Lets talk about walking and steps per day

I am sedentary with a desk job so my day is much like yours....except the days I run.

When I was giving myself walking goals I added ten percent to my previous average. At the end of a month I was walking a lot more.

The answer for you is what your own body is telling you. In other words your first target will be a consistent 4,000 daily, and your next target may be 4,400 steps. And so on.

An "ideal" of 10,000 steps is bandied about but when I checked it out that number was pulled out of the air by a Japanese marketing firm in the sixties.

http://m.livescience.com/43956-walking-10000-steps-healthy.html

I aim for a minimum of 12,500 steps a day with a minimum of at least 30 minutes of those steps done at a level my Fitbit deems "active." In other words, at least a somewhat brisk pace that gets the heart working a bit harder than normal.

I have a sedentary office job but get around 20,000 steps per day because I walk to and from work (about 1.5 miles each way), go to the gym x2/weekly before work and x2/weekly at lunch, use my other lunch breaks to walk when I can, take the long way/a walk around my floor every time I need to go anywhere in my office, and I volunteer for anything that'll get me moving, like getting the mail or going on the coffee run.

I also try my best to walk whenever I need to pick up a few groceries or run a short errand in the evenings. I try not to drive for anything less than a couple miles away if I can avoid it. I live and work in a downtown core, which makes this possible, so I know it's not feasible for everyone, but I like walking and like supporting my neighbourbood businesses and stuff when I can.

I don't think the cost or the bells and whistles really matter if you put your mind to working with what you have. I started like you, just noting how many steps I was getting doing normal activity. I also started adding more steps while doing daily things like making more trips to the laundry or going for that one item you forgot on the other side of the grocery store, etc. . I remember a friend saying soon you'll be walking to work - NEVER! was my reply at that time. Now I have discovered I would rather walk than take public transportation and I try and walk to and/or from work (3+ miles) several times a week - I even stopped buying a monthly bus pass.

Give it some time, it will happen if you let it. Try and do some walking in your area just because, I know the cold and dark can be a turn off, I have to keep reminding myself that it is not late, just dark when walking home and the cold becomes a memory after the first mile or so.

Also, initially I would put my pedometer on when I was ready to leave the house, when I started putting it on first thing in the morning it really made a difference (now I have a Fitbit).

My daily goal is 6 miles or 13K steps and on a good day I reach that by 10:00 am.

Best wishes!

I live in the North East too in a small village with little lighting. I've got a decent breathable waterproof jacket and shoes, plus a good lightweight torch so I have no excuses for getting out there. That's not to say I don't make them ;-)

I average 12-4k each day without intentional exercise. If I go for a run, I average 15-20k depending on how far I run.

I'm a stay at home mom with 4 young kids.

holly_roman wrote: »

oh wow..lots of walking!!!! I live up north, so it is dark, chilly, and the ice is usually horrendous for months. There will be no walking outside or around blocks. I do work in a big building so hoping I can slowly increase my steps to 10k by spring by walking my building, taking stairs(not up..not ready for that yet lol, there are 12 flights), and maybe doing a lap or two around the office. people will think i am wierd but whatever. Thank god there are others as low as me. I thought I was the only one!

So far today I've gotten in 11,764 steps. I haven't left my house (it's been raining) other than to take the trash cans from the curb around to the back yard. I have done many laps around my downstairs, ten minutes at a time.

My average step count before I started logging was around 6k on weekdays and around 3k on weekends. Now that I am tracking and logging I purposely work toward 10k each day. I work in an office at a computer all day so to get my steps in I do what I call "double-takes." Whenever I leave my office for any reason, I go twice. Ex. leave my office, walk to the restroom, relieve myself, walk back to my office door, turn back around and walk to the restroom door, then walk back to my office. I also walk up and down the stairs at home and at work, dance and occasionally use my treadmill for more than decoration.

I try to get 100000 steps a week. About half come from my job as a school sub in special ed; the other half come from fitness walking & hiking. I use my phone as my pedometer so I don't pick up many walking around the house steps.
I find walking very satisfying, but it is not my only mode of exercise. I do yoga 4-5 times a week, and I take two dance classes with HIIT intervals. I do body weight lifting as well. But the walking is very addicting... I love how versatile it is, and I appreciate that it doesn't require a complete change of outfit. It's very useful as 'active rest,' too, which is important for both mind & body.
And yes... The calories!! Doh!! The more you can walk, the more you can eat!!

I used to average around 5,000 with a sedentary lifestyle plus ~60 minutes a week of cardio and strength training. A couple months ago I increased my activity level substantially by walking around my house a lot more, and I now average around 10-11,000 steps a day. According to my Fitbit I'm averaging around 60-75 minutes a day of at least moderate exercise. I got a Fitbit because I wanted to also see a better estimate of my daily calorie burn, and also wanted to do sleep tracking.

I do 15-18 k a day on days I work. I run robotic router and it takes seven and a half minutes to do a run. I can't leave it while it's doing its thing so I pace around the area. I manage to get a couple hundred steps in before it finishes. It really adds up over a 10 hour work day. My day off however. . I too live in the dreaded cold dark northeast and really miss my walks outside.

When I first got my fitbit last March I was averaging around the same steps as you everyday OP. Now I get a minimum of 20,000 and usually hover around 25,000.

It is really easy to increase your steps by thousands a day while you do "daily" stuff.

When you cook...dance a bit. Put on some music and make it a fun task. Dishes?..... dont put them in the dishwasher but wash up after dinner/lunch breakfast whatever...a 10 minutes task while you dance/move...stand up a bit earlier and step/march on some youtube videos for 10 minutes.

Watching tv in the evening?..... chose one of your favorite programs or a 20 to 30 minute program and step while you are watching it.
When you are on the phone walk up and down.
Shopping?...park your car further away.

And dark outside?...well when you are shopping take your time and walk all the isles. A supermarket is a great place to get some steps in.

If you do all these kind of things or some of them you will increase your steps, and for not much time at all.

Another good one is park farther away from your work or get out of the bus one stop earlier. Same way back home.

And so on....be creative