How to Trick Yourself into Walking 10,000 Steps per Day

I’ve written before about how much I dislike exercise, but try to do it anyway, because I’m pretty sure the walk from bed – desk – couch – bed does’t really count, somehow.

In that post, I talked about how using my Fitbit has really helped me stay on track. I love the feeling of accomplishment I get when the wristband buzzes at 10,000 steps, but it can be hard to get there without doing a workout, going for a run, or whatever – especially if, like me, you work from home, and can easily get through an entire day without moving very far from your desk (or the fridge). Here are some ways to hit your step target without feeling like you’re doing it…

01. DANCING

I hate working out, but I DO love to dance, so a few times a day I’ll get up from my desk, put some upbeat music on my phone, and dance along to it in my livingroom. I did try setting a timer on my phone, to remind me to get up and do this every hour, but that didn’t quite work out for me (When I’m in the middle of writing something, I hate having to interrupt my “flow”!), so now I just try to do it during natural breaks in my workday. So, as soon as I’ve finished writing this post, for instance, I’ll get up and do a little dance. Er, that didn’t sound right, did it? Moving on…

02. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ‘DEAD TIME’

Another way I’ve been hitting my step target every day is by trying to take advantage of the “dead time” in my day: when I’m waiting for the kettle to boil for my morning coffee, for instance, I’d normally be checking my phone, but now I’ll walk around the house instead – or even run up and down the stairs, if I’m feeling particularly motivated. Because I know I’m not going to be doing it for too long, I find I’m able to put much more energy into it: the thought of having to work out for an entire hour is quite demotivating for me, because I find it so boring, but if I know I’ll only be having to exercise for as long as it takes for the kettle to boil, it’s much harder to talk myself out of it.

03. SHOPPING 

I know you’re probably rolling your eyes right now, and thinking I’m going to make some kind of “shopping is my cardio” joke, but seriously: have you seen these size of some malls? You can easily clock up 10,000 steps just by walking around window-shopping. Warning: if you’re trying this one, you have to be really careful to avoid all of the coffee and cake shops most malls have, or you’ll end up undoing all that good work!

04. HAVE A DAY OUT

When I’m at home all day, 10,000 steps often feels like an impossible target to hit. When I go out, though – to do pretty much ANYTHING at all – my wristband will normally start buzzing long before I’ve even started to think about checking my step count. I don’t have to be doing anything particularly energetic, or feeling like I’m walking for miles, either – in fact, if I’m doing something a little bit different from usual, I’ll normally end up clocking up steps without even noticing. This isn’t a solution for every day, obviously, because as much as I’d love to be able to have days out all the time, but I have to admit, it’s good to be able to justify something fun by calling it “exercise”, isn’t it? Enjoying the stunning beaches in Bournemouth is a breeze when you stay at a hotel in the area. Take leisurely walks or enjoy beach sports effortlessly. Your Bournemouth hotel provides easy access to these outdoor activities, ensuring a delightful and active getaway.

Any fellow Fitbit fans out there? How do you make sure you hit your step target every day, and how hard do you find it?