Achieving 10,000 Steps

In 2013 I worked my way up to running 4 miles. I was as slow as a turtle, but I could still run 4 miles. Then I strained my hamstring (I don’t think running was the cause of that), so I stopped running for a couple months, fell back into bad habits, never picked it up again.

A few months ago I tried to get back into running and it wasn’t happening. Maybe something to do with being 8 years older, who knows. So recently I switched my focus to 10,000 steps a day. Turns out it was a number chosen by a Japanese company in the 1960s who created a pedometer. The 10,000 steps caught on as a goal that should be achieved. Research has been done since them and it seems if you do 5,000-7,500 steps a day, that is good enough. I guess that will make me feel less guilty if I don’t get 10,000 steps, but 10,000 steps is still my goal. After this last week it seems I can make my goal 11,000 steps.

https://theconversation.com/do-we-really-need-to-walk-10-000-steps-a-day-153765

It seems getting my steps in at work is fairly easy. My workplace building used to be an industrial building then turned into an office building. There is a lap you can do inside the building that is shy of a quarter mile. So when I use the bathroom I do a couple laps afterwards, unless work is really intense. But if I can spare the time, it is really nice to get away from the desk and just breathe a bit. If I can’t get all my steps in during the day I have two options. I can either go on the treadmill in the gym in the basement at work, or I can go on the nearby bike trail after work. I bought the bag to take with me so I can store my phone and keys and water and not have to take my purse and work backpack with me.

The real challenge for me is getting 10,000 steps on my days off. Unless I have errands to run, I can be pretty lazy, staying home in my PJs watching TV, knitting, and maybe cooking. After a usually stressful week at work I feel I deserve it. But I am obese and diabetic and what better time to try to get 10,000 steps in.

I have tried this two ways. One is just go for a long walk first thing in the morning (I am a morning person) and get it all done right away. Nice to have the rest of the day not to think about it, but it is very wearing on the body. Today I tried to do a laps around my four building apartment complex. One lap is .3 miles. 4 laps was 1.24 miles. The idea is to do it again a couple of hours later. Problem is, I didn’t feel like it. I really had to force myself. So I did and I just kept walking laps until 10,000 steps was achieved. So I think I prefer to get it done in one walk even though it is hard on my legs. Doing stretches afterwards are a delightful necessity. Stretching feels good.

What I most hope to achieve is improving my energy. I have really only been steady at this for a week. Yes, one day I didn’t get there, but close enough. I think it is too soon to talk about the difference it is making for me. I have a community of other people doing the same thing which is nice. The one screenshot is from the Virgin Pulse app which my work uses. I am in the middle. The one person on the top has a job that keeps him moving around more, but he also makes the effort to get more steps in. I also have family and friends outside of work doing the same thing. When you have that, it is even more motivating. I still hope to get back into running, but I will need to take baby steps. I remember how meditative it was!