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?

Meh I don’t believe most people's step counts. I worked alongside someone today. We both got to work with 800ish steps logged, did the same job alongside one another for 6hrs and I’d clocked 8000 steps and she’d got 14000! Who’s was right? We’ll never know.

Just to clarify, I only walk a 20 minute mile, less if the ground is really steep. To walk five miles a day would take just under two hours out of my day.

And that's brisk walking. Not just strolling around.

Whose

How is getting ready for work 2,000 steps????

Also, the 10000 steps was randomly decided on as an easy to remember number by a manufacturer of pedometers. It’s only a very rough guide.

I think it's quite a lot. I had a baby a few weeks ago and have been trying to do 8000 every day... I usually get 10,000-14,000 from walks with the pram but I think that's pretty far... that is usually long walks.

I average 20,000 steps a day. I run or go the gym 5-6 times a week and I walk as much as I can instead of drive.

Working from home I was only reaching around 300 steps a day.

That has to be a typo surely? 300 steps is literally nothing, you probably do that just walking up the stairs or to the toilet in 1 day.

I think 10k steps is a fair baseline. Yes it is a made up number but unless you are very unfit or have difficulty walking it should not be a challenge to clock up that amount. 2000 steps is approximately 1 mile which really isn't very far at all, it would take most people about 15-20 minutes to walk.

Jenala nail on the head! Fitbit counts arm movements, that’s why it doesn’t register anything if you’re pushing a pram/trolley. I’ve had mine say I’ve hit target when I’ve been boxing, so very little foot movement and when I’ve been stuck in traffic (from frequent gear changes).

Someone upthread walks a mile while getting ready for work???

That's not exercise, that's just plain inefficient!

I do between 1000-2000 a day and I use a wheelchair outdoors most of the time... that step count is indoors in a normal 3 bed house; when I'm actually walking (with crutches) I manage 4-5000 just inside the gym and that's being dropped off at the door. It's very difficult to walk anywhere outside and not do at least 5000. I would suggest that you are very very sedentary. Do you do any other exercise?

I do 12,000 on a ‘lazy day’. Most days are easily between 18,000 and 24,000 without even trying. My best day was 32,000!

I’ve been in bed most of today with horrific period cramps and still done 7.3k getting up putting washing on etc. Yes we have a big house but I can’t imagine that really makes much of a difference? 2k I would say is pretty low, are you using a Fitbit? We held a marquee at my last jobs Nd I did 36k steps in about 16 hours I’m still horrifically proud of myself 😂

i average on about 14 000. i work full time in a desk job.
10 000 is a random
number, but its on the lower side of what is good for you. 2000 is very, very little!

Jayne from one end of my flat to the other is 15 steps. Though I also have a fitbit... No stairs, wfh so go between bed, bathroom and desk. If I'm not drinking enough water, it's not even 300 steps

Right, I needed a wee, so I counted my steps. 23 steps from where I was sat at the far end of the living room to my upstairs toilet. About half of that was the stairs.

I do 2K getting ready for work in the sense that I get up and do various bits around the house, hang washing out, go up and down stairs for different things, feed my chickens. I get up at 615, and leave for work at 745, so actually 2K isn’t that much considering I’m on my feet for 90minutes.

It's quite reassuring to see all these people clicking enormous steps while home ill. Proves it's pretty much bullshit. You simply don't do thousands of steps of you're in bed and walking to the loo ocassionally. Its not possibly. It's 20 steps from my bedroom to the loo. I'd have to go 100 times on a hungover day to get just 2k steps but some people are getting 4000+? Is your toilet in the next town?

I wake up at 6:45, leave home at 8:00 and walk 20 mins to work. I’ve usually done 2000 before I reach work. And I don’t have stairs in my flat.
Even on a Sunday when I often don’t leave the house I’ll manage between 6000-10000 depending on what housework I’m doing.
Most days I average around 15000.
On a good day, if I’ve been shopping or take the kids to a park on a Saturday it’ll be closer to 200000

I honestly don't understand people saying they do 7000 in the house?!! Do you live in a mansion?

If I do an hour and a half long walk with the pram non stop it's less than 5000!! Is my Fitbit not working?

“when i am sick (hungover) and only move from the sofa to go to the loo, i do about 4,000”

How far away is you loo????

@jayne that’s on my Fitbit and yes true. Walking from bed to lounge, home office a few coffee trips to the kitchen. That’s about it.

I am at many of you saying you easily do 15k upwards! I am wondering if my pedometer app is faulty. Most days I do about 7k with about 2 hours of walking and pottering about the house, that’s quite a lot for me.

However, I do remember seeing somewhere that it’s how fast you walk, not how many steps that counts and that 20-30 mins of very brisk walking is better for you than trying to do the whole 10k plus if you’re just walking about quite slowly.

I use the Active 10 app which registers how fast you walk and every 10 mins of brisk walking is registered as an “Active 10”. I easily do at least 3 active tens a day (30 mins ultra fast walking).

I think some people are muddling up steps and metres?

Like previous posters have said, it depends on your starting point and how much exercise you do.

I work from home and easily manage 8-10k without trying - my minimum target is 11k. On a day when I run, I can hit 25-30 depending on how far I go.

But previously, in a different job, I struggled to hit 10k and would average about 7 so I think it's very dependent on circumstances and what's usual for you.

Also, how much you drive - I tend to walk as many places as I can which makes a huge difference but I'm fortunate enough to have a lot of things within easy walking distance.

I think having a flat 10k minimum for everyone doesn't take this into consideration