’m not sure when exactly this happened but some time in the last few years step trackers became super trendy. Like crazy trendy. Like fire your bridesmaid because she wants to wear her fitness band to your wedding kind of trendy. This means that the concept of 10,000 steps a day is now a ‘thing’ many of us are aspiring to. I’m a huge fan and daily striver of this goal but you have to admit, it’s a bit of a weird concept to count your steps every day. It’s kind of like counting how many times you blink. When did we become these type of humans?
I’ve been walking 10,000 steps every day for the past three years and I cannot tell you how much my life has improved. I sleep better, I don’t gain weight as easily, I’m happier and my body loves me for all the movement I’m getting. If I get to the end of the day and I’m feeling a bit stressed and out of control, 9 times out of 10 it’s because I haven’t done my steps yet. I’m seriously addicted. Some people are a bit reticent to join the steppers club but I’m adamant that anyone can do this. I’m also adamant that everyone should do this. Here are a few ways you can get your 10,000 steps in without ruining your life or annoying everyone you’ve ever met.
Aim for a dedicated 30 minute walk every day
Depending on where you live, it might be very easy or very hard for you to get your steps up during the day. When I’m in Melbourne living in my inner city suburb, I don’t even have to try to get my steps up. By the time I walk to the shops, the post office and the gym, I’m totally sorted for the day. When I stay with my parents in Canberra though it’s a totally different story. I have to set aside a full hour to go for a walk around the lake because Canberra isn’t a walkable city. You can’t help where you live but you need to be aware. After your first week of wearing a step tracker, you’ll know how much walking you need to add to your day. No matter what your living situation, you should always aim to get a 30 minute walk in every day as a minimum. It doesn’t have to be strenuous or on a million degree incline, it just has to happen every day.
Say yes to everything
Say yes to taking the rubbish out, walking the dog, going to the post office, moving the car, ducking to the shops, getting the vacuum cleaning out of the garage. Any activity that requires extra steps – put your hand up for them. After a while it just becomes a habit and you’ll be sneaking in extra steps without even thinking about it.
Be deliberately inefficient
Sometimes if I get to the end of the day and I need to up my steps, I’ll take the recycling out one item at a time. Yes, that seems totally idiotic but I pop my headphones on with a podcast playing and run up and down the stairs to slam my last few thousand steps.
This week on Straight and Curly, Kelly and I are talking about the concept of doing 10,000 steps every day and whether or not you should do it too. Hint: Do it. It’s the best thing in the world.
There’s also a new episode of Sweet Teen Club out this week and we’re talking about Beverly Hills 90210. And if you been a bit annoyed about the sound quality of the last few episodes, this is the last one that was iPhone recorded. Thank god. Stacey’s mic has a mute button we didn’t know about until it was too late. We will never make that mistake again. Book yourself a table at the Peach Pit and put on your best pair of long denim shorts. We’re heading out with the Walshes.
I also have a bonza giveaway this week – the lovely people at Misfit Shine have given me one of their step trackers to give away!
All you need to do is sign up to my email list and make me giggle in the comments. Maybe tell me your best ever falling over story? I once fell down the stairs at the theatre and cracked my nose on my friends butt and got a blood nose. That was awesome. Tell me some stories like that!
So with the stepping thing…
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Are you are stepper? Do you have a step tracker? Or do you remain unconvinced about the whole stepping thing?
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Oh also I have a newsletter you might like – you can sign up here – it’s not boring I promise.
20 Comments
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I used a step tracker a lot back in 2006-8 and because I lived in inner city Brisbane and didn’t own a car I would easily get up to 30-40k steps a day (this was because I was walking 4kms to work, 4kms home and running 5km each night – plus I had no other way to get around than walk!).
I now have a Jawbone and because we now live a few suburbs out from town (and I own a car and train in to work) my steps have seriously reduced and it’s so hard to even get to 10k. You’re so right about needing to be aware of it, I always have to try that little bit harder these days to get to 10k steps. A 30 minute walk always tips the edge! Or I make an effort to hit the shops at lunch time for some window shopping. 🙂
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I honestly think that’s the best thing about step trackers – not counting every day steps but reminding you that you need to exercise more when your schedule changes. This means wearing a step tracker basically for life but I love it so I don’t mind!
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Walking over to a colleagues desk rather then emailing. It’s better for your steps, better for workplace relationships and generally more efficient too.
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Yes! That’s a great one – I also ask people if they want anything from the shops – sometimes that adds extra steps!
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I love my tracker. At the end of the day it becomes a comp between me and my husband on who got more steps. I mostly win because there’s so much walking involved in my ‘day job’. When I’m home blogging though I can barely get 2000 steps! I have a treadmill to make up for it but I much prefer when I don’t have to make a conscious effort. (I recently wrote a post on why walking is great which was inspired by aiming for 10000 steps every day.
http://getmeoutofthebowl.com/2016/04/20/walking-is-enough-exercise/)
I’m going to try your idea of being inefficient on purpose and see if that can help me on my at home blogging days! xx-
The treadmill is the best thing we ever bought. So many people tried to talk us out of it but we use it almost every day. If I have to read a book, listen to a podcast I do it on the treadmill. Everyone should have one!
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As a workplace we did the 10,000 Steps challenge last year. A newish colleague organised it – she had no idea just how competitive we all are! I started off with the sole aim of not coming last and ended up being one of 3 people (out of about 65) who improved every week!
I kept wearing the pedometer because I found it a great prompt to get up from my desk. I get up and speak to colleagues instead of emailing or calling, I walk the long way to the kitchen to refill my water bottle, when I’m shopping I delibertately park at the opposite end of the centre from the store I’m going to (return trek at my local Westfield racks up an easy 4000 steps!)
I finally caved and bought a Fitbit One last week. I’ve become obsessed with it and the challenges are perfect for my competitive nature. I’ll walk repeatedly around the entire house at 11pm just so I beat someone else’s step count!
My best fall? I’ve had some doozies but the one I bear a permanent reminder of was when we were holidaying on Norfolk Island. Went to see the only waterfall on the island and my then husand suggested we walk to the bottom). Long story short – I snapped my ankle in two places, ended up being stretched back up the hill and through the water by volunteer ambulance staff (which included the local bank teller and roofer as well as a big burly policeman) and spent the last 2 days of my holiday in a cast. Couldn’t climb stairs for the return flight so I had to be loaded onto the plane via one of those scissor lifts they load the catering onto planes with. An absolutely mortified woman in a cast features in a whole bunch of people’s holiday photos. Grateful social media was in its infancy at the time!
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That’s my favourite thing about the fitbit is the competitive angle – the apple watch doesn’t have that. Oh my god! I literally clapped my hand over my mouth reading that! I’m terrified of slipping – that’s my absolute worst nightmare you poor thing!
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I am absolutely talented when it comes to testing gravity. My most significant fall was the one that resulted in re-constructive surgery several years later. I giggle about it purely because of the only witness: a 3 year old boy. I was working doing mobile child care, you know, you get assigned a family and then go lend a hand a few days a week. It was good. The 3 year old in question was a shy kiddo, and it had taken literally weeks to get him to engage and play with me. Won him over with peek-a-boo and a torch in the end. So yeah, the fall. I arrived for work one morning, bright and early, torch in my pocket. Jogged up the front flight of stairs. Knocked on the door. No answer. Knocked again. Little round three year old face appears at the window. Big grins. I ducked out of his sight then Boo! reappeared. Then he did it. Then I did it. Then he did it. Knocked again. No answer. Decided his Mum must be out the back. His little face was waiting for me to play some more. He was doing that toddler quiver with anticipation thing. As I took a step down the flight of stairs to go out the back, I missed the top step. Caught sight of his face lighting up as I disappeared from view. Several stairs later, I landed. Broken ankle, snapped ligaments, followed by seven years of further breaks and sprains until it got reconstructed 18 months ago. I bet he’s still waiting for me to reappear to finish that round of peekaboo.
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Oh my god that’s horrifying! I totally forgot that other people break bones – I’ve never ever broken a bone in my life. I think they’re made of cement. I’ve never twisted anything either. Oh you poor things! None of these are funny! I ruined everything! 🙂
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I was walking up the stairs (ok, strutting) in a swanky restaurant feel fabulous and I spotted a group of handsome lads up above me heading down. As I was doing my best to look amazing, confident and sexy my high heel cought on the edge of the step and I proceeded to fall in slow motion straight into one of the lads knees face first and slid halfway down the steps on my stomach. I lay there for a moment as everyone looked on in silence. then gathering my dress from around my waist and picking up my heels I calmly asked if anyone knew where the bar was.
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*slow clap*. Well done. I thoroughly enjoyed that. Mainly because you didn’t end up in hospital like everyone else! 🙂
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I love walking but I’m so not a step tracker. I mean, I’d like to be? But I don’t have a doohickey and i’m lazy af. Teach me your ways!
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Would you like a doohickey? I’m sure I have a spare somewhere…
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After I joined the gym I swore I wouldn’t be one of those wankers counting their steps. Two months later I bought a second hand Fitbit from Gumtree because I kinda wanted to know how many steps I was taking but wasn’t sure if really use it so didn’t want to spend a few hundred dollars on it. BEST 50 BUCKS! I bloody love it! I’m actually shocked how easily I clock up my 10,000 a day so now I aim for between 12 & 14000 a day. I love knowing I’m doing the right thing by my body & seriously have to stop myself telling people how many steps I’ve been doing. I’m such a step wanker!!!
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You are SUCH a step wanker! Welcome to the club. It’s mighty smug in here.
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Nothing’s ruined! Falls ARE funny lovely! It’s life. And life is funny. You have to imagine the look on the kid’s face as I went down. It still makes me giggle. xxx
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I’m so glad you’re able to laugh about it! 🙂
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I will never, ever live down the shame of a MASSIVE stack running to the Tuck Shop at school. It was lunch time and EVERYONE was sitting in the cafeteria. Still have nightmares!
Upside: I didn’t flash my undies! Winning
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I am Soooooooooo glad somebody else does the deliberately inefficient thing! I hang the washing up one garment at a time, or fold it and put it away in the next room and then do the next one!
