Office workers - how many steps per day do you average?

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I've been wearing my garmin for about a month or so now and I average around 8000 a day, provided I am able to take a 30 min walk at lunch. On good days, I can break 10k.

How do you get the extra steps in when you're at a desk all day?
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Replies

  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
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    I average between 11K-13K... I make sure to get up every hour and get in at least 250 steps (if not, my FitBit reminds me). I also walk from Penn Station to the office and back; and additionally walk home once I get off the train. Plus the steps I get in from working out.
  • tahxirez
    tahxirez Posts: 270 Member
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    13-20k I get up every hour for my 250 at minimum. I get 2 15 min breaks where I walk as fast as I can up a hill (usually about .75 mile maybe each time.) I also do that for 15 minutes after I eat my lunch quickly most days. Any excuse to go for a walk; ask a question, deliver a document, bathroom break. To hit additional goals: after work a 40-60 min walk with my dog, quick run (~35 mins), have a second job at as a waitress (exercise and make money!), sometimes Zumba or fitness blender.
  • PrimeSuspect87
    PrimeSuspect87 Posts: 20 Member
    edited November 2016
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    I average between 12k-13k. I use the same strategy as bella, get up every hour making sure i hit minimum of 250 steps but always try and do around 350-400.. I go out for 15-20min brisk walk on my lunch. On my gym days I end up with 15k-17k.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
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    I break 15,000 on a goodish work day and 12,000+ is a fair to middlin day--my building is spread across 2 blocks, so I've challenged myself to go to the furthest restroom and either up or down a floor. I park in the furthest parking area. I use an Arc trainer over lunch many days. I will try to fit in a 15 or 20 minute "sanity walk" on some days. I will go and do the stairs. I will walk 5 blocks to Starbucks for coffee rather than to our coffee bar. I go home and walk or ride my bike (which counts the pedaling as steps). I garden extensively and get in many many steps there. I will go for a walk at 10 pm or in the rain. We live in a big old farmhouse and I am always running here and there, up and down stairs, and to the attic and basement, and am rarely to be seen in front of the TV.
  • Richie2shoes
    Richie2shoes Posts: 412 Member
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    Alrighty then. It looks like I need to step up my game...
  • vnb_208
    vnb_208 Posts: 1,359 Member
    edited November 2016
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    Usually between 12,000-15,00 steps per day ! Walk 2 miles before work, brisk walk on my 15 minute break. Then brisk 45 min walk after work, then whatever cardio exercise i choose for the day.
  • DanyellMcGinnis
    DanyellMcGinnis Posts: 315 Member
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    Without exercise, about 7000. With exercise, more like 13-14K (less on kettlebell days, more on Insanity days). When it is cool enough, I do try to climb the stairs to my office (I work on the 8th floor), but once the outside temperature hits 70 or so, the stairwell turns into an oven.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    About 12,000 through the entire day. Walk on morning, lunch and afternoon break. If I need to use the restroom, I use the one in the basement (work on the 4th floor). I also get at least 15 flights of stairs every day, usually more.
  • kksmom1789
    kksmom1789 Posts: 281 Member
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    I need to step up my game also I get about 7,000ish give or take. time to start pacing the office when it's slow this winter season.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    edited November 2016
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    15K - I run every week day morning so that accounts for almost 10k, the rest I tot up between office and home. I try and get up from my desk often, at least every 30 mins I make the excuse to have to walk to another office.
  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
    edited November 2016
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    I walk to work. On those days I average around 16K - Not counting anything apart form walking to nd from work (add ons in sports make some days go up to 30K)
    Actual in the office I usually have 3-6K steps.
    Our ritner is a bit further out (and currently broken hence more steps) I will always walk to co-workers to discuss instead of picking up the phone.
    I will take the stairs (I am on the 3rd floor) and ave to pick up lots of cups of tea. (30 steps) Plus I do not have a rubbish bin - which means that throwing away my apple or manderin stuff gives me another 30 steps.

    One co-worker and I will occasionally walk the corridors on occasion instead of sitting down to brainstorm We find it helps (even better when outside). I will always go and pick up my guests downstairs and will walk them up to the meeting room via the stairs.

    It is the little things that help too
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    My monthly average has not been below 11k for the last 6 months with the highest being 66k in a day.
  • rachelr1116
    rachelr1116 Posts: 334 Member
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    I have to stay at my desk a lot because I back up the receptionist and have to answer the phone if she steps away from her desk. So, on a good day without exercise I only get about 5,000. I do try to get away at lunch to walk and I try to look for excuses to get up and walk around during the day but I know to get 10,000 steps I'm always going to have to do some kind of purposeful exercise or walking after work.
  • not_my_first_rodeo
    not_my_first_rodeo Posts: 311 Member
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    If I go for an hour walk, I can do about 10-12k a day.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    I average 15k steps/day. I work out in the mornings - either circuit training which I warm up by walking 15 min before, or an hour long walk. I try to have minimum 5k steps before I even get to the office, but prefer 8-10k steps on days I walk before work. I take a 10 minute break mid morning and mid afternoon and eat lunch at my desk so I can walk 20-30 min then. I park in the back of the parking lot so I have to walk 700 or so steps each way going into and out of my office, and I pretty much don't sit down at home (other than eating dinner) until 9:30 or 10:00 pm.
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
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    Just over 10K. My Jawbone3 fitness tracker goes off if I haven't gotten up in an hour, which is a good reminder to take a break if I haven't been. When I'm writing (academia!....), I use a productivity app (Pomodoro) which schedules breaks every 25 minutes; I'll get up and walk around during those breaks. I also dance (hoop) in the evenings; if I haven't hit 10K steps by the time a workout is done, I will walk laps around my living room if I need to.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
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    At my office, it is very helpful that we have a supportive atmosphere for health--lots of encouragement to walk, etc., tied into our health insurance benefits (on of the things you can do is log 30 minutes of exercise each day to earn a point toward what you need to get a discount). Although I have a fitbit, everyone in the company has received a free step counter as well, and there is signage posted as to how many "laps" you have to do to to equal a mile, etc. You will see a lot of people walking in the building, and getting out to walk the nearby stadium. We are in a very pleasant downtown area, so there is just a lot of opportunity for walking.

    It would probably be significantly more difficult in a small office, or one in an unwalkable area, or one where there is hostility rather than support for the "strides" (badum-tish) you need to take to be healthy.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Alrighty then. It looks like I need to step up my game...

    Ha ha! "Thank you, try the veal."
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
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    I usually have about 5K before I leave the office, but 12K or so by the end of the day after my workouts and dog walks
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    If I don't make a solid effort to walk around during the day, I will get 2500ish steps on work days. In general, though, I am for 8000 on days I lift and 10,000 on days I don't.