June 5 Weekly Challenge: Step It Up
themedalist
Posts: 3,218 Member
Theme: Exercise and Movement
Challenge: Step It Up!
This week's challenge is to increase our daily movement, to Step It Up!
One interpretation of the challenge is, of course, to increase your daily step count. If you have a Fitbit or another activity tracker, you might review your last few weeks of activity and set a modest increase as your goal.
But we don't have to limit ourselves this week to just counting steps. As you'll see from the articles and video below, there's nothing magical about getting 10,000 steps per day. It's simply a level of activity that suggests a person is reasonably active and is therefore deriving significant health benefits from being active. If walking fewer steps or more than 10,000 steps is challenging and a better fit for you, that's great! And there are lots of fun and effective "non step" activities such as dancing, swimming, biking, yoga, and gardening that are terrific ways to get and stay fit. If these are things you enjoy, go for it!
However you choose to move more this week, please consider what's sustainable for you and what you can keep doing beyond his week. Deciding to make an all out push and increase your daily steps by 5000 per day will result in 35,000 additional steps this week. Choosing a more modest increase of 1500 steps per day (roughly 10 minutes of walking) that you can sustain beyond this week will result in 10,500 more steps this week and a whopping 313,500 more steps in 2017!
Whatever activities you choose to do, let's all move more this week!
Wednesday Check-in: The Wednesday updates post seems to work well so let's make that a regular feature. Look for a new post this Wednesday. Please let us know how it goes for you this week! I'm looking forward to hearing about your progress and I'm sure others are too. We can all learn from each other.
Make it a great week!
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Suggested Resources:
What Science Actually Says About Taking 10,000 Steps A Day
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/leigh-vanderloo/10000-steps-a-day_b_16077702.html
The Truth About '10,000 Steps' a Day
http://www.livescience.com/43956-walking-10000-steps-healthy.html
Do you really need to take 10,000 steps a day to keep fit?
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33154510
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Challenge: Step It Up!
This week's challenge is to increase our daily movement, to Step It Up!
One interpretation of the challenge is, of course, to increase your daily step count. If you have a Fitbit or another activity tracker, you might review your last few weeks of activity and set a modest increase as your goal.
But we don't have to limit ourselves this week to just counting steps. As you'll see from the articles and video below, there's nothing magical about getting 10,000 steps per day. It's simply a level of activity that suggests a person is reasonably active and is therefore deriving significant health benefits from being active. If walking fewer steps or more than 10,000 steps is challenging and a better fit for you, that's great! And there are lots of fun and effective "non step" activities such as dancing, swimming, biking, yoga, and gardening that are terrific ways to get and stay fit. If these are things you enjoy, go for it!
However you choose to move more this week, please consider what's sustainable for you and what you can keep doing beyond his week. Deciding to make an all out push and increase your daily steps by 5000 per day will result in 35,000 additional steps this week. Choosing a more modest increase of 1500 steps per day (roughly 10 minutes of walking) that you can sustain beyond this week will result in 10,500 more steps this week and a whopping 313,500 more steps in 2017!
Whatever activities you choose to do, let's all move more this week!
Wednesday Check-in: The Wednesday updates post seems to work well so let's make that a regular feature. Look for a new post this Wednesday. Please let us know how it goes for you this week! I'm looking forward to hearing about your progress and I'm sure others are too. We can all learn from each other.
Make it a great week!
...................................................................................................................................................
Suggested Resources:
What Science Actually Says About Taking 10,000 Steps A Day
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/leigh-vanderloo/10000-steps-a-day_b_16077702.html
The Truth About '10,000 Steps' a Day
http://www.livescience.com/43956-walking-10000-steps-healthy.html
Do you really need to take 10,000 steps a day to keep fit?
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33154510
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This challenge is good for me.
My 28 day daily average is @ 7608 steps, since my knee surgery in April, Lets see what I can do. More rain today and tomorrow so I'll have to step up between the rain drops. Good luck everyone. 4 -
This is one I truly need to work on, before my spinal surgery last December I was getting 10,000 steps daily but last September my back started to bother me and it slowly declined to almost nothing (disk ruptured so moving was painful) my weight has slowly been inching up again. I have to get myself moving more again on a regular basis. This challenge came at a good time for me.3
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I am trying to move more each week. On average, I usually range from 5000 to 7000 per day. I will try to get to at least 7000 but work toward the 10,000 is my goal. I have a 8 hour job that is sitting at a computer. I try to take a 10 minute walk break 2x per day. When I do this, I have no problem getting to the 7000 mark. Walking in the evening 3 miles at least 3 days a week. I am going to work at getting this up to 4 to 5 days. Wish me luck in my challenge.
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I am trying to move more each week. On average, I usually range from 5000 to 7000 per day. I will try to get to at least 7000 but work toward the 10,000 is my goal. I have a 8 hour job that is sitting at a computer. I try to take a 10 minute walk break 2x per day. When I do this, I have no problem getting to the 7000 mark. Walking in the evening 3 miles at least 3 days a week. I am going to work at getting this up to 4 to 5 days. Wish me luck in my challenge.
Best of luck! You can do this!1 -
Great challenge!
I don't count steps yet although getting a step tracker is on my consideration list for the future.
I'm not ready yet to add extra DVD mile on a DVD walk day, and I've recently hit my goal of being able to walk for 90 minutes when I walk outside (I can not reasonably plan to do that every time I walk outside, but I will as my outside walk days allow).
So what to do... what to do?
Hmmm, I know! I will keep doing what I am presently doing in regard to my newfound goal of everyday finding opportunities to sit less and move more
. But for this week's challenge I will specifically focus on :laugh: obeying :laugh: my timer I downloaded onto my favorite browser. I can only set it in a few preset increments up to 25 minutes, so there cannot be any possibility of sitting too long unless I'm not obeying the timer :blushing:.
By doing this I hope to break my old habit of sitting too long while wandering down interesting or fun internet rabbit trails. Or while doing something useful... like putting my computer back close to what it was before it crashed in May.
:flowerforyou:2 -
Awesome challenge!! After I injured my foot/ankle last October, I greatly reduced my walking. After a lot of effort to become mobile again, I've been slowly working on increasing my step count, and was up to 7000 to 8000 steps per day. However, yesterday, while mowing the lawn, I got almost 16,000 steps...so I think I need to make my daily minimum goal back to 10,000 steps...starting today.
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I have recently found that short walks really add up. I'll take a fast10-15 minute walk 4-5 times a day. That doesn't take a huge chunk out of my day, but gives me more than an hour of activity. That with a workout makes for a good active day. I've been hitting some good numbers on my Fitbit, so stepping things up will be more of a challenge. I appreciate the article about how the actual number is less important than the overall fact that you are being more active. I like keeping track, but I try to not to get too crazy about counting (I know I have an issue with keeping score).
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Good idea about walking in small stretches!1
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I'm excited that I have nearly 9500 steps today. That's way above my average. I can only explain it by saying my sister is coming to visit tomorrow and between the cleaning and getting all the flower gardens watered, weighted marching, and baking lemon crumb muffins...and a granddaughter's softball game, somehow it just happened! I also am starting a daily program of 15-20 minutes of weighted squats and weighted marching and the marching steps contributed to my step count. Yay!2
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Good job everyone, we can all do this. Yesterday I only managed 7907, rain, pt hindered me, however I managed to walk upstairs 2x to help my daughter move her things downstairs. Her room was upstairs but we have an extra room on the lower level and she wanted this. So. Today is another day of rain, but i will try to get more steps in. I like the idea of more walks, shorter distance. I should be able to do that in-between the rain. Good luck everyone2
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Good job everyone, we can all do this. Yesterday I only managed 7907, rain, pt hindered me, however I managed to walk upstairs 2x to help my daughter move her things downstairs. Her room was upstairs but we have an extra room on the lower level and she wanted this. So. Today is another day of rain, but i will try to get more steps in. I like the idea of more walks, shorter distance. I should be able to do that in-between the rain. Good luck everyone
Yes, I think @77tes 's suggestion for shorter 10-15 minute walks is a superb idea!
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Hi. Just joined MFP yesterday, I would like to participate in this challenge....what do I do?2
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@tsheridan1998 Welcome to MFP and the Challenge-A-Day group! You don't need to do anything else to participate in this week's challenge. If you are so inclined, please post how you are progressing this week in doing the challenge on our Wednesday Check-in post.
I just added a "Welcome New Members" post to the Announcements section.
We are glad you've joined us!
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Good morning! I usually have a low daily step count, as I am frequently at a desk which is challenging. Yesterday I ended with 9200 steps by making an effort to take extra steps at every opportunity and doing 2 miles on the treadmill in the morning. I hope I will go over 6,000 today.3
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SpiritHippo wrote: »Good morning! I usually have a low daily step count, as I am frequently at a desk which is challenging. Yesterday I ended with 9200 steps by making an effort to take extra steps at every opportunity and doing 2 miles on the treadmill in the morning. I hope I will go over 6,000 today.
This is fantastic @SpiritHippo! Good for you!1 -
Hmmm...Sunday I got almost 16,000 steps, Monday I got over 10,000 (goal met) BUT yesterday (Tuesday), I was only able to get a little over 8,000 steps due to foot/ankle pain...still, that's a huge improvement from the ~3000 steps/day I was getting after my ankle/foot/right side started hurting in October...so I'll reset my daily goal to 8000 steps minimum, and get more, if I can. 2
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I'm posting a little late, but I hope to increase my exercise this week to include 30 minutes, daily, on the weekend as well as my current 30 minute walk, daily, during the week. Good luck to everyone!1
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Everyone is doing great! I was able to walk 2x yesterday am?pm and managed to get my steps in and hit my 10,000 steps. Just looked at my log and it didn't sync at least not yet but my fit bit congratulated me so I know it was done. I walked 2x am and pm, seems that is what I will need to do to reach my goal. This morning my hip is hurting and my plantar facts is acting up, ugh all in the leg where my knee was done. Hopefully this will all pass as the day goes on.1
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Well I cant seem to get going good on this challenge, I sit behind a desk all day makes it hard to get 10000 steps; Im gonna find ways to sneak steps in. Anyway Tuesday I had 5658, yesterday i only had 3859 and today I forgot my fitbit at home....ugh! 1
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HappyAnna2014 wrote: »Hmmm...Sunday I got almost 16,000 steps, Monday I got over 10,000 (goal met) BUT yesterday (Tuesday), I was only able to get a little over 8,000 steps due to foot/ankle pain...still, that's a huge improvement from the ~3000 steps/day I was getting after my ankle/foot/right side started hurting in October...so I'll reset my daily goal to 8000 steps minimum, and get more, if I can.
That is a huge improvement. Good job and keep up the good work!1 -
tsheridan1998 wrote: »Well I cant seem to get going good on this challenge, I sit behind a desk all day makes it hard to get 10000 steps; Im gonna find ways to sneak steps in. Anyway Tuesday I had 5658, yesterday i only had 3859 and today I forgot my fitbit at home....ugh!
Sitting behind a desk definitely makes it much more difficult. I have been trying to add a few steps everywhere I can. I take an extra lap if going to the copier or water cooler, and I walk up and down hallways while waiting for lunch to heat up. Little things like that made a big difference when I was tracking steps the other day.3 -
SpiritHippo wrote: »tsheridan1998 wrote: »Well I cant seem to get going good on this challenge, I sit behind a desk all day makes it hard to get 10000 steps; Im gonna find ways to sneak steps in. Anyway Tuesday I had 5658, yesterday i only had 3859 and today I forgot my fitbit at home....ugh!
Sitting behind a desk definitely makes it much more difficult. I have been trying to add a few steps everywhere I can. I take an extra lap if going to the copier or water cooler, and I walk up and down hallways while waiting for lunch to heat up. Little things like that made a big difference when I was tracking steps the other day.
This is great advice! I refill my water bottle and use the restroom in the building adjacent to mine (I work at a university) to add additional steps. I also eat my lunch at my desk so that I can take short 10-15 minute walking breaks 1 or 2 times a day.2 -
I just love how supportive and encouraging our group is! Thank you all for posting!1
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Does anyone have open food diaries? I have a very hard time planning meals, I would love to see what the successful people eat on a regular day.1
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@tsheridan1998 , my diary is open to friends. If you send me a request, I'll accept. Warning- my diary might shock you. 1
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My fit bit finally caught up with my dashboard so
Wednesday ..10740 steps
Thursday......10881 steps
little baby steps...just getting back to 10,000 I feel accomplished. I'm not going to push for much more at this time just want to try and get those in. Will have a late start today since I have PT but I'm going for it. It will be pretty hot today so I may do my "normal AM in short increments. I am so glad we have this group, it really helps me as I see we all have struggles and we all try to find ways to get thru.2 -
My fit bit finally caught up with my dashboard so
Wednesday ..10740 steps
Thursday......10881 steps
little baby steps...just getting back to 10,000 I feel accomplished. I'm not going to push for much more at this time just want to try and get those in. Will have a late start today since I have PT but I'm going for it. It will be pretty hot today so I may do my "normal AM in short increments. I am so glad we have this group, it really helps me as I see we all have struggles and we all try to find ways to get thru.
@Ming1951 you should feel accomplished! You are making tremendous strides (literally and figuratively)
In recovering from your knee surgery and resuming your activity. You are wise to not push it too much and to heed the guidance of your doctor and physical therapist. But generally speaking, they want us to be as active as possible.
And you are so right...we all have our struggles and challenges to get through. MFP has some really ambitious exercise challenges with people really pushing their bodies to new heights. With my medical issues, I could never do that and that's OK. My hope with this group is that our weekly challenges are challenging but also something that most people can do, with accommodations for their unique situation.
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Thanks, yes we all have those issues and we are all working together within our own unique styles. I feel really good. Thanks for doing these challenges and helping to keep one another focused on better health.1
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OK
Friday. .. 7374 steps so I did not make my goal. My excuse is I had pt in morning then shopping so my walk was in the evening. I can do about 1 mile and a half at a time. Today I will do better as soon as I finish my morning coffee I'm off to do my am walk. Then this afternoon I do another.1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwqWC6oBfQs
