So, about those "10,000 steps"

[Orrex]

Lately I've started going for evening walks, in hope of upgrading myself from from "sessile" to "ambulatory."

Note that the preceding comma was added as a stylistic choice intended to foster clarity.

Much of what I've seen online (as well as my actual doctor) recommends taking 10,000 steps per day as a guideline.

My route is a 3.5 mile circuit beginning and ending at my house and taking about 55 minutes. Some quick math, based on an estimated stride-length of 2.5 feet, shows this to be 7,392 steps. Granted, that same calculation tells me that it'd only take another 11 minutes at that pace to hit the 10,000 mark, but jeez.

I work in a cube in an office, so I don't get a lot of foot-time during the day. I've only been at it for about 10 days, but already I can feel the effects, which is encouraging. But that 10,000 prescription can seem like a tall order for someone who already spends 10+ hours a day working/commuting.


Still, it gets me off of my lazy ass, so there's that.

[alarimer]

1. I think the 10,000 is more of a rule of thumb.

Just to get people to be more active. I can get close to 6,000 by the time I get home in the evening, if I stop at the grocery store first. Otherwise it's more like 5,000. I also work in a cubicle, but fortunately have to park quite a ways away from my office.

I only get 10,000 or more on days when I run or walk for exercise. Since I've been doing exercise classes instead, I get 8,000 or 9,000, but I meet some of the other goals more easily (minutes active, number of workouts, calories burned).

My weekend step totals are REALLY low, usually. Because I am a couch potato if left to my own devices.

[Orrex]

3. I probably get a good number of steps in at work

Running to the printer, delivering TPS reports, etc., but I don't want to invest in a FitBit or flap a pedometer on my shoe, so the actual step-count is anyone's guess.

Another rule-of-thumb that I heard was "one hour of walking," rather than a number of steps. That might work better for me, now that I have a nice, hour-long route.

[alarimer]

7. 10,000 steps for me is about 4.5 miles

So it would be more than an hour at walking pace. I can barely run 4.5 miles per hour. Still, I think an hour of walking a day ought to be sufficient.

[clarice]

9. ummmm...yeah....about that..... I'll need you to walk 4.5 miles this Sunday...ummmkay?....greeeaat.

[hibbing]

2. I don't get close to that

I'm sitting at a desk all day too. However, I do bicycle to work, so that hopefully will offset some of my sedentary work life.

Peace

[woodsprite]

4. Congrats on the walking!

I sit all day (web dev). I took my base number of steps (which is what I measured without trying to consciously increase my walking), and I doubled it. Then I went from there. I figure if I at least get 8K in a day, that's a tidge over 2x what I used to get. A 10K day (right now) is gravy. I have done up to 18K in one day when we were at Disney.

[Orrex]

6. Thanks!

I've been plotting my route on Google Maps, and I can stretch it to 5 miles without much difficulty. Happily, I can do the 3.5 miles with no difficulty, so I feel as though I can pad it out a bit without great hardship.

[Wounded Bear]

5. Well, we think of it as more....

[clarice]

8. 3.5 miles doesn't sound like a lot.....until you DO it. Good for you. nt

[Skittles]

10. regarding your office

choose to use the printer farthest from you, and never call anyone you can walk to go see

also, if you can, get up each hour for a short walk - you can always find a path somewhere, even if it's out to your car and back

me, I get 10000+ steps daily without even trying.....I don't drive anywhere I can walk (I've always done that, which is why my 12 year old car still does not have 50,000 miles)

[TexasBushwhacker]

11. Get a standing desk

Every hour you stand instead of sit, you burn an extra 62.5 calories. Stand for half the day, that's 250 extra calories. That adds up to a pound every 15 days.