A Good Amount of Steps for a Goal

[RaptorParty]

Hello, and thanks for checking the message. I was trying to find a good chart or something that has a reasonable weight to steps ratio. I'm just under 350 right now, and I've gotten in shalpe before in my 20's without issues, but going in to my 30's I started to sustain injuries. I am the type of person that goes all in when I do anything, but this time I'm trying to be reasonable and keep reasonable goals that won't damage me and cause me to give up.

Does anyone have suggestions there? I did 13K steps yesterday and suffice to say, all I've done is sleep, drink water, and give about half that today. If 10K is reasonable, so be it. I'll stick with that. However, if 5K is smarter and anything more is a bonus then I'm all for it.

Thanks!

[SunsetRunner]

What I did was see how many steps I typically take in a day and choose a goal close to that yet far enough away that I'd have to make myself reach for it. 

I don't think that there really is a ratio on how many steps you should be taking. If 13k was too much for you maybe 10k would be best. That is average I believe. Listen to your body, I mean really listen. If things don't feel right, make some modifications. The crazy and amazing thing about weight loss is that it's not one-size fits all and it's not like text-book learning. Your diet and exercise routine is entirely unique and it may take a bit of trial and error to find what works for you. It's a learning opportunity! 

Good luck

[SunsetRunner]

@RaptorParty

So nice to see you here! You ask a good question about the steps. @Emchew offered good advice but please allow me to offer my own two cents. The American Heart Association recommends 10,000 steps a day.

https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/CardiacRehab/Frequently-Asked-Questions-About-Physica...

But I strongly suggest you contact your doctor and get his/her opinion. I have a bad knee and my doc said not to attempt that goal, unless I am doing a good number of steps on a recumbent bike where there is less pressure on my knees. So that's what I do! I listen to my knee. Sometimes I need multiple short spurts to get to my goal. But if that's what I have to do, so be it. I've mentioned before in other discussions, that I keep a calendar out in full view. Every day I reach my goal, I color that day in with a green marker. I find this very motivating as I love to see all those green boxes!

There is another reason to see your doctor. He or she will want to do a full blood work up, formally weigh you, etc., then do it again along the way. It's amazing what a difference a 10% weight loss can make to your cholesterol levels, sugar levels, etc. When I saw that difference, it motivated me to keep at it. Plus seeing the doctor was my way of making this effort "official" ... more than just another half hearted attempt. 😏

You can do this!

[RaptorParty]

Thanks for the responses and warm welcome. I definitely saw my doctor and had full blood panels, the whole nine. He couldn't tell me what I should do, only to find what I could do. So far I have been able to hit about 10K per day depending on the day. IT work is notoriously non-motion oriented... It's hard to say what is right just because every day you feel a bit better than the last and what made you sore one day may not bother you as much the next. The tricks of the mind and body when you have goals can be rough 🙂

I'll keep chugging away with my 5K limit for now and be happy when I do double that. It'll give me a realistic goal while also giving me a bit of a high when I do twice that amount. Positive steps are always better than negative ones.

Thanks for the responses!

[Incognito]

To me, it is always about challenging oneself while staying healthy.  A good step goal should be one that is obtainable but just a hair out of reach.  If you can do 13k, 14 or 15k should be a good goal.  I find that I should "fail" to hit my goal, otherwise it is too easy.