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?

[ammulder]

God bless the weather (Philly)...  I exceeded my entire daily step goal just shoveling show.  🙂

[Tammycan]

Having my flex makes everyday a challenge. I walk to work 1.5 miles every morning. I walk on my lunch break. I take stairs instead of elevator, and take the long way never shortcuts.

[RomaS]

Blitz1201-I do the same thing.  If my friend directly ahead of me on the leaderboard is ahead of me by 500 steps or so, I also go up and down the stairs, walk around the perimeter of the house, until I am ahead by 500 steps.  I think they do the same thing because our Fitbit leaderboard changes throughout the night.  A little bit of friendly competition keeps all of us "fitbitters" fit

[sgreen]

I walk or march in place while watching TV in the evening to get in extra steps.

[pclarity]

I'm a cubicle dweller by day, so I make a point of doing a 5-15 min walk once an hour if for no other reason that to keep my knees from getting stiff.  Sometimes I'll make the extra effort to see how many steps I can get in that period of time.

The biggest help for me is having fitbit friends.  It's great motivation for me to want to be on top of the friends leader board for my step count.

I Bus/Metro to work all year long, so that's a big help as well.  During the better weather months I'll either jog or walk the 2.5 mi to the Metro and save myself some bus fare and parking, or I'll ride my bike, and take a long ride (@15mi) home after work.

I also do the parking far away thing when I'm out shopping.  Sometimes I do laps around the grocery store to kill those urges to buy food I shouldn't eat. 

Every bit of movement helps.

[TamaraT]

Hi I am a cubical dweller also and I have been using a fitbit since January 1.  So far this is what I am doing to get my steps in:

- March on the spot as I brush my teeth in the morning

- Walk from the parking lot.  Will park further away when the weather warms up.

- I am not allowing myself to go to the bathroom on my floor, I walk up two flights - go to the facilities and walk up one more and then come back down to my floor.  That in itself is 300 steps and with all the water I drink, that equates to 1500 steps alone.

- Started walking down the 7 flights of stairs when I leave at night

- I do jumping jacks mutliple times throught the evening at home. 

Even with that I still find I need to do 35 minutes on the Treadmill to get my 10,000 steps in.  Would love to hear other tips. 

Tamara

[nzjudi]

Do you ever do photocopying? Then march on the spot whilst doing it. Can you live without your coffee? Go for a short walk instead of taking a tea break. March whilst washing your hands on the toilet trips.

Judi Eathorne-Gould
Law Library
University of Otago
P O Box 56
Dunedin
"May the footprints we leave behind show that we've walked in kindness
toward the earth and every living thing. May our lives be a dance of
celebration, and may the wind speak of peace to all our children's
children." A Native American Prayer

[Colinm39]

Lat night I measured out two of my large Woolworths supermarkets, walked the inside perimeter, walked up every aisle, and from the front door of each and returning to the front door, one was 1,159 steps and the other 1,122 steps.  That is 1/2 mile (800m). This will be my super hot weather walking because I do all of the shopping. Add the 300 steps to and from the car I get 1500 steps.

Also be conscious of your number of steps/minute (spm). I average 120 spm on a moderate walk speed and just 5 minutes out and back gives me another 1200 steps. Weather permitting.

My local shopping strip, under cover verandahs/awnings, gives me 1800 steps.

I use Google Pedometer to map my local streets and use the gradient map to plan the direction and just walking out of my front door, down to the main road and back winding in and out of courts I get 2700 steps in 22 minutes. Weather permitting. You can also track straight lines when trying to measure parks.

  Google Map Pedometer

[likeaglove]

Clean a messy room, drawer, cabinet, shelf etc. and carry only one item at a time to its place.
When you fill up your cars tank, pay inside and say hi to the cashier.
Do some yard work like raking, weeding, planting.
Move the pets food dishes far away. Thats free steps morning and night!

[keltie]

Tonight I went to a Zumba class and it added on 5,000 steps to my day

[TamaraT]

That's awesome Keltie! 

I am finding it easier every day to get to 10,000 steps.  Just stopping into a couple of stores on my way home from work and I am at 8,000 steps without having done the Treadmill yet.  Going to the washroom at least 2 floors up is really making a differeince for me and alking to the main floor at night (down from the 7th) really add up my steps.  I have to go out again a bit later so think I may forego the Treadmill tonight and just do some jumping jacks and jogging on the spot if I am shy of 10,000 when I get home.  I will definitely look into doing a kickboxing workout soon.

[suz17]

Hi! Could you please elaborate on the brand & type of air walker? I looked up air walker & found a myriad of options! If you love yours, please share the brand & model info & any other relevant info. Thank you so much!!! 🙂

[Becster75]

Do you know you are most productive when you take breaks every 90 minutes.  So great chance to up your steps a bit. When I do the washing I take one item out of the washing machine and go put it on the line. It takes longer but more steps get done 🙂

[Kescia]

Sorry, double post.

[Kescia]

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@suz17 wrote:

Hi! Could you please elaborate on the brand & type of air walker? I looked up air walker & found a myriad of options! If you love yours, please share the brand & model info & any other relevant info. Thank you so much!!! 🙂

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Hi, this is the one I use.  It's well constructed and very sturdy.  I do use the resistance arm bands and they work well, but I'm going to get some light weights for my upper body work instead.  Hope this helps. Good luck!

http://www.qvc.com/Brenda-DyGraf-Total-Body-AirClimber-with-Step-Tracker-&-2-DVDs-Fitness-Equipment-...

[Heidikins10]

I used to have a cheap one that I bought when Montgomery Ward was still in business! I still gave it and it worked fairly well. Mine was the Health Walker, since discontinued.

Sent from my iPhone

[Juzle]

the idea of park at the furthest is actually workable and smart. not just only increase the step counts but its also give a very good attitude of save the near parking space for those who late - as they need shorter time to reach (as they are already late)..

[Cande]

TamaraT,

Modifying your woek area to a "Stand Up Desk" (even if you're the only one in your office to do so) will make a tremendous - and surprising - difference in your activity level and the number of steps you have at the end of your day. Good luck! Cande

[JoyceM]

I just did this and I am really enjoying it.  It also makes your legs stronger by standing up instead of sitting all day.

[likeaglove]

I second that, I also built a standing desk setup, it's great! It's not just for people with back problems. At some companies, standing desks are generally for people with back problems, but I don't have back problems. It gives me more energy to remain standing. I can also sit if I need to, I have another keyboard and monitor and mouse at desk level too. I am more inclined to get up and go over to other people this way, and can easily shift weight to different parts of my body, like centered, left, right, or sitting. I'm never tired or sore now after work, and can get jogging or to the gym.