(Copied from MyFitnessPal blog)
There are a large number of folks using this app, who also use a step tracker of some sort. Whether that is an apple watch, Garmin, Tom Tom, Fitbit or other tracking device, they all allow you to set some type of step goal. I personally use a fitbit daily and a Garmin for tracking my runs/hikes etc... I also run a Facebook group specific to Fitbit users, called Fitbit Challenges.
www.facebook.com/groups/1666683276886834
(Shameless plug!)
This group has almost 4000 members and what I've learned over the past 3 years is that the daily step goal seems to be ignored as a tool to increase fitness. The default step goal that Fitbit uses is 10,000 steps per day as that is what the US deems to be the minimu requirement to be fit. However, many folks have significantly different step levels. I run quirky events for the facebook group that utilize the fitbit. These may be Daily challenges or weekly challenges. Some of them last many, many weeks before a winner is declared. I create teams often making them as equal as possible in 7 day step averages. What I have learned early on is that there is an enormous range of stepper out there.
Some folks get 70 - 80k or more every day! Others, due to medical conditions, or other issues, get only 4k per day. In either case it is awesome whatever a person is capable of getting per day!
That being said, I notice most folks leave their step goal at the default level of 10k.This could be atool to achieve greater steps/helath and well being than it currently is.
Step goals should be personailzed to your own abilities and set at a level that to achieve it requires an effort. A goal in my opinion should be something that you do NOT attain every day! That is not a goal, it is a marker. Let's look at the sport of baseball for comparison. In baseball a hitter who bats over .300 is a player that is all-star worthy and is revered by fans and will ultimately become very wealty! It is a tremendous accomplishment. When you look depper at that balplayer, you realize that he fails 7 out of 10 times!! Now I'm not saying your goal should be set so high that you only attain it 3 out of 10 days. That would be too discouraging. But, it should be set so that you fail at least a few times each week.
Let's look at some examples.
Example 1
This person averages 13,000 steps per day, pretty consistently. The current goal is set at 10,000. Goal is achieved every single day. This mean the goal has no real meaning to that person. It isn't special to achieve it. A better goal would be 14,000 or maybe 15,000. Something that requires a little extra effort to reach.
Example 2
This person averages 4,200 each day and is fairly consistent, sometimes getting 5,500, other days getting 3,500. This person has a medical condition that prevents significantly higher steps but, per doctors suggestions they are at least getting what they can. This person's goal is set at 10,000 because that is default and they never changed it. A better goal would be to set it at 5,000. This way on day where the person may not be "feeling up to it" maybe that goal as a carrot would entice just a little more push and reward that person, both mentally and possibly physically.
Example 3
This person averages 80,000 steps, but really is varied on the dauly step totals. If there is an event running they may get in excess of 120,000 steps, but on non event days they average closer to 55,000 steps. Their goal is set at 10,000 because they feel no real reason to use it as they are so variant in steps. Well to me, a better goal would be to set it at 60k. Then use it as a motivational target to achieve on non event days. When there is an event, well then see how early in the day you can reach that goal. Maybe try for noon or 3pm or whatever.
My point to all this rambling is that the goal is a useful tool that too many of us under utilize, yet could really bring forth a better healthier you!
If you discover your goal starts becoming too easy, reaching it almost every day, then tweak it up a little further to continue to push yourself. (Not to the point of injury, however).
My own goal?
I have it set at 15,000. I achieve it probably half of the time. When in an event I try to see how quickly I can reach goal. Today for example, as I type this it is 9:00am and I have already reached my goal for the day, due to an event.
So try it out! Utilize the tool and see where it can lead you!
