night and I don't want to go out.
  • BramageOMG
    BramageOMG Posts: 319 Member
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    I get Starbucks every morning. There are 3 close (within 2 miles). I walk or jog to one of them every morning. Whenever I get bored or find a pause in my day, I walk around the block. If I need to go somewhere close, I just walk. My average steps over 5 months is 17K per day. It helps A LOT. (I use a free app called Pacer on iPhone). When I jog/run I fire up runtasatic. And I hate runners. But I am starting to do it anyway :)
  • mandypizzle
    mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
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    Thanks for the great ideas! I'm making a list that I can look at periodically to get moving. We have a Beans and Brews a mile away. That would be a nice walk :) I have a tred mill but it stopped working. I need to see who I would call to have it fixed :/
  • catweimer
    catweimer Posts: 12 Member
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    My favorite trick is walking while you are on the phone. If i'm in the office, i'll take calls on my cell phone and do laps around the building while I talk. At home, I do laps around the house :). Definitely starts to add up!
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    tamolli59 wrote: »
    If you have access to On Demand (cable) or Youtube (internet), you can do a walk exercise video. Many mornings I do one before I go to my office. You can do 1-mile, 2-mile, 3-mile, etc. and most are completed within 30-45 min. I have a desk job that requires a lot of concentration so I get lost at my desk sometimes. If I do a walk video before work I feel energized during the day and it definitely helps my step count.

    Walking DVDs/videos are great for adding steps - no choreography....just fast paced movement.

    Some freebies here: http://www.jessicasmithtv.com/

    Leslie Sansone has DVDs.....see if your local library has them, or buy/download from Amazon.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
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    I live in Minnesota. My fitbit goal for 2014 was to get 18,000 to 20,000 steps per day. I walked outside everyday (except for one day in January where the air temp was -27 and with the wind chill it was really nasty). I park as far away from the door as I possibly can at work. When I get up from my desk, I walk up the stairs at least once. I use the elliptical or treadmill in the gym at work for 1 hour M-F year round and during the summer I walk for 45-55 minutes after work and on weekends. I have gotten between 18K and 20K everyday this year except 1. I just have to make it a priority.

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