How do you get those extra steps in?

[zapleahy]

I live about four miles from my workplace and although I haven't yet walked all four miles to or from work, there are a few games I play during the week to increase my stepcount.

Some days I'll take the hillier, windier, unnecessarily long route to BART (San Francisco's heavy-rail rapid transit system). Almost always, I forgo the escalator for the stairs. Today, that act alone added 5 flights of stairs and over 250 steps to my morning journey.

My other favorite "cheat" is high stepping in place. Sure, I may look a little odd bouncing up and down while typing at my makeshift standing desk, but it feels good to keep the blood flowing and the legs moving! 

What do you do to get your extra steps in?

[yldthng]

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@PaleoCrossfit wrote:
Every day at work, I walk for five minutes at the top of every hour. Also, I do 50 squats every time I go to the restroom.

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I kinda do that. I have an alarm set for 11, 1, and 3 to get up and walk down the stairs (6 floors) and around the lobby 4-5 times. I get 5 very active minutes each time I do it. 

I think I will add your squat routine to some of my bathroom trips. Thanks for that idea!

[lonerchick]

I try to make it point to walk to someone's cube versus sending an email or making them come over to me. The extra plus is it makes me look like a better employee.

[Morgan_anne]

Hello fellow Fitbitters,

Something I think we need to talk about is motivation. Motivation comes to you all at once. At the same time though you can lose it just as fast as you got it. Yes motivation is important but it won't last all the time. What we should be thinking is DISCIPLINE. No it's not as easy to get like motivation but once you have it you are far off compared to just motivation. To have discipline you need to train for it. It's better to create discipline than rely on motivation. Something I have learned from Kayla Itsine is this. 
Program your body. 
Train yourself to do things automatically:white_heavy_check_mark:
Train yourself to get out of bed everyday at the same time. 
Train your body to make sure you eat breakfast. 
Train your body to want to workout.

So the question is not how to keep yourself motivated, it is how to train your body to work without motivation. 

xo, Morgan Anne

[bitfitfury]

Disney that's just crazy

[valinpa]

I like Leslie too!  Her current DVD lets you mix 10 minute mini walks to customize your own workout.  It keeps things from getting boring!

[QueenAnn]

It is very cold here in Ohio, so on Nov. 24th I started going to our local Wal-Mart between 4 and 5 a.m. I put my ear buds in, crank up the toons and walk every and I mean every isle. Even the clothes sections. The only people in the store at that time are the stockers. Then on New Years day I was walking real fast and turned a corner and irritated my knee. So I took 2 weeks and 3 days off. I started back up today. While I was not walking I was riding my Pee Wee Herman bike that I have on a trainer. For some reason the bike did not irritate my knee.

[gebobs]

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@QueenAnn wrote:

It is very cold here in Ohio, so on Nov. 24th I started going to our local Wal-Mart between 4 and 5 a.m. I put my ear buds in, crank up the toons and walk every and I mean every isle. Even the clothes sections. The only people in the store at that time are the stockers. Then on New Years day I was walking real fast and turned a corner and irritated my knee. So I took 2 weeks and 3 days off. I started back up today. While I was not walking I was riding my Pee Wee Herman bike that I have on a trainer. For some reason the bike did not irritate my knee.

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As a native Buffalonian and having spent several years in Cleveland, I know that cold. Brrrrr!

It's been a mild winter here in Georgia (knock on wood). I just got done with my lunchtime 4 - 4.5 mile run. It gets me out of the office, rain or shine.

333k steps so far this year, averaging almost 17k steps/7.4 miles per day. Shooting for the old 2015 miles in 2015 which is about 11k-12k steps/5.5 miles per day for me.

Loooong way to go, but I will NOT fail. And I have to keep telling myself. I need to stay motivated. Fitbit has buoyed that motivation for now. Let's see how well I fare when it's about 100 deg/100% humidity in July. 🙂 As Morgan Anne said, the key is discipline. 

[MoSteps]

•park as far away from entrance as possible - always (grocery, work, everywhere)
•treadmill at home - walk in am even if only 5 mins to spare - walk after work - walk before bed - whatever it takes to reach my goal without interfering w work and kiddo schedule (my treadmill saves me)
•walk during breaks at office or during lunch

My step goal is only 10k a day but it takes real discipline. I have to keep a schedule including designated housecleaning day (Friday evenings - I never have major cleaning any other time of week,) and cooking all weekly meals on Sunday (saves time in kitchen during week)

This all allows me extra pockets of time during week for steps!

[gebobs]

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@MoSteps wrote:
•park as far away from entrance as possible - always (grocery, work, everywhere)

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And smugly snicker at all the dopes who idle in their SUV for 5 minutes, pumping carbon into the air, while waiting for someone with a spot that is a mere 100 yards closer to load their groceries and leave.

[Jillo]

I just got a suggestion since I hate commercial I always fast forward.
Someone suggested get up and walk in place during each commercial.

[pbackma]

U can do jumping jacks--even better...jog in place....during the breaks

[pbackma]

With the treadmill you can increase your steps even if you get on it for 10 - 20 minutes--I think you can increase another 5k...LOL...I do the same park car far away from stores and then take the cart all the way back near the store passing several cart holders.  We all have to keep stepping--good for the heart!

[Jillo]

Now that might be pushing it...lol....maybe?

[CharleneMarie72]

I run in place during commercials as well.  When I visit my parents, my Dad has a pretty nice gym and a TV.  I will run during the commercials and walk during the 1 hour program I watch in the afternoon.  

[SunsetRunner]

Good for you, @gebobs! That's the spirit!

[kg4ulu]

Luckily I have a dog that has to go outside a few times a day so instead of just letting her go, I walk with her in the yard.  And also this week, I've been clearing a lot of snow so my numbers have been great! 

[HelenaFitbit]

With this cold @kg4ulu I'm not sure my dogs would want to be out, they would be like: oh noooo... go by yourself! 

[kg4ulu]

She's an 11 month old German Shepherd who absolutely loves it!  The snow is above my knees and she just plows through it.  If it is a cold day with no snow, it's come on out here with me.  Stick!  Stick! How about a ball?  You can read her thoughts I swear!

[pbackma]

I really miss all that snow....the only thing I miss in New York...LOL

[SunsetRunner]

walk around the room or jog in place whilst watching tv

3 hours watching tv could give you 15k+ steps depending on pace