Work From Home - How to get 10k steps?

blnetsova
blnetsova Posts: 22 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I work from home, and honestly have no idea how to get in 10k steps. I work in a job where I can't just take 30 minutes to go for a walk. There are no coffee shops or stores close enough to walk to, and all my meetings require screen share so it's not like I can walk around during my meetings.

Any advice on how to get in my 10k steps? I'm averaging 2,500 a day right now. Usually more around 2,000.

Replies

  • patsyacs
    patsyacs Posts: 1,322 Member
    whenever you can take a break, walk to the other end of the house and back. walk around the kitchen while preparing meals, walk the long way to wherever you need to go in or out of the house. just keep walking
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I get a good chunk of my steps in when I walk my dog first thing in the morning. I'd recommend making some time for a deliberate walk either in the morning first thing, or after work.

    I'm a desk jockey and I try to get in as much general movement as I can...but I also emphasize deliberate exercise and making time for that. In addition to walking around (8-10K steps) I typically cycle 4 days per week and hit the weight room a couple days per week. Being a desk jockey, I think deliberate, moderate intensity exercise is pretty important.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    edited May 2018
    10,000 steps is not a requirement for weight loss, but if you want to increase your physical activity, why not walk or run before or after your work hours? Since you are lucky enough to not have a commute, you are in a better position than lots of people to find the time. I know we all have busy family lives as well, but sometimes when you make your health a priority, you do have to make some sacrifices in order to reach your goals.

    Personally, I try to run 3x/week first thing in the morning, and at this time of year, it's better for my dog to get out before it gets hot anyway so I find it pretty easy to do. I get up at 5AM, have a quick coffee and a snack, run about 60 minutes depending on how long it took me to get out of the house, then drop my dog off at home, have another coffee, and get on my bike by 7AM to commute to work (I shower and get ready at the office, luckily.)

    In winter, I tend to reverse this and run after I get home from work, since waking up at 5AM and heading out in to a pitch black-20C to run requires more fortitude than my pleasant sunrise summer runs.
  • Jadub729
    Jadub729 Posts: 135 Member
    edited May 2018
    I do walk on my lunch but if its raining or -20 out I stand at my desk and set a 5 min timer, I can easily get 500 steps every hour doing this and can still answer the phone, watch my email etc. I walk to the back of the office and back to my desk several times a day, (walk to your back door or something) how many hours a day do you work? 8-10? try to get half your steps in that time, very easy to make up the rest once you're done working. I have an office/desk job and average 15-20k a day, everyday no matter what. I have to drive a half hour to get to and from work, you don't use that time to walk. you don't have to walk TO any where, i take my walks in my parking lot.
  • kikicooks
    kikicooks Posts: 1,079 Member
    I have a desk job so the same as working at a desk at home. I have my desk rigged up so I stand. This allows me to walk in place and pace back and forth sometimes. I make it a point to walk away from my desk every hour or so. When you aren't in meetings just walk in place, or make more time to exercise before and/or after your work is done.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    you can get some in before or after work. stand or walk at your desk
    legally you get breaks and lunches so be active then
  • victory68
    victory68 Posts: 76 Member
    10,000 steps is about 4.75 miles. It isn’t going to happen by accident at a desk job. I worked a desk job for a while and had to be very deliberate about taking steps. I would pace my office as I read reports (you can print emails and pace while you read those too as long as you don’t have print limits) I would walk longer routes to get around the office and take more trips to get the same task accomplished but I still could only get up to 5,000 on a really good day. You actually have to plan when you can walk. Morning before or evening after seem to be your best bet if you can’t take a walking lunch. Get creative maybe stop for 5 minutes every hour and walk a few laps around your house.
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I work from home and average around 4 - 5 miles day.

    - I do Walk at Home workouts where 15 minutes gets me one mile.
    - I use a mini-stair stepper while watching TV or on the phone.
    - My active puppy helps me to reach my daily miles.
    - I go out on walks almost every evening and hikes on weekends.
    - Sometimes I jog in place.
    - When I head out I will take the stairs instead of an escalator and I park further and walk.

    All of these activities adds up. Despite me having a very sedentary job and life outside of fitness I'm still able to reach my goal.
  • cleesus
    cleesus Posts: 87 Member
    I work from home, either you do it before or after work. If you have a lunch break for an hour thats a good time to get some steps in too
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    Stand up, turn on music and dance in place with lots of stepping motion. It takes me about 2 hours of this to hit 10K steps.
  • cbstewart88
    cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
    I work from home also. I get up early, go to the gym and get my 10,000 steps in by 6:00am. Now that it's summertime, I also have the option of going outside which is nice. The days are longer now too. You can walk outside after work perhaps??
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    blnetsova wrote: »
    I work from home, and honestly have no idea how to get in 10k steps. I work in a job where I can't just take 30 minutes to go for a walk. There are no coffee shops or stores close enough to walk to, and all my meetings require screen share so it's not like I can walk around during my meetings.

    Any advice on how to get in my 10k steps? I'm averaging 2,500 a day right now. Usually more around 2,000.
    You do it like anyone else. When you're OFF of work. You're likely not working more than 12 hours a day, so that leaves you at least 4 hours (putting in 8 hours of sleep here) to get it done.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    edited May 2018
    You can also do a walk at home program like Leslie Sansone but you still need to get up from your desk. It can be adapted to the amount of time available.
    Some people like desk cycles for activity , but you won't get steps if that your goal.
    I work from home and do my walks while everyone else is commuting,
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    I got way more steps when I was working from home. I had time before and after work that would have been commute time that I used to walk or workout. I could pace when I was on the phone or thinking through a situation without getting side eye from anyone. I also walk after dinner and tend to step or pace while watching tv during the commercials. I get over 8000 steps daily, and most of them I get outside of business hours.
  • TigerLily100
    TigerLily100 Posts: 81 Member
    A half hour brisk walk before and after work will clock up about 7000 steps, a little bit more active in the home when cooking or doing chores and you would hit your 10k a day no problem. 10K really isn’t that hard to achieve, I work a desk job and hit 16-18k daily with little effort. I do take a half hour brisk walk in my lunch break which really helps.....of course it’s no effort as I have been doing it daily for months. I do appreciate starting out it’s a big effort.
    If you have kids, again not so easy although they would benefit from walking too so still doable
  • Leannep2201
    Leannep2201 Posts: 441 Member
    edited May 2018
    I often work at home for several hours on one of the weekend days, and on these days I have to be a bit intentional in getting my 10k steps.
    I walk before starting work, or after finishing, and depending on how long I walk for, that can earn me half or more of my 10k steps.
    I also take regular breaks away from my computer when I can, and do circuits of the house. I probably look a little strange, but one circuit is about 250 steps and only takes a couple of minutes, so if I do that twice an hour, that’s 500 steps an hour. I do a circuit whenever I need a bathroom break or want to grab a drink too.... it all helps!
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    edited May 2018
    Does anyone have people telling them 10k steps a day is excessive? All my friends and family think its ridiculous if I deliberately go to the gym to get in my steps or walk around during breaks etc. Sorry to be off topic, but was wondering if anyone else has had people think they are excessive for walking during lunch breaks or for a few hours a day to get in 10k steps. I only get over 10k a few days a week but would like to try to get daily.
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,594 Member
    I do almost all of my walking in my home. If I only have 5 minutes, I walk laps around the house for 5 minutes. If food is in the microwave cooking for 3 minutes, I walk 3 minutes. If I am listening to a podcast, I walk laps while listening. If I need to use the restroom, I walk the long way to get there. If I go to the store, I walk down every aisle even if I don't need items from those shelves.
  • IGbnat24
    IGbnat24 Posts: 520 Member
    Like most of us working peeps, getting your steps (or workout) in before or after work morning guy be easies. A treadmill desk could work, too!
  • VUA21
    VUA21 Posts: 2,072 Member
    I get my steps in because I lose everything. Spent 20 minutes looking for my flip-flops this morning to bring back the garbage cans....they were on my feet.

    Just walk when you can, even one minute increments add up.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    I work from home (and run a small business from my home and manage others virtually). I arrange my day around a lunch time workout. I think working at home gives you distinct advantages, not disadvantages. First of all, no commute. I don't shower in the AM because I work out at lunch (for around 50 minutes). First of all, I start my day earlier (remember, no commute?) at 7 AM everyday. I work till around 11:50, have a gym set up downstairs and workout 50 minutes (if it was steps, same concept). I quickly shower, grab lunch and I'm back at my desk usually by around 1:15 and I'll work a bit beyond 5 because, well, I'm not driving home...

    I'm a ton more productive at home than I ever was at an office. You just have to make it important to you. No employer is so demanding you can't workout.

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