How many hours should you aim to be active for each day

[Tightoldgit]

I would like to know what is the recommended amount of hours I should aim to do 250 steps or more per hour each day.  Is it every hour I am sat at my desk or in front of the telly. Or just say 9 hours every day.

I already aim and complete 11K steps each day but these are done first thing in the morning and after tea, last week, for example, I walked 50 miles, but I do think to try and stay healthy I need to look at more activity during the day

[Ukase]

If you're walking 50 miles a week, I wouldn't sweat your hourly movement that much. 

There are so many definitions of "fit" these days, it really depends on your goals. 

As we get older, our bodies typically take longer to warm up, and longer to cool down. So, to move around every hour may not be the best course of action - nor is it very convenient if you have a desk job. 

I think the most important question is "How do you feel mentally?". If you're processing thought and emotions as well as ever, then I would say the next question is "how do you feel physically?". If you've got some aches and pains, then ask why that is. Maybe a doctor should have a look. Maybe you should walk less and perform different movements instead. Consider how people moved before cars and grocery stores. Sometimes getting back to basics is best - and sometimes, that's just silly. 

Beyond those two questions - not much really else matters in the scheme of being "fit", does it? I'd be tickled pink to log 50 miles a week and not sweat the whole "move each hour" bit. 

[USAF-Larry]

I don't pay much attention to the 250 Steps per Hour feature, @Tightoldgit, but rather focus on my daily activity. I am pretty active all day, and don't need to worry about reminders to move.  But, for persons who are desk bound or couch potatoes, reminding them to get up and move to get the blood circulating is a good idea.  So, if you are getting 11K steps a day, you're doing okay, but don't just sit the rest of the day - get up and move whenever you can.

[shipo]

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@Tightoldgit wrote:

I would like to know what is the recommended amount of hours I should aim to do 250 steps or more per hour each day.  Is it every hour I am sat at my desk or in front of the telly. Or just say 9 hours every day.

I already aim and complete 11K steps each day but these are done first thing in the morning and after tea, last week, for example, I walked 50 miles, but I do think to try and stay healthy I need to look at more activity during the day

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I agree with others, don't sweat the 250 per hour thing; I turned mine off as it was simply annoying.

Question: How do you manage to walk 50 miles in a week on only 11,000 steps per day?  I just checked my last 50-mile week (27-Aug through 02-Sep) and see my daily step average just shy of 16,000 steps (a total of 97,921 steps over the week).

[Tightoldgit]

11K steps is my goal for each day, the minimum I try to do but often  I do a lot more each day for example last Monday I did 23K that day.  For the 50 miles i did over 130K last week.  

[shipo]

@Tightoldgit, thanks, that make more sense.  Ummm, sort of.  I'm surprised you only got in 50 miles with that many steps; I just looked at a seven day period from last May where I logged 129,546 steps and that worked out to 63.5 miles.  Do you have a really short stride?

[Mukluk4]

Quality over quantity.  You can get the same benefit by doing more rigorous exercises that take far less time.

[shipo]

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@Mukluk4 wrote:

Quality over quantity.  You can get the same benefit by doing more rigorous exercises that take far less time.

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Or better still, more rigorous exercises and the same amount of time.  🙂

[Tightoldgit]

I can provide a screen shot of my weekly summary if younwould like to see
it.

[shipo]

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@Tightoldgit wrote:
I can provide a screen shot of my weekly summary if younwould like to see
it.

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It certainly wouldn't hurt.

[Tightoldgit]

 

[emili]

welcome to the forum @Tightoldgit. I am sure you have more than enough input here already. I do want to properly welcome you and let you know that you don't have to prove to anyone what you do or don't do. Your question was about time spent moving not how many steps you did. I will tell you that I too turned off the hour thing because it annoyed me and didn't improve my mood when it would buzz and I was stuck at my desk on a call.. I think you breaking your walks up between morning and afternoon is a really good strategy. Enjoy your walks!

[Tightoldgit]

Thank you for your friendly welcome and advice.

Andy

[dragonpupps]

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@Tightoldgit wrote:

I would like to know what is the recommended amount of hours I should aim to do 250 steps or more per hour each day.  Is it every hour I am sat at my desk or in front of the telly. Or just say 9 hours every day.

I already aim and complete 11K steps each day but these are done first thing in the morning and after tea, last week, for example, I walked 50 miles, but I do think to try and stay healthy I need to look at more activity during the day

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50 miles a week is a lot. It's enough to qualify for being fit, seeing as that's roughly 100K steps in a week (assuming 2K steps per mile). I think you should be fine, but if you feel like you aren't active enough, try getting at least 250 every hour, regardless if your tracker has it only set for 9 hours or however many. That might make you feel more active, plus you get more steps and distance.

[Earthdog]

I like this feature.  It reminds me to get up from my desk and stretch out.  If I sit too long my legs stiffen up.  I set it for the 9 hours of my work day.  I pay attention to it five days a week. 

[Tightoldgit]

Yes I also like this feature and do find it a helpful reminder to move as my exercise is done early morning and in the evening  I do not do a lot during the day which is probably  not good for my health.

[Tightoldgit]

Thank you for your relpy