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?

Re step counting/fitness tracking ...

Worth having a listen to R4 Sliced Bread - last week's episode covered activity trackers .

Some of the more expensive ones were surprisingly inaccurate on step counting. They do also discuss wrist type vs phone.

The cheapie £20 generic ones came out well. It also explained how they work. A short but interesting listen!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001wqdw?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

I have a walking pad I walk on it during teams calls. I clocked up five miles yesterday and another five miles today.

This is one thing I do find pretty easy. I average 13k a day over a week. School is just over a mile each way, so easily 4miles a day. Often more if I detour to a shop. Kids clubs adds more. Last Tuesday I offered to help at scouts, turned out is was a 2 hour hike! Managed 24k that day 🤣

I struggle with this OP as I WFH in a sedentary job (and am also pretty lazy!). I have an Apple Watch which counts steps and tracks activity and have been trying to force myself out for lunchtime walks.

Over the last few weeks I’ve also got a free app called ‘hourly chime’ which literally just pings every hour, and that’s my prompt to get up and move. I might walk up and down the stairs, make a cuppa etc or I might do 5 minutes of another activity like squats, arm circles, sit-ups, jumping jacks etc. doing a few minutes of activity every hour (or more often if you can) adds up over the course of the day and is easier to fit in than a long workout session.

my step count still isn’t as high as I’d like but I think just moving in some way at least every hour is the key, rather than getting too hung up on exact step count (which as others say isn’t always that accurate anyway)

I second the walk pad, it's a revelation!

I do about 10k every day, really for me it's because I have dogs and they need walking so it isn't optional. I don't fixate on it though, I also cycle and do yoga so a mix of those is good enough for me.

My watch only really seems to count steps when I'm actually walking, not pottering around my house if you know what I mean. It isn't very sensitive at all. My dd has a fitbit and she can do 200 steps before she gets out of bed in the morning hers is so trigger happy.

I WFH but I have a walking pad. I do 5 mins on it every hour and 10-15 minute sessions before and after work. I also try to do another 10 mins at lunchtime. 10 mins is 1000 steps for me so all that gets me to about 8K.

I WFH but I have a walking pad. I do 5 mins on it every hour and 10-15 minute sessions before and after work. I also try to do another 10 mins at lunchtime. 10 mins is 1000 steps for me so all that gets me to about 8K.

A career in healthcare is how I manage 10k a day 😂 admittedly when I’m off duty that number plummets.

Apparently! Maybe they put the tracker on the butler!

I do that everyday poo-picking my horses’ field. Maybe volunteer 😂

If you work from home, you'll need to proactively add in extra movement, as you won't have the 'walk from the carpark, walk to the kitchen, walk to the photocopier, walk to the other person's office instead of messaging or calling, go for a walk around site, walk to the furthest toilets' type of activity that gets my steps up to that on what I would deem a slow, most immobile day.

If you don't want to buy a fitbit or cheap as chips watch, just switch on the activity app on your mobile and keep it in your pocket all day - it's not perfect, but it's better than thinking you do nothing when you actually do a thousand by the time you're sitting down to open your emails in the morning.

I recently started with a new personal trainer & he has said I need to do 12,000 steps a day. That’s two hours of walking, I thought I’d never do it!

I have had to make a concerted effort, but I can do it quite easily now.

i have a 10 minute walk to & from the car park, then I go for a walk round the town centre on my lunch break.
after work, I would drive to the gym, but now I drive home & walk there instead.

I do 2-3 x 30 minute dog walks a day too, but if I’m still short by the end of the day, after tea i get on my treadmill in front of the telly to catch up.

doing 12-14,000 steps a day & have lost half a stone.