10,000 steps a day seems impossible??

[Walkwalkinthelight]

Just started a 'healthy living ' programme (weight loss, well being, fitness etc).
One of the goals is 1000 steps a day??

I work from home, mad busy and sit at desk all day then gym at night. I've only done 1300 steps by teatime.

How the hell does anyone with a desk job do 10000 steps a day!!

My teenager walks to school and back and round a massive school all day and he only does 7500!!

I disagree. If I've done a hard bike ride or swim I am pretty sure I am moving enough even if my watch tells me I haven't done 10,000 steps.
If I run 10 miles one day and have a rest day the next, over the course of a week I'm getting the exercise I need.

Take regular breaks for 5-10 mins, get moving, walk round the block, jog, it’s really not that hard!

I have a desk job full time and manage? I’m lucky in that my legs aren’t chained to my desk I guess.

I have a desk job and work hard to fit in 10,000 steps a day, I always use the stairs, my office is on the fourth floor so going up and down them several times a day really helps. I get on and off the bus at least two stops away from where I need to be. I can't imagine not doing them now. I started in lockdown making sure I never did less than that and I've kept it up ever since. It is possible.

I do 10k by lunchtime. I'm a teacher. Some of the more creative ideas I have to boost my step count is walking laps on the playground at playtime, keeps you warm as well! Just photocopier runs boost is significantly as my classroom is right at the far end of the school.

Depends on the desk job
I can't take 5/10 min breaks, my job is to be at my desk and answering the phone so I am virtually chained to it! There's no meetings etc either

I've found it's just not possible for me. I do various activities in the evenings (all sports stuff) plus I'm a single parent juggling a full-time job, housework, laundry, cooking, etc. I work from home in a desk job. I'm too tired to get up earlier and walk in the dark.
I always assume that most people who hit 10,000 steps a day are either running (my hips can't manage it) or have not much else on.

I haven't left the house today and my steps are currently at 10003

It's not that hard to get them in.

I work from home a struggle to get steps in too (never had a problem when I would commute). I recently bought an under desk treadmill and go on it during meetings and meet my steps easily now. Walking on the tredmill also helps me think. Definitely worth investing in one if you can.

Tbh if you do all this then you must be pretty fit already! Cycling is excellent exercise but you won’t get any “steps”
out of it. Ditto weights

I have a Spaniel and I've nearly always done 7000 steps by 7.15am.
Takes me all day to do the rest though!

Ironing. It fools a fit bit every time

A couple of average dog walks, a trip round the supermarket and general pottering about at home today, and on 13,300 as I type. The whole point is to get you off your chair and moving about. I use a step counting ap on my phone and make sure I carry it with me.

When I am in the office I easily do it because of the commute

I could quite happily do only 100 steps when I work from home 😂 but force myself out to get some exercise at least - easiest is to do 45 mins before work and then work in another walk at the end of the working day

If you are getting a decent speed up then 5000 steps will be better than 10k at a dawdle.

If you work more than 6 hours a day you have the right to one 20 minute break.

All jobs are different though, I’m a teacher and my lunch break is spent sorting issues, marking books etc. I’m on my feet all day but get surprisingly few steps in.

I really try to be active but it can be very hard to find the time with a young family as well.

I'm on a thousand by 7.15am - walk to the bus stop, get on the bus, get off the bus, walk into work. If the weather isn't too bad and it's light, I walk from two bus stops up the hill (I'm not daft enough to walk up from the ones before) and it's over 2000. Walk downhill to the bus stops at hometime, get off in the town centre and walk to the gym, walk home and there's 5000 before I've gone anywhere near the photocopier, finance office, out at lunchtime or every two hours for a quick stretch of the legs and clearing my head.

Because you aren't doing the bus stop, photocopier and around a site, you need to plan quick wins every couple of hours - around the block? Trip to the shop? Walk to the gym and back? Half hour treadmill workout on rest days?

@PatientlyWaiting21 yes I get my lunch break, but that's used for making food. eating, going to the toilet, making a drink, feeding the cat and back to work

Short power walks are apparently better for you than longer, slower walks. So 10000 steps not really necessary.

Only with effort. I too end the day with same steps as you if I've not gone out for a quick stomp round the block or to the shop at lunch. Make up the steps after work and it's good for the head too. Massive effort if you're desk based though!

It's only 5km, about an hour walking would have it done.

You must have very little legs.
One of my regular walks is 5.2km. Takes me about an hour (depending if I see someone to stop and chat to), but that is only 6000 steps for me.

Not that I disagree with the principle about it being what you have to do if you want to up your step count.

That said OP, if you are swimming and doing weights 3x a week and cycling at weekends, then your lack of 'steps' isn't really a worry. The idea of doing 10K steps a day is that almost anyone can walk. You can do it anywhere, without special equipment, without cost, without special clothing, and fit is in as part of your daily routine (like walking somewhere rather than driving). There isn't something magical about walking that you need to do, if you are already doing as much as you do.

However, if you want to, I agree with the person who linked to the video on a previous page. I go to a 'Walkfit Class' and we do about 2000 steps in just under 15mins, basically just walking quickly to music - backwards and forwards, round in a circle, side stepping, box stepping etc. If you don't want to go out and walk around your neighbourhood in the dark after work, it is possible to at least increase your steps in your living room / garden / up and down the hallway / or going up and down your stairs a few times is even better.

10k steps for me is almost exactly 8km.

I do easily get 10-15k steps when at work (primary teacher in a school with a ridiculous amount of staircases…and I never sit down at work, except for lunch).

I don’t care about counting steps though, I focus on ‘active calories’ and exercise minutes. Adults should get a minimum of 150mins of heart rate raising exercise a week. 75mins should be moderate and 75mins more intense. I used to find it hard to achieve this, but over time, I’ve built up to average 60-90mins exercise a day. It does take time away from other activities but I feel incredible for it. I run, cycle and do home workouts, I find anything I can do straight from home is easier to fit in than going to a gym; cycling wherever I’m going instead of taking the car helps massively too.

OP, you don’t have a commute, can you use the time to exercise before/after work? DH works from home, he does weights before he starts work and runs every lunchtime.

I WFH in the mornings and I just checked on Apple health and ai have averaged 15,000 a day over the last year.

I go running with my dogs before work most days, and walk them again briefly sometimes later. I also live on the edge of a town and walk here and there and don't often use the car to get to my other job and get shopping and stuff unless I am travelling more than about a mile. It's amazing how it racks up when you can stay out of the car and walk instead!!

How on earth is that actually possible? Do you live in a castle?

Even if I'm on my feet all day, cleaning the house, pegging washing out, etc. I won't hit anywhere near 10,000 steps.

I'm a fit, active person but WFH really changes your lifestyle and I honestly didn't realise that before. I have to get out after work every day as there isn't more than half an hour between 8-5pm spare. I need to eat so unfortunately that takes preference before the next bloody Teams meeting...