10,000 steps a day?

Queen_JessieA
Queen_JessieA Posts: 1,059 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am a BUSY mom to 4 kids - and while we are often on the go, it is mostly in the car. I aim to walk at least 2 miles every night even after running around. My goal of 7500 steps is often not reached even with that walk in. By the end of the day, my feet are killing me. I don't know how in the world to go above and beyond 7500 steps!

How do you get your steps in?

Replies

  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    edited July 2016
    i work full time, its hard, i have to squeeze in steps any chance i get, and even then i come up short. I have tried to go for hour walks after work but something always gets in the way, so the best way for me is a few steps here and a few steps there. They do add up On work days i really have to make a conscious effort, but on weekends i'm surprised i hit 10K by 3pm without even trying.
    But i should add, if you have 4 kids.... pokemon go. Since that game came out, my steps have increased by so much. My family is nagging me the minute i get home to go walking so they can hatch eggs.
  • Queen_JessieA
    Queen_JessieA Posts: 1,059 Member
    They do play. I guess I should give a go. Lol.
  • dmt4641
    dmt4641 Posts: 409 Member
    A dumb trick I used when I wore my fit bit - clean very inefficiently. I used to gather things that needed to go upstairs in a basket and take them upstairs in one trip. When trying to get steps, I pick up something and take it where it needs to go instead of sorting into a basket. I serious got a ton of steps just picking up my kids toys through out the day.

    On a side note, my 8 yr old randomly wanted to wear my fitbit today. She got to 10k steps by 3 pm, even though I swear I saw her reading and on her ipad for several hours. Amazing how many steps you can just just playing.

  • arubababy
    arubababy Posts: 46 Member
    In the week when I'm working I tend to march on the spot or do 2 steps forward 2 steps back whilst watching to and at the weekend often chase my Lo round the park. I find weekends I'm normally more at 20,000 but in the week usually 6000 unless I move on the spot
  • treegirl97
    treegirl97 Posts: 70 Member
    dmt4641 wrote: »
    A dumb trick I used when I wore my fit bit - clean very inefficiently. I used to gather things that needed to go upstairs in a basket and take them upstairs in one trip. When trying to get steps, I pick up something and take it where it needs to go instead of sorting into a basket. I serious got a ton of steps just picking up my kids toys through out the day.

    I do the same thing. When I'm putting away laundry, generally I'll put away a piece or 2 at a time so that I'm forced to walk back and forth to the laundry basket multiple times!
  • ChrissyGoto
    ChrissyGoto Posts: 17 Member
    I work full time and my daily goal is set at 12,000. I park as far from the door of any place I drive to, these added steps do add up. I am training for a 1/2 marathon in February so I am on a run schedule to run 3 days a week and try to it the gym to lift on the other days. But as far as little add ons:

    I try to walk for at least 15 minutes in the morning outside on my am break and at lunch time(if it's not too hot) and then when I get home I either opt for walking the dogs extra long, or walk on my treadmill while we all watch TV(I still get family time but instead of sitting I am getting in steps)
  • CaptainJoy
    CaptainJoy Posts: 257 Member
    If you carry a child around, push a stroller or shopping cart, or carry baskets of laundry around, you're probably getting more steps in than your tracker shows. Consider putting your tracker in your pocket or on your ankle if you don't swing your arms as much. It'll pick up more of your missed steps through out the day.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    dmt4641 wrote: »
    A dumb trick I used when I wore my fit bit - clean very inefficiently. I used to gather things that needed to go upstairs in a basket and take them upstairs in one trip. When trying to get steps, I pick up something and take it where it needs to go instead of sorting into a basket. I serious got a ton of steps just picking up my kids toys through out the day.

    On a side note, my 8 yr old randomly wanted to wear my fitbit today. She got to 10k steps by 3 pm, even though I swear I saw her reading and on her ipad for several hours. Amazing how many steps you can just just playing.

    I do this...I put dishes away one at a time, walking back and forth from the rack to the cupboards....Same with laundry...I'll purposely take small loads up the two flights of stairs....if you keep watching your numbers, you'll start to find ways to move more and get them up...When I started with my fitbit in December, I was lucky to see 6000 steps in a day (I work from home, bed to desk)....Now, after being mindful and putting much effort in, I usually manage to get in 10000 to 12000 each day, depending on if I workout. It is doable, it's just a matter of finding ways to move more, more often.
  • Queen_JessieA
    Queen_JessieA Posts: 1,059 Member
    Thanks for the tips! I will give these a go!
  • caroldavison332
    caroldavison332 Posts: 864 Member
    You have to strategize. I considered riding the bus to work, but it would drop me off at the office. Instead I talk the subway and walk 3 miles daily and climb 18 stairs when my knees are okay with it.
  • caroldavison332
    caroldavison332 Posts: 864 Member
    I also do high intensity interval training on my mini trampoline 30 second sprints, 90 second rests, times 10. Three times a week, again when my knees say yes. They have been saying no a lot. So i respected my body and will come back after my vacation in France and when I have less weight to pound them with.
  • hmltwin
    hmltwin Posts: 116 Member
    I generally snatch time to walk throughout the day - early in the morning before work, on my am break, at lunch, on my pm break and directly after work. I can usually get 10K-12K steps by the end of the work day. I'm up to 15K for my step goal, so I end up filling in the last few thousand with a long walk or by playing on my WiiFit (walking in place, like a treadmill).

    Yeah, the best advice I have is to just snatch short walks when you can. They add up, even if you can only get them in 5-20 minute blocks.
  • newereveryday
    newereveryday Posts: 222 Member
    I second the suggestions of trying to be inefficient in your daily tasks if you're concerned with getting steps.

    There's also the option of shifting your thinking. Steps are a means to an end and that end is burning calories. Steps are one way to burn, and I've never fallen short on my burn goal if I hit my step goal, but it's also TOTALLY possible to burn without stepping much. Example: Yesterday, I only walked 5186 steps, but burned 3100 calories (my personal goal is to burn 2700 per day).

    If your Fitbit has an HRM in it, maybe test out switching your primary goal from steps to calorie burn and seeing if that's an easier target to hit?
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Really foot pain, perhaps you need different more supportive or properly fitted shoes for walking. If you try to be more, rather than less, efficient with household tasks, maybe you have a nice extra 15 min for a short walk at some point. Don't worry about the magical 10,000. You'll get there eventually!
  • MinnieMay9
    MinnieMay9 Posts: 12 Member
    One way I get steps in is to have mini dance parties when commercials come on the TV. I have my phone with a music player on pause on the couch with me and get up and hit play when the commercials come on.
  • MissTattoo
    MissTattoo Posts: 1,203 Member
    I try to get some in during the day. I have a desk job so it's hard. I have a Garmin and it adjusts your goal based on your previous day's results. I changed the printer I go to. I take the long way around to the water fountain.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    10,000 steps is really not a lot. One exercise class is that many. Besides whatever else you do in the course of your day.
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    i commute to work so walking from the trains to the office adds some steps, i always take the stairs down a floor and go to the furthest restroom, and i set my fitbit alarms for every hour at work to go walk around a bit. Even that with walking the dog twice a day sometimes isn't enough, but if i can wake up to run in the morning or work out at night i usually get close.
  • MyFreakingNameIsScott
    MyFreakingNameIsScott Posts: 199 Member
    When I'm working (sport camps) I can kill 17-20,000 steps a day. On normal coaching days I can get 9-10,000. My workouts don't do it alone. I can usually only pull 6-8 out of that. I don't sweat the steps too much on days when I am burning a good load of calories.
  • bigme3505
    bigme3505 Posts: 85 Member
    Along the lines of what everyone else has said, just squeeze in a few whenever you can. At work I'll go to the furthest bathroom I can think of, or just get up now and then and walk the hallways for a few minutes. It adds up. You can do it!
  • kaaaayla
    kaaaayla Posts: 91 Member
    It's 2pm, and I'm currently at 11,642 because I went to the gym before work. But on days when I don't work out, I take the stairs at work, park far away from the door, take my dogs for longer walks, leave my key card at my desk so I have to take the long route around the office... and then if I'm at like 8 or 9k before bedtime, I'll just wander around the house and put things away, water the plants, whatever. Gets chores done and steps in.
    But the easiest thing is to pre-plan. Have a goal of getting to 4,000 by lunch time. Then if you're not there, take a walk. That way, you'll have less to do at night.
  • Queen_JessieA
    Queen_JessieA Posts: 1,059 Member
    edited July 2016
    caroldavison332 wrote: »
    You have to strategize. I considered riding the bus to work, but it would drop me off at the office. Instead I talk the subway and walk 3 miles daily and climb 18 stairs when my knees are okay with it.


    I do not live in a city with a bus/subway system.

    But I do make conscious efforts to park further away or take stairs.

    As for my feet hurting, I am trying to rectify that. I have plantar faciitis and have inserts and I do stretches.

    I walk with my 7 month old in the stroller and it is generally at least a 2 mile walk. You would think I would get to my goal of 7500 with that.

    Thanks for your insight.
  • cindygogle75
    cindygogle75 Posts: 27 Member
    Besides using my fitness pal I also use the sense me app on my phone and carry my phone on my all day and it records all your steps taken no matter what you are doing sometimes I go over 10,000 steps one day I did almost 19,000 steps
  • sfhappy
    sfhappy Posts: 59 Member
    Sorry to hear your feet are hurting you. Perhaps you should not worry so much about taking more steps, but focus more on alleviating the plantar fasciitis. I remember how painful that was for me. It took awhile, but I finally got over it. Had to tape my foot for support.

    However, the way I figure the "steps" method is that about 1000 steps is 1/2 mile. So, if you can walk 1 mile in 20 minutes, that would be 2000 steps. You might think about staying active for 20 minutes at a time in order to better reach your goal.

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    CaptainJoy wrote: »
    If you carry a child around, push a stroller or shopping cart, or carry baskets of laundry around, you're probably getting more steps in than your tracker shows. Consider putting your tracker in your pocket or on your ankle if you don't swing your arms as much. It'll pick up more of your missed steps through out the day.

    UGH! Yes! I walked a TON on vacation - the one day we walked so much my feet and legs were sore but I was pushing a wheelchair the whole time and only 3,000 steps registered for the day! Booo!!!
  • Sarc_Warrior
    Sarc_Warrior Posts: 430 Member
    I have severe asthma as well as an autoimmune disease that effects the lungs. I am a proud father of a 5 and 9 year old. I have a desk job. And I still find a way to get 14000 steps a day.

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