To think that 10,000 steps is a lot?

[Bluebelliphant]

I have been feeling quite pleased with myself as I've been easily smashing the recommended step amount of 2,000.

However I've just found out it's in fact 10,000. That seems a lot?

Do others manage that every day?

Before I had a step counter on my phone I used to occasionally count steps in my head on the walk to school (extremely boring walk!). It's a tiny bit over a mile and takes me around 20-25 minutes depending on how quickly I'm walking, and it's 2150-2300 steps. The step counter gives me the same result.

I seriously can't see how getting ready for work is 2000 and being ill in bed is 4000.

I found an article referencing research done by Anders Raustorp from Linneaus University who has done a lot of research into pedometers and exercise.

To maintain a healthy weight women up to age 40 need an activity level of 12k steps a day. 40-50 years 11k, 50-60 10k. Article also states that a brisk ten minute walk is about 1000 steps.

At two previous jobs I've been a part of "pedometer competitions". In my experience it's not that easy to reach the higher numbers. I also recall that I could spend a night shift wandering around trying to up the steps and just barely get to 11000, then another day I'd go to a shopping centre and plod around for a few hours and get masses of steps it was very annoying.

I try and do at least 7000 a day - it’s a struggle if I don’t actively walk somewhere as I drive to work as it’s pretty inaccessible by public transport.
I usually do about 2000 getting to work as I’m up and down the stairs in the morning, walk from car to desk, but then I’m quite sedentary at work so the rest has to be made up in the evening.on weekends I try to get out walking etc.
I wear a Fitbit

5 mins walk is 500 steps for me approx. I would say that’s average for a woman.

2000 steps is a very sedentary amount, even when I needed crutches I could log 3000 including a school run.
But it's a starting point and you can steadily increase it, I increased my goal by 100 steps each day and now hit 20000 even on a rest day and have done anything up to 75000 (I ran a marathon that day). My average is around 27000.

Granted I am at home all day and extremely active, I don't have a car so walk everywhere, so school run twice during the school week (just under a mile each way), walk or run to the gym, and even when unwell will get up and walk around the house. I genuinely find it hard to sit still (autism does that for you). Some days thanks to going for a run I've hit 10000 steps by 9am.

IMO a example of why people think 10000 steps is a huge amount was what someone said to me in our local supermarket...

"what you walk here everyday???"

It's around a mile walk each way for goodness sake, ok there is a steep hill on the way back but it's not like it's a million miles away. By the time you've got in your car and found a parking space, you could have walked it.

2,000 is very low. 10,000 should be the minimum.

10K isn't easy if you have a sedentary job and drive to work but you can get them in by making lifestyle changes, I manage 8k ok, but it takes an extra dog walk to clock the final steps thus gets missed if it's raining!

I don't think I ever do less than 5,000 even on my most sedentary days. I can't really imagine how someone could get as low as 2,000!

At weekends I usually do around 20,00-25,000

Anyway, I find it hard to believe that just 'taking steps' (as opposed to sustained brisk walking) actually amounts to significant exercise, unless you are recovering from surgery or have some other serious limitation. IMO it is all a bit of a con.

The 10,000 figure actually comes from promotional material for a Japanese pedometer from the '60s, rather than any extensive research.

It's around a mile walk each way for goodness sake, ok there is a steep hill on the way back but it's not like it's a million miles away. By the time you've got in your car and found a parking space, you could have walked it.

That's really not true, though, is it? When I was on maternity leave I was walking at least an hour a day, normally two, and I walked every time we went to the supermarket, which is about a mile away. Now I'm back at work I don't - I go to the supermarket on my way to or from work, and I just don't have the spare half hour in my day to take a nice stroll there and back instead. It's pretty easy to stay active if you're at home and not working (indeed, I found it was a necessity while on mat leave as going out was the only way to get DH to sleep for lots of it!), it's much harder to fit in if you work and have to drive there.

2000 is madly low. I average 7000 without trying. Quite often do 12000 plus with a dog walk and a run. I'm still overweight though!

Some of these activity trackers are not that reliable even a Fitbit.
I had a Fitbit and I always did 10,000 steps a day at least . I am quite active though . I now have a Apple Watch and it's about 8,000 a day more if I'm exercising.
Sorry but 2,000 isn't very much I've done over 800 and I've mainly been sat around this morning .

25000 steps is apparently 19 km. Even if you walked 2km to a park run, did the park run, walked back and then to went the park/the shops you’d be hard pressed to be walking 19km.

I do between 7000-8000 on average according to my Fitbit. The lowest I do is about 2500 and that’s on a day where I’m feeling really unwell with my IBS. If I’m having a very sedentary day where I don’t leave the house then i’ll Do things like walk up and down my stairs or march on the spot while watching tv. I know it’s not the same as a proper walk but it’s better than just sitting on my bum all day.

I find it quite a lot when I am working but on days off if I have a lot to do I find it easier. It depends on your lifestyle I guess as to how easy it is to fit in

You’d be better off doing HIIT for about 5 mins at home than trying to make up steps on a sendentary day.

I average about 11k, but that's with walk to and from train station, wander out at lunch, 5k run most weekends and a general tendency to walk around. No car. I would seriously struggle if I drove to work.
I think it's a stark reminder of how we really shouldn't be sitting around all day, and yet that is so easy.

I think it's a lot!

I've only managed it once on holidays and I was walking all day long.

Well this morning I have run a 10k and it was about 8000 steps (just coming up to 14,000 now). So I think 10k steps is quite a lot if you have an office job and drive to work. If you have a more "mobile" job and/or can take public transport to work (and walk or cycle some of the journey) you will find it easier to meet that target.

I also agree with the "brisk walking" comment above. If you want walking to do you some good you have got to walk faster. You need to be a bit out of breath and break a sweat. Otherwise you may as well not bother. Walking at toddler pace does not really achieve anything. People walk incredibly slowly. 5000 brisk walking is better than 10,000 pottering around the house.

Well I would say that if you're coming from a start of 2000 steps per day, then getting up to 10000 is a real achievement regardless of how fast or slow those steps are and is likely to improve the individuals health fairly significantly.

I average 20k.

But I go for a run most days.

10k is a pretty sedentary lifestyle.

2k is nothing +

Well I would say that if you're coming from a start of 2000 steps per day, then getting up to 10000 is a real achievement regardless of how fast or slow those steps are and is likely to improve the individuals health fairly significantly

I do agree with that but even better would be rather than aiming for 10,000, aim for 8000 and make some of them brisk. But yes, being on your feet is better than being on your bottom (although my Fitbit has also been known to give me steps when I have been sat in the car). I don't get that many for cycling, actually. I did a 24 mile ride a few weeks ago and it gave me a measly 1700 steps. I know it's not the same as running but I was still miffed.

@Ellabella989 I'm the same, I just find it a good motivator to stay moving. As I've said before I always hit over 10k each day and do feel better for it, so regardless off all the shouts of Fitbit inaccuracies it works for me. It has to be better than sat on my bum all day

I have been quite busy pottering around at home since 6. Dine housework, a bit of cooking- just general stuff. I don’t live in a huge place, and I haven’t been outside. But I have only done 589 steps. The people who do 2000 before breakfast MUST be exarerating!

I think there’s huge discrepancies in how various devices count and also how we move our bodies and ‘fool’ various devices.

I’ve had a lazy day at home so far, got up at 9, done a bit of light dusting/made lunch but a fair amount of sitting on my arse feigning interest in kids board games and I’m registering just under 2000.

About to drag reluctant children on a 2 mile walk so will see what it says after that 🤣