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?

[alex45674]

Thanks for the information elgecko, I will have a look!

I am using http://fi.tt/join

Brilliant website with challenges and it syncs automatically with your Fitbit so no uploading or inputting anything.  Some challenges earn points for rewards and my first pair of brilliant colourful socks arrived yesterday! 

I am on there as Alex Davis so do add me if you join or are already on!

xx

[alex45674]

Go for it 6kr - you can do it!!!  Loads of encouragement here and people to follow.  Enjoy!

[josephz2va]

I get my 10,000 steps in the first 60 minutes of everyday I hit the treadmill. 4 mph 10 minutes each / 2 mph 1 minute recovery. Totalled 1 hr and 6 minutes fat burning zone at 130 bpms. Afterwards it's all about trying to hit the burn calories goal of 2,500 a day.

Weekends, I try to aim for that one goal at the far right. That's a real blister bleed right there. 27,027 steps.

[cylon]

I don't get anywhere near some of the people in this community but this helps me hit my goal of 12,000 steps a day. 

My top 5

1. Park at the end of the parking lot
2. Always take the stairs
3. Standing work station
4. Walking my dog daily (Added benefit of a happy pup)
5. Take the long route, no short cuts. 

C

[Ali]

Those are all great ideas Cylon. Don't measure yourself against others. It is not a race. 12,000 steps a day is a great goal.

[Phiyk]

Well, one thing to do to get 20k steps is to remember to wear it! I reckon I was on track for it yesterday. I was showing someone my fit bit yesterday, telling them how it worked and then I didn't clip it back on but put it in my coat pocket (I was on playground duty at school). From 10.40-3.45pm no activity!! I did nearly 16k with that bit missing lol!

[thomakg]

Jogging in place while dressing - Love this - I can see it now!

[sjcostanza]

Twice a day I walk all the way to the cafeteria to get coffee or water even though there is a break room with coffee and water mere feet from my desk. The total of the two trips is about 800 steps and 8 floors. It works well to get the blood moving a little bit if I can't get outside at lunch.

[Ali]

My good pal is in hospital so when visiting yesterday every time they came to do something I would go do 5,000 steps around hospital. Calmed my nerves and I got a heck of a lot of steps in. To keep in calm state I walked home from hospital, about 6 miles. Felt tired but better way to spend day than sitting there fretting and not being able to do anything.

[alex45674]

Hi Ali how is your friend today? Good thoughts in your direction.  Keep stepping xx

[josephz2va]

Steps I don't have to worry about since I burn them off on the treadmill. The harder accomplishment like this week is with 3,319 calories to burn. Which is around 10-15 miles of walking around work, climbing 9 flights of stairs for building strength, and staying on my feet all day. Then at home two fitness workouts if I have enough energy. One is building muscle and the other is cardio on a few days. Two cardios on two days.

[Ali]

Continuing my imaginary walk across Canada today I find I have travelled from Vancouver, British Columbia on the west coast to the town of Woodstock, New Brunswick!! Total distance to date just over 5,000 km!! Almost there.

[vickilind61]

If the weather is nice, I will take a walk around our park.  Two laps equal one mile.  If the weather doesn't cooperate, I head to Lowe's, Hobby Lobby or Kohl's.   I walk for a half hour or more.  I also find that on days where I work out in the morning, I am more determined to get in more steps during the day.  A body in motion stays in motion. 

[TandemWalker]

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@thomakg wrote:

Jogging in place while dressing - Love this - I can see it now!

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Or walking in place while brushing our teeth, watching TV ... I do it all the time. Although I have to say, achieving a higher number of steps is not the end all goal for me, as I combine walking with many other activities during the day. The more important goal for me is not the step count, but the number of hours spent daily/weekly on activities and the total caloric burn from activities. I found that over time, adding variety to my daily routine makes my body more responsive.

[Ali]

Just adding up kilometres and I have almost completed my imaginary walk across Canada. Only 675 kilometres left to go from Vancouver, British Columbia to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Total distance will be 5,985 kilometres. Should be there by end of June if not before. Wow!!

[ClueisKeenan]

I work the night shift 3:30-12 usually.  I find if I'm short on steps near the end of the day i just take a few laps around work.  I work at a seed plant in the country which is basically a farm so theres plenty of room for my extra steps.  I try and take my dog (german shepherd) out for hikes and runs often before work which contribute alot to my daily step count. Even walking around the house can add a nice little chunk.

[EBethS]

I work a graveyard shift from home at my computer desk. I have taken to setting an alarm every hour to remind me to stand up, strech and move about. This keeps me from getting stiff from sitting too long as well as reminds me to get those steps in.  I have even been known to walk in place as I type. (Working from home has advantages) I also made myself a promise to take a 5 min walk before my shift starts, at each break, and after my shift is over. 

[Walking_in_heel]

I'm curious what you mean by this? I'm a newbie, so perhaps that's why I don't get it!

[ClueisKeenan]

Besides your usually daily steps, once you get a pedometer/tracker you start finding yourself doing extra stuff throughout the day to watch the extra steps add up.  Extra steps you wouldnt normally think about taking if you weren't counting steps.

[Shayna]

When doing laundry, I put one thing away at a time. Also when watching TV programs, I jog in place during commercials.  While washing dishes, I also march in place. I find many ways to keep moving throughout the day.