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I love technology. I wondered if the Fitbit Charge HR would motivate me to walk more throughout the day. I’m glad tried it because it was exactly what I needed to motivate myself to move more.
The first few days, I wore it without changing anything about my typical day. I couldn’t believe how sedentary I had become because of my freelance work, sitting in front of a computer all day. When I realized how idle I was, I started to increase my steps.
To help you do the same, here’s what I do to hit my goal every day.
1. Park Farther Away
Whenever I go to the store or out to lunch, I try to park farther away. This forces me to walk more to get to my destination.
2. Take the Stairs
The elevator is awesome, but it doesn’t help you hit your 10K goal. That’s why it’s best to walk right past it and take the stairs.
3. Get Up Every 30 Minutes
Every 30 minutes, I take a quick walk to get a cup of coffee or use the restroom. This helps me not only get more steps, but also take a break from my work.
4. Take the Dog for a Real Walk
Don’t just take your dog out long enough to do his business and come back inside – take a real walk, enjoying the camaraderie and the breath of fresh air.
5. Ask a Friend to Walk
A few of my friends also got Fitbits recently, so we connected on the app and walk together. Sometimes, we walk at lunchtime, while other times we meet up after work. We end up talking the whole time and before we know it, we’ve hit our goal.
6. Walk and Talk on the Phone
Usually, I lay on the couch or sit at my desk when I talk on the phone. Instead of just lounging, I figured I could multitask by getting my steps in while I talk. I pace the floor or head outside most of the time.
7. Clean
I can get a little caught up in making things orderly. One of the easiest (for me, anyway) ways to rack up the steps is to just forget about the Fitbit on your wrist and finally tackle wiping off the backsplash of the stove. And the inside of the microwave. And the inside of the fridge. And the… well, you get the idea.
8. Walk to a Treat
Starbucks isn’t too far from me, so instead of driving to it and going through the drive through, I walk there. Just make sure you don’t ruin your effort by getting a 500 calorie drink!
9. Walk While on Facebook
I’ll admit Facebook wastes a lot of my time. I don’t feel so bad when I’m working towards my steps, though. I started to go through my feed while walking and by the time I’m done with it, I’ve racked up a decent number of steps.
10. Run in Place
Some people may think this is cheating, but I don’t see it that way because I’m moving. When I have about 1,000 steps to go by the end of the day, I’ll just run in place to get in the rest of those steps.
Getting the 10,000 steps a day isn’t too hard once you get into the habit of not taking the elevator, taking the scenic route, parking farther away, and treating yourself. Try these tips to see how easy it is to get your steps in each day. If you have some tips of your own that you’d like to share, please leave a comment. We would all love some more ideas!