Want to do 8K steps a day - but how is it always possible? Thoughts pls!

[Thebrutalstage]

I already do exercise 3/4 a week in the gym (mostly strength work). But I'm trying to build up movement. But some days it just seems impossible to get 8K steps in.

Any thoughts for cheats/ways you do it if you already have a lot on in your day?

What does 10,000 steps look like? Ten thousand steps equates to about eight kilometres, or an hour and 40 minutes walking, depending on your stride length and walking speed.

www.medibank.com.au/livebetter/be-magazine/exercise/how-to-walk-10000-steps/#:~:text=What%20does%2010%2C000%20steps%20look,it%20all%20in%20one%20walk.

You walk 2.5 miles just in your house? Where do you live, Hampton Court?

Do you really need a step counter to know if you moved much? I don't believe so. You know perfectly well if you have taken a good bit of exercise or not, just trust your natural good sense.

You need to walk for approx 1hr 40 to do 10,000 steps.

And you have to actually walk, I've been on my feet for hours at theme parks & not hit 10k because I've been standing still

I have bought a cheap treadmill so I can walk at home and watch TV when I do it. I can even still do work emails on my phone. I got it because its hard to find time to go walking and my kids are too young to leave at home.

I often barely get over a couple of hundred steps. I work from home, and we don’t have a car. Problem is partly because I use the step counter on iPhone, but I don’t always carry my phone with me.

I’ve had a pretty sedentary day, in meetings from 8-12 then 2 hr drive but then walked to pick DD up and popped to the shops. Did some tidying up and I’m on 7000 so getting to 8k shouldn’t be too hard if you plan in a couple of 30 min walks and do stuff in the house.

I'm the same, school is a mile away and I hit around 2,000 steps which takes me roughly 20 minutes. So doing that 4 times a day plus day to day then I can get to 10,000 steps.

I have a job where I'm on my feet carrying stuff all the time so that helps, today I did 16,000 steps with only 1 school run (drove at pick up) work and a short 5 minute walk and back again to swimming lessons.

It can actually be really hard to achieve 10,000 steps some days for me, like if I have a hair appointment which takes hours, I'm having a day where I lift weights, take the kids swimming then do housework and the food shopping. I feel like there are so many things saying if you don't walk x amount you aren't trying hard enough but they don't take into account day to day life, injury or disability.

I do 15,000 steps on average a day because of running/work/the school run but I still feel like I should be doing more but the only way to ever do that is to 1. Not have small kids that don't need chasing but aren't old enough to be left 2. Never get injured 3. Never need to rest/cook/clean. Right now I'm sitting on the sofa with a glass of wine, husband is home so I could technically go out for a walk or a run but I'm already feeling delicate from yesterday's run, I've had a busy day at work and I just want to sit.

I think we should all be mindful to increase our activity levels but it shouldn't take over our lives so the extent where you feel guilty for having a lazy day or having a life where its not always possible to get steps in for the sake of it.

I do 15,000 steps on average a day because of running/work/the school run but I still feel like I should be doing more

Why? Everything I've seen refers to 10,000 steps not 18k plus a run.

I walk about 10,000 a day but I am constantly on the move in my job - I always think it should actually be more!

You should be able to track steps on your phone, there should be a standard app on it where you can switch this on, or pickup a pedometer for less than a tenner.

I second the suggestion to use an app on your phone. Pedometer++ is quite good.

Maybe not steps as such but I do 15 squats everytime I go to the toilet after I wash my hands, I drink lots of water so these soon add up and you can do them no matter where you are too

ah Interesting

That's EXACTLY why I gave up using a wrist step counter

It was counting every arm movement, even if I was stood at the sink washing up

I use my phone now and only count steps when I'm actually walking

I live semi-rurally and usually do between 4000 and 6000 steps on a weekday. Due to various commitments, it’s not really possible to do more. Weekend steps depend on what we have planned.

Prior to living here? I’d usually done my 10,000 by lunchtime.

https://apple.news/AVoD_D3OaSFCu-KkUwfNcFw

Perhaps I’ll switch my phone pedometer off

Really doubting the people thinking they are doing 6K steps on a "lazy day at home".

I0K steps is roughly 4-5 miles depending on stride length etc. so they are doing 2-5 to 3 miles roughly when chilling at home. Really?

I walk at lunchtime and, as the days get longer and brighter, will be starting a post teatime walk too. Also trying to park further away when I go shopping etc and all those little tricks.

Oh and I just use my phone in my pocket. It's pretty accurate and I'm not obsessive, just knowing roughly is fine by me.

I found wrist trackers counted movements like brushing my teeth or doing my makeup! Even driving on our rough country roads and it getting shoogled about would register. So I think hip movement is better.

so they are doing 2-5 to 3 miles roughly when chilling at home. Really?

Some Mumsnetters live in mansions don’t you know

My late father went through a long phase of counting his steps using a pedometer. You had to set the sensitivity so that it counted your steps correctly. He did this roughly, but found it would still be over-sensitive. Sometimes it would give him massive totals like 30,000 per day when he'd barely left the house. It absolutely delighted him! The higher the total the more pleased he was, even though he knew it wasn't measuring actual steps any more. Once we were in the car together and when the journey finished he'd clocked up another 5,000 steps. He was beside himself with glee.

He wasn't even competing with anyone and he'd be so thrilled that the count was high, like he'd outwitted the gods of exercise again. I loved his completely ridiculous and pointless enthusiasm for it.

You see, I don’t believe this. I have done 2.4 miles today and am just on 7k

Hmmm I also make 10,000 steps almost every day, and definitely over 8k steps every single day without fail. I drive to work. But I am a schoolteacher and I guess I probably walk around school, and my classroom, a lot? Certainly more than someone who WFH anyway. I don't exercise much (not enough anyway) so it must just be work getting those steps in! I did 12'000+ steps yesterday, but did do some brief exercise to be fair.

That made me smile.

I work 12 hour shifts on my feet all day, I usually do 18k plus! On my days off I walk the dog for miles just to get fresh air. I do workout most days too but it doesn't get my steps in. My hubbie has a walking treadmill for his work from home.office, he beats me in steps some days. Well worth it if you wfh.