How to increase daily steps?

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  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    As I said already, working out isn't my problem. I have a home gym and I either use it or one of my workout DVDs daily for 35-45 minutes minimum and most days it's for at least 1 hour 15 minutes in total.

    I know that's not nothing, and neither is the trips outside with my dog, walks up and down stairs and walking to and from the rooms in my house but it just feels like I don't move much.

    I am not much of a fidget so I need to force myself to move more. I like the suggestion about walking around when making tea, my boyfriend is a real fidget and he walks up and down our living room when he's talking on the phone but I always talk on the phone sitting down. I can't walk around with my phone when I'm working because it's a corded phone and I'm looking at my PC writing notes too, but I could do it when I'm chatting to my mum or my friends etc.

    At one stage I replaced my chair with a fit ball so maybe I'll implement that again. I will have a look for short workouts of 5-10 minutes I can do during breaks too as that sounds interesting. I don't feel that I'm getting enough of a workout for my abs right now so that would be a good starting point and I like Zumba so that's a good idea too.
  • itsthehumidity
    itsthehumidity Posts: 351 Member
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    Didn't you just say you have a four story house? Start at the top, walk to the bottom, go back up, repeat until you reach your steps. Climbing stairs is a great way to get exercise.
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
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    Sleep in your walking clothes and when you wake up, put on your shoes and walk for 2 miles. Better yet, run. Better yet, lift.

    Stop listing all the reasons you can't do it and just do it, like everyone else here does.
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    I am saving up for an activity tracker, I've got an Omron pedometer but I'm not sure it tracks stairs and it's not really activity tracker so I would like to get something a bit better. I'm going to look up some short workouts I can do during breaks and I'm also going to make an effort to walk up and down stairs more often. I could even put the treadmill or Eliptical machine on for 5 minutes I suppose. I usually cook during my lunch break but could walk in and out of the kitchen as the living room/dining room is quite long and that would probably add a few steps if I walked up and down a few times.

    I always knew I was sedentary outside of workouts but it wasn't until I started tracking steps that I realised how much.
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    To the last poster I do walk and run both indoors and outdoors and I do lift (4 times a week). It's between my logged 'exercise' that I worry about not moving enough.

    When I had a walk to the tube station, a walk to the platform and a walk to my office plus a walk up and down stairs which there, to and from the different offices etc. I moved SO much more than I do now.

    I love working from home but I feel like a coach potato a lot of the time that's all!
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    I always used to get home from work, eat dinner, and then plop down and the couch and not move until it was time to go to bed. Now that I am trying to get my steps up, I changed a couple of things (other than the obvious throw on a jacket an take a walk). Every commercial break I think of one quick task to get up and do. Put the dishes in the dishwasher, take out my contacts, put away that book I finished, etc. The other thing, I stand up in front of the TV and I walk, march, run in place. Throw in some jumping jack and jump rope moves if I have the energy. I probably look like a dork, but I can easily add 1,000 steps a day just with that.

    Whenever I go to the grocery store, I walk an extra "lap" or two around the perimeter. I always park toward the back of the parking lot. Once you start doing some of these things, you'll start to naturally see other ways to move around more than you used to!
  • DianaJaneD
    DianaJaneD Posts: 157 Member
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    Check this out for some great ideas and a couple of short videos about it. I'm one of the people in the "Movers and Shakers" section! http://www.quittingthesitting.com/
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    Thanks, I'll have a look at the link you suggested. Hopefully I'll be able to get those steps in more!
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 7,940 Member
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    themedalist wrote: »
    I think you'll find some great ideas here on a new website devoted to helping people sit less. And it was inspired by the actions taken by a group of My Fitness Pal friends!

    http://www.quittingthesitting.com/

    I particularly like the suggestion to only take a little coffee from the pot at a time. Just a practical way to make yourself get up and walk.
  • HelenWater
    HelenWater Posts: 232 Member
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    1) You don't commute, so you could walk for 20-30 minutes at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day.
    2) You could set an an alarm to go off every 30 minutes and walk around for two minutes - walking from top to bottom and back again or taking your dog out should do that.
    3) I've carried my dogs for part of a walk a few times. It just adds to my workout
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    I like the suggestion about going to the bathroom on another floor. I have an en suite in the room I work in so I should really make an effort to use the one on the ground floor near the kitchen instead.

    I usually do cardio on gym machines or one of my workout DVDs a lot of mornings and don't have time to do a walk too (nor do I have the extra time in the evening either) so that's not possible but I do try and fit in a walk of 60 minutes two days a week most weeks

    I also like your suggestion about carrying the dog, she weighs 7 kilos so I could carry her part of the way and it would make a good workout, as well as stopping her eating anything and everything she finds on the ground!
  • HelenWater
    HelenWater Posts: 232 Member
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    The dogs seem to enjoy being carried. I have the opposite weather problem. It's very hot here and the dogs run around until they're tired and then run into the shade and refuse to move!

    Good luck in changing your habits. It's not easy, but I bet you'll be hitting that 10,000 steps most days within a few weeks!
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    Yes dogs are funny about the weather but can't blame them. At the moment it is cold in the mornings at around 6-8 degrees which is bearable but it's been really windy the last few weeks so feels a lot colder. It does warm up to around 15-18 during the day but I can't normally go out for long then. By May/June it will be 30-35 degrees and in August we have 40 degrees during the day and 30 at night and then have the same problem as you. I struggle to exercise a lot in the summer, even indoors as we don't use air-conditioning most of the time.
  • No_excuses_nikki
    No_excuses_nikki Posts: 16 Member
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    I love my fitbit and have tons of little things you can do to get to your daily 10k goal!

    While brushing your teeth, pace around
    While watching TV pace during the commercials!
    Do things in more trips (ex. You have to bring 3 things to a different part of the house, make 3 trips)
    Always park far away from Stores
    March on the Spot during your favorite shows
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    I realized I was only at 3k steps for the work day, being that I work out of the house and all. So I went for a walk.

    Handled.
  • sweetteadrinker2
    sweetteadrinker2 Posts: 1,026 Member
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    I work from home too. I struggle to get my steps in, but I've learned to view walking as a reward for getting work done. I generally feel better when I'm active, and walking in cold weather just requires a balaclava and the bf to put the tea kettle on when I text him.
  • AglaeaC
    AglaeaC Posts: 1,974 Member
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    What is wrong with walking solo? If one wants to increase steps, one must walk.
  • rocknrollfire
    rocknrollfire Posts: 30 Member
    edited February 2015
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    when my dad worked from home, he made it part of his morning routine to go for a walk before he started work, and then halfway through his day as a break. he would take a cup of coffee or tea in a travel mug, some books on tape to listen to, and just walk around his neighbourhood for the pleasure of it, for as much or as little time as his day allowed. if it was the winter, he'd bundle up. he found that not only did it help him get more exercise, but it really helped clear his mind.

    (personally, i work on my feet, and on an average day i don't find i need help getting those 10 000 steps... but i understand your struggle!!)
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    I don't really like walking solo, unless I'm walking around shops! I have been known to do a dog walk alone of course so when it warms up a bit ill be doing that a lot more. I might make my Sunday market trip a bit longer next time by parking as far away as possible from the entrance which would add a good 15-20 minutes of walking to the trip.
  • AglaeaC
    AglaeaC Posts: 1,974 Member
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    JAT74 wrote: »
    Yes dogs are funny about the weather but can't blame them. At the moment it is cold in the mornings at around 6-8 degrees which is bearable but it's been really windy the last few weeks so feels a lot colder. It does warm up to around 15-18 during the day but I can't normally go out for long then. By May/June it will be 30-35 degrees and in August we have 40 degrees during the day and 30 at night and then have the same problem as you. I struggle to exercise a lot in the summer, even indoors as we don't use air-conditioning most of the time.

    You aren't the first to live in a place with challenging temperatures. Sorry but all I hear is one excuse after the other.

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