10 Ways to Get 10,000 Steps a Day
Easy ways to reach your goal of 10,000 steps a day that you can do anytime, anywhere! Plus, why setting step goals is important!
Why 10,000 steps?
When it comes to walking, 10,000 is the magic number — 10,000 steps that is! Many physicians agree that this is an effective, reachable fitness goal for adults.
- If you work at a desk or are sedentary for much of the day, a goal of 10,000 steps likely means you’ll need to make an effort to walk more. And any increased activity is a positive!
- Walking fires up your metabolism because your body needs extra energy to support physical activity. To fuel your workout, your metabolism burns calories! (source)
- The American Heart Association says that walking can lower some of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, as much as running does. (source)
- 10,000 is an easy number to remember, and since it is a large number, it mentally feels like a big accomplishment to reach it. However, it is still a do-able goal — you’re less likely to get discouraged if you set yourself up for success!
The best part is, you don’t need to get your 10,000 steps a day all at once. Whether you meet the mark in small increments or big chunks, the fact that you hit your target is what counts!
How to track 10,000 steps
I started using my TomTom® Touch Fitness Tracker this week and I’m already hooked! My husband laughs because I’m always checking my progress throughout the day. (I think it’s because he secretly wants one too…so I already have an idea for his Christmas gift…shhhh!) A step counter is an easy way to monitor your daily activity…and then some!
The sleek band fits perfectly and is so lightweight that I almost forget it’s even there! Mine is black, which I love because it matches everything. But any reliable step counter will work!
In addition to tracking my steps, I can:
- Measure my heart rate with a built-in heart rate monitor
- Track my physical activity 24/7 — steps, distance walked, active walking time, and sleep
- Estimate calories burned throughout the day
- Measure my % body fat and % muscle mass with the body composition analysis feature — this allows you to see the impact of your diet and exercise over time
- See what time it is (it’s a watch too!)
- Get smartphone notifications
- Set activity goals — like daily and weekly steps
10 Ways to Reach 10,000 Steps a Day:
I’ve been checking how many steps I take during all of my daily activities. I love walking, but once I started tracking, I realized I wasn’t walking quite as much as I thought! So I’ve been looking for ways to get more steps to reach and exceed my target. I’m sharing them so you’ll have some new ideas to increase your daily steps and reap the benefits of walking!
These are some simple activities to add to your day, or swap out for less physical alternatives. You won’t believe how little changes add up to big results!
840 steps – Walking kids to school instead of driving (round trip) – And our school is only 2 blocks away!
920 steps – 4 laps around the small track at the playground (about 1/2 mile) – The kids play while you get your steps, talk about a win-win!
3000 steps – 2 hours shopping at the mall – Who knew that retail therapy was so good for your waistline?
240 steps – Parking at the back of the lot at the grocery store (round trip) – Plus you don’t have to fight over the “good” spots!
1200 steps – 10 minutes on the elliptical machine at a moderate pace – Perfect for rainy days!
80 steps – Taking the stairs instead of the elevator (4 flights) – Stairs are also one of the best ways to tone your rear end!
1000 steps – 20 minutes of freestyle dancing – Dancing with the girls is so much fun…it doesn’t feel like exercise!
550 steps – 5 minutes of marching in place – If you sit at a desk all day, then you need to stand up and move around periodically. Now you can get your steps in too!
2000 steps – 20 minute walk around the neighborhood with the kids – We try to take a daily walk before dinner every evening. It’s a great way for the kids to unwind and for me to get more steps!
400 steps – 10 laps around the house – It’s easier than you think to get those last steps in at the end of the day!
What Happened When I Took the 10,000 Steps Challenge?
One month after I committed to the 10000 step challenge, I report back with my results! Click here to see what happened when I took the 10000 steps challenge!
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This post was originally part a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of TomTom. It has been updated since that time, as the product above was discontinued. The opinions and text are all mine.
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