Sedentary Office Workers: How Do You Get Your Steps In?

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  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
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    You guys are cracking me up!!! :) About the job, some of you are not far off...only a little bit. It is restrictive for both security reasons and safety reasons.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    CMNVA wrote: »
    You guys are cracking me up!!! :) About the job, some of you are not far off...only a little bit. It is restrictive for both security reasons and safety reasons.

    So mysterious!

    Just admit it. You work at S.H.I.E.L.D
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,575 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Buy a dog and take it for walks. I have two and take them out first thing in the morning for 3-5 miles depending on the day's schedule. That normally hits the best part of 10K steps.
    OMG! That's the most desperate thing I have read here! No way.

    I would LOVE to get a dog. Unfortunately, my OH and I have firm and opposing ideas on dogs belonging indoors vs outdoors.

    Yeah I love dogs, as long as I can hand them back to their owners when done playing with them! ;)

  • NEOHgirl
    NEOHgirl Posts: 237 Member
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    I agree to build as much movement in as possible throughout the day. Walk in place, do kneebends, or do the twist for a minute or two every time you go to the ladies room. Walk while you brush your teeth. Get up and walk in place during tv commericals. If the treadmill bores you, get a tv or listen to music/podcasts and don't stop until the album or podcast or show is over. Don't wait until your mug is empty before you refill it with water or coffee. I also work in an office environment, and by taking the longer routes to places I can add an extra 1000 steps a day. I also make a point of making sure date nights with DBF usually involve some sort of activity - walking, bowling, dancing (we are ballroom dancers), riding our bikes. In good weather, and when I'm not working through lunch, I will walk laps around the parking lot for part of it. In bad weather, if I'm not busy running errands, I will sometimes go to a mall a few miles away & walk a lap or two around there. I probably average 4000 steps at work, plus whatever I earn outside of work. I don't really stress about it though. My Garmin Vivofit can't tell the difference between walking steps and snowshoe steps, or stairs & hills versus level ground, or when I'm carrying an extra 30# in groceries or laundry up & down the stairs. It also doesn't do very well with smooth ballroom dancing, like waltzing, because my hand stays mostly still on my partner's shoulder. It's a tool, but it shouldn't be the be all, end all. Good luck!
  • sarajenivieve
    sarajenivieve Posts: 303 Member
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    Lol at my work the stairs only down too the doors lock and aren't connected directly to the office so you cant knock...not as exciting as being a spy lol
    on the original topic im probably going to buy this: https://www.amazon.ca/Stamina-15-0125-InStride-Folding-Cycle/dp/B0027ZNH2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488408925&sr=8-1&keywords=under+desk+bike
  • jo_nz
    jo_nz Posts: 548 Member
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    Buy a dog and take it for walks. I have two and take them out first thing in the morning for 3-5 miles depending on the day's schedule. That normally hits the best part of 10K steps.

    This has totally worked for me! I work from home, so my dog has the added bonus of company most of the time (and so do I!). It really makes me get up and out of the house, which is so good for my physical and mental wellbeing.

    When we were getting her, we jokingly called her my "gym membership" and it's turned out to be so true!
  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
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    Walking the dog was something I used to do often. My dog is now, get this, 16 1/2 years old. I can no longer walk her because of her arthritis. He back feet started dragging a bit and she wears off the tops of her nails and then she bleeds--this after just one walk now. I don't think I'll be getting another dog after years of having them. I am just away from my home for too long and, in my older age, I sort of find it cruel for the dog. :'(
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    edited March 2017
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    I park in a remote lot and walk in. It's only about 1/3 of a mile, but it counts. I walk to all meetings in other buildings (most people drive golf carts) and try and take a longer way when I can. I take a couple walk breaks during the day. I walk back to my car at night and either walk to the gym or yoga. And then back to my car. I do take the stairs whenever I can.

    At home, I'm only allowed to watch new tv if I'm walking around my apt. complex. No couch potato!
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
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    So what's all this about steps? Calories In and Calories Out, leading to Calorie Deficit, is all you need, and it doesn't specifically require you to count steps.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,140 Member
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    @Theo166
    The OP already said that she gets up at 3:50AM to go to work and that the area where she works is not too safe to walk around.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,575 Member
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    TonyB0588 wrote: »
    So what's all this about steps? Calories In and Calories Out, leading to Calorie Deficit, is all you need, and it doesn't specifically require you to count steps.

    Of course it doesn't. But this thread is not about CICO. It's about STEPS. Surely you know about the fitbit motivation, and the more exercise you do the more calories you burn...and so on and so on.

    Pretty sure you understand all that. ;)
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
    edited March 2017
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    TonyB0588 wrote: »
    So what's all this about steps? Calories In and Calories Out, leading to Calorie Deficit, is all you need, and it doesn't specifically require you to count steps.

    For weight loss, yes. But for general health - especially bone health, and especially in women - walking really matters. It's all about the weight bearing.
  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
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    TonyB0588 wrote: »
    So what's all this about steps? Calories In and Calories Out, leading to Calorie Deficit, is all you need, and it doesn't specifically require you to count steps.

    For weight loss, yes. But for general health - especially bone health, and especially in women - walking really matters. It's all about the weight bearing.

    Exactly. I was posing my question in terms of getting more movement in my life, versus weight loss. Got the weight loss down and where I need to be by CICO. Just trying to get an idea of how other office workers "day" lives are. It's an interesting mix of what people can do during their day, I'll say that!! Makes me want a new job. :)
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    CMNVA wrote: »
    TonyB0588 wrote: »
    So what's all this about steps? Calories In and Calories Out, leading to Calorie Deficit, is all you need, and it doesn't specifically require you to count steps.

    For weight loss, yes. But for general health - especially bone health, and especially in women - walking really matters. It's all about the weight bearing.

    Exactly. I was posing my question in terms of getting more movement in my life, versus weight loss. Got the weight loss down and where I need to be by CICO. Just trying to get an idea of how other office workers "day" lives are. It's an interesting mix of what people can do during their day, I'll say that!! Makes me want a new job. :)

    But you'd miss the superpowers.
  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
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    CMNVA wrote: »
    TonyB0588 wrote: »
    So what's all this about steps? Calories In and Calories Out, leading to Calorie Deficit, is all you need, and it doesn't specifically require you to count steps.

    For weight loss, yes. But for general health - especially bone health, and especially in women - walking really matters. It's all about the weight bearing.

    Exactly. I was posing my question in terms of getting more movement in my life, versus weight loss. Got the weight loss down and where I need to be by CICO. Just trying to get an idea of how other office workers "day" lives are. It's an interesting mix of what people can do during their day, I'll say that!! Makes me want a new job. :)

    But you'd miss the superpowers.

    Well, there is that! B)
  • ShareeEmma
    ShareeEmma Posts: 64 Member
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    I'm glad I seen this post. I brought a smart watch i5 plus off a friend as was contemplating getting a fit bit but didn't want to fork out without really knowing more about it... anyway it's only day two I've been up and about since 7:30 this morning it's now 12:30 and I've done 800 steps and that was with walking back and forth waiting for the kettle and food to cook
  • dschnitty
    dschnitty Posts: 8 Member
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    Easy, as an aging male, that walk to the rest room every 30 minutes helps. Also, I take a 15 minute walk on each break (9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.).
  • jayv85
    jayv85 Posts: 142 Member
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    I feel you. I get up to use the bathroom, but even lunch I find myself eating at my desk. My average steps (when I carry my phone) is maybe 1200 on a good day. I have a 90 minute commute and 10hr work days too. So very long days. I found I have to basically just workout when I get home (thankfully we have a gym in our garage, though I'm thinking of joining one so I don't have to deal with the heat in the summer). There's not much I can do otherwise. Thankfully my husband has been cooking.
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
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    I walk 2.5 hours to get to work and back (2.5 total not both ways xD )