How do you get 10,000 steps a day?

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  • mamitosami
    mamitosami Posts: 531 Member
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    I was using a BMF. My goal was 10000 steps, but I generally got 15000 in a day. I walk my son to and from school and I walk everywhere. On my really good days I was getting 24000 steps in!! But I literally NEVER sat down! I left the car in the driveway a lot more. I consciously picked up my pace--more chores around the house, more yard work and never saying no when my kids wanted to get out.

    I don't sit down for work though, so you just have to get it in where you can--like someone said, park your car further away... walk around when you're brushing your teeth... walk to the corner store... I make every excuse I can to move...
  • EvilPink
    EvilPink Posts: 94 Member
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    Like some other have mentioned; park the car further away, take the long way around everywhere, do a lap or 2 around your office building on your break, and just find as many ways possible to fit in the extra steps. Do you have a decent public transit system in your area? One way I got my steps in was to start taking the bus to work on occasion. The stop is only 4 blocks from me so I got the extra steps to and from the bus stop as well as another block and back from the stop nearest my work. I also started walking to the post-office and grocery store (when I only needed a few things like veggies and not a full week+ grocery run) because both are within 8 blocks of me.

    I think finding ways to add in the extra steps is the easy part; there's just so many ways you can do it. The real problem is finding the time! Taking public transit can easily add on an hour+ to your work day by because of the waiting and frequent stops along the route. Obviously it takes a lot longer to walk to the store and back than driving. People that only get 30 min lunch breaks instead of the full hour probably don't have time to eat and walk. But you just have to decide which is more important to you? Getting the steps in even if it means adding a couple hours to your day or, being happy with fewer steps but possibly slower weight loss results. I don't really like either of those options, lol but, that's just the way it is.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    wear it for a few days before you worry about how you are going to get your 10,000 steps in...Today was my "easy" day--I went to the gym and walked 2.8 miles, ran a quick errand for hubby, and ran into the store for a few items. It only took me until about 2pm to get mine in! A few hours later, and I am at 11908 steps and have probably 4 more hours before I go to bed.

    Tomorrow is going to be my "hard" workout day, so that means 3.5 miles on the treadmill followed by 25 minutes of weights, then some errands. I fully expect to hit 15,000 tomorrow!
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
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    My job kicks my *kitten*. I typically get 10,000 to 15,000 steps a day in just at work. More when I run in the mornings before work.
  • Kempossible
    Kempossible Posts: 158 Member
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    Simple. Become a Nurse.
  • LittleLightShine
    LittleLightShine Posts: 123 Member
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    Or a UPS Driver. My delivery man averages 30,000 steps a day and 125 stairs climbed. I live in a hilly area. The guy is FIT!
  • gpstrucker
    gpstrucker Posts: 930 Member
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    On the days I load and/or unload I get at least 10,000 steps in if I also do my evening walking/jogging. On the days I am mostly driving I only get in 6,000-7,000.
  • sheryllamb72
    sheryllamb72 Posts: 163 Member
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    I've got a Fitbit, and working in an office, I normally only tot up about 3000 steps by lunchtime, and after taking thekids to school etc, but I go for a 50 minutes lunch time walk, and then I go for a proper fast walk in the evening after dinner, and I normally tot up on average, about 20,000 steps a day on a good day, 15,000 on a not so good day.
  • Ambr
    Ambr Posts: 53 Member
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    Dance jst dance randomly and it shoots up the steps count
  • AlmstHvn
    AlmstHvn Posts: 378 Member
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    I have a very sedentary job, so I lowered my daily goal to 6000 steps. That's far better than the <2000 steps I used to get on a typical day.... it's all good, right? I hop on a treadmill a few times a week to get a few thousand steps more in. When that becomes my norm, I can always up the ante later.
  • ruby_red_rose
    ruby_red_rose Posts: 321 Member
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    I got my fitbit in February 2012, and have gotten at least 10,000 steps since then almost every day (with a couple of exceptions when I was sick).

    I employ the following techniques during the day:

    1. Every step counts:
    a. Park my car in the farthest spot
    b. Get up from my desk and walk to the kitchen, bathroom, etc. as often as I can remember
    c. Instead of sending off an email, walk over to a colleagues office

    2. At lunch, take a 15-30 minute walk.

    3. Instead of eating a cookie for an afternoon pick me up, I take another 15 minute walk at 3pm.

    4. After dinner, I look at my fitbit to see how many steps remain to get to 10,000. Then I go for a walk and walk until I reach 10,000 steps.
  • yanghp1206
    yanghp1206 Posts: 2
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    I don't have a fitbit, but I have a heart monitor with a pedometer built in -- I work an 8 hour clerical/adminstrative job, with 1 - 30 minute lunch. I parked the farthest I can in the parking lot and work on the 4th floor which takes 8 flgiht of stairs to get up to the office. As much as I hated it during the winter months, I still parked far and took the stairs. During my 30 min lunch, I'd go for a very brisk walk for 20 mins (with taking the stairs to exit the building) and quickly eat my lunch, & every chance I got or I remembered, I stand up and walk in place. That's some of the little tricks for the 10,000 steps... The extra push that always gives me 20,000+ steps each day is going to Zumba class every night. Every one of my Zumba classes (45-60 minutes) that I go to, I end up leaving the class with about 7,000-8,000 steps. =)
  • Qatsi
    Qatsi Posts: 2,191 Member
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    I set my alarm to 6am and go for a long walk before work. Most days I can get my 10K steps in before breakfast.

    I have a desk job, and if it weren't for my daily walks I would be hard-pressed to get even 3K steps in.
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
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    I have a fitbit too and was shocked at how little I move during a typical day at work. Since then, I've done little things to get me over the line - go to the toilet across the other side of the building and upstairs (I'm trying to drink more water so that goes well!), walk the long way to visit colleagues, get up from my desk and do a quick lap of the room every 30 minutes or so.

    I still go to the gym and try to do 30 minutes on either the treadmill or the elliptical, but increasing the incidental exercise has really got my steps up to the point where I'm hitting 9-10k a day consistently.

    I don't have a long lunch break, so going to the gym is the only way I get my 30 minute walk in!!
  • tbushjr
    tbushjr Posts: 6
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    I work from home and have no problem making 10k steps a day. I set an alarm for every 15 minutes to get out of my seat. I also take conference calls away from my computer. Always moving during them and I found I was sharper for the calls because no one was IM'ing me during the call. I added more steps by using the bathroom on the second floor instead on the one two feet out of my office door. I all adds up. If I find I did not do enough I'll take the family for a walk. Good Luck
  • RobynDCrossman
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    I'm at 9,064 steps and 21 floors so far.
    I find it's best when you have a sedentary job (I do) to get up several times during the day and get walking. I do the same for stairs. Once an hour I get my butt up and do stairs or walk around my building (inside or out). I take a walk during my 30 minute lunch break, then eat.
    This is not a gym day for me. On gym days it's no problem because I usually hit a 3-6 mile run.
    Try pausing your work day with walks.

    ETA:
    I intentionally park on the fourth floor when I could park on the first.
    I also walk up the 9 flights to get to my floor -IF- I'm not running late.
  • Melanie_Robinson
    Melanie_Robinson Posts: 36 Member
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    I'm a stay at home/homeschooling mom. I thought I was always busy, and I am but just not active. Fitbit was very enlightening! So, to get my steps in, every hour or so I get up and go outside and make laps around my yard. Three laps around the fence line is 1000 steps, then I still wind up having to do like a 3 or 4 mile workout later that evening. It was shocking that on an average day of school and house work, I was lucky to get in 2000 steps!
  • dlrcpa
    dlrcpa Posts: 114 Member
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    I usually reached 13,000-14,000 steps when my dog was younger. We took 2 long walks each day, 45 minutes minimum each time and at a good pace. Unfortunately he is 11 years old now and has slowed down a lot. I need to get out the pedometer and see what we are doing these days. I have a computer/desk job too, so it was really walking the dog that accounted for all the steps. I enjoy the fresh air and nature too.
  • Qatsi
    Qatsi Posts: 2,191 Member
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    The main thing is to not get discouraged if you don't get to 10,000 steps right away. When I first started here 6 1/2 months ago, I could barely get in a 30-minute walk before getting winded. Now, my average is around 14K steps a day.

    Start small - say, your normal daily routine plus 30 minutes of extra walking. Set that number as your initial goal. Then gradually work your way up until you get to 10,000 steps a day.
  • BeetleChe13
    BeetleChe13 Posts: 498 Member
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    It's pretty easy if you don't have a desk job. I wore my pedometer to my restaurant job and hit 10k steps easily. My pedometer stopped working so I can't validate this, but I know I walk even more at my new retail job. I'm sure I'd gain weight if I had a job that reset my TDEE to sedentary.