How to Get 10,000 Steps When You Work All Day

We all know we need to move more, but how do you get 10,000 steps when you work all day? I have plenty of tips for you! Thank you to Kroger for helping me share this post with you.

We’ve all heard it – weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle just doesn’t happen without moving your body. Every day. Whether you walk, run, swim, cross country ski or ballroom dance, any sort of exercise that gets your heart pumping is a good thing.

If you’re just getting into the running game, be sure to read my post on How I Started, 2 Blocks at a Time and How to Train for a 5K Run.

Logging 10,000 steps per day is a goal well worth pursuing, but can seem overwhelming when you spend a large portion of your waking hours at a desk. I feel your pain. There are some days when I’m up on my feet, cooking in the kitchen and photographing recipes and other days when I’m glued to my computer screen.

So, how do you work 10,000 steps into your day when you feel as though your butt is attached to the chair?

It’s time to kick off Week 2 of the 28 Days to a Healthier New You Challenge (#28DaysNewYou) that I’m hosting with Liz of The Lemon Bowl! There are almost 1300 of you who have accepted the challenge and are sharing your successes, challenges and questions in the challenge Facebook group. Come on over! It’s not too late to join.

How did you do with last week’s challenge, Cooking at Home More Often?

I’ll bet you can guess what this week’s challenge is.

That’s right…

Get 10,000 Steps Each Day

Be sure to check out Liz’s post, Five Easy Tips for Reaching 10,000 Steps a Day.

And now let’s dive into my tips…

How to Get 10,000 Steps When You Work All Day

Walk to work or park farther away
If you live within walking distance of work, considering leaving the car at home. Put on some walking shoes, pack your work shoes into a bag or backpack, plan to leave early (yep, you can do it) and hit your stride. If you take public transportation, hop off of the bus or subway a stop early and walk to the rest of the way. If your only option is driving, park farther away from the office, either at the back of the parking lot or even several blocks away.

Set a timer
When I’m working at my computer, I find that the hours pass by in a flash. Before I know it, I’ve been sitting on my butt the whole time, moving little more than my fingers across the keyboard. To combat this, I started setting the timer on my phone to remind me to stand up and take a walk every 45 minutes. It can be as simple as walking to the break room or back. Alternatively, go outside and do a couple of laps around the building. If you work from home or have a relatively private office, download the Move app. You can set it for certain intervals and it will send you notifications to remind you to get up and move, with specified activities.

Recruit your co-workers
Chances are that many of your co-workers have set a goal to move more this year. Make a pact to walk together at lunchtime, have walking meetings instead of discussions around the conference table or walk down the hallway to talk to each other rather than communicating solely by email. It’s a lot easier to stick to a plan when others around you are just as motivated. Power in numbers!

Use your breaks wisely
What do you usually do during your break times at work? Check Facebook? Grab a coffee? Continue to work at your desk? Take advantage of this time to stretch your legs. If you’re a Facebook junkie (I’m trying to break this habit myself), remember that Facebook will still be waiting after you’ve hit your steps for the day. It’s unlikely that you’ll miss anything earth shattering. If you have a gazillion emails to answer and tend to work through your breaks, take your phone with you on a short walk and use the voice memo on your smartphone to respond to emails while you log some steps.

Stay hydrated and fueled
Whether you’re gradually working up to 10,000 steps or are already there, you’ll need to hydrate and fuel your body properly. Water is the best way to stay hydrated, but I know that many people find it difficult to gulp the recommended 8 glasses per day. Try something with some flavor, like Kroger’s Simple Truth Mango Electrolyte Water or the Vapor Distilled Water. For fueling up with protein, I like to stock raw nuts and Organic Beef Jerky. I just have to hide the beef jerky from my 12-year old, or else it will disappear in a day. 🙂

Take the stairs
You’ve heard this one before but, if you’re like me, you probably forget to forego the elevator most of the time. Taking the stairs anytime you would normally take the escalator or elevator can add a lot of steps to your daily count, not to mention the extra workout your quads and glutes get from hitting the stairs.

Be the coffee guy or gal
Do you and your co-workers usually take turns making the twice-daily coffee run? Step up (so to speak) and offer to do at least one of the runs every day. You’ll log more steps, plus have the opportunity to get a little fresh air.

Disclosure: This post and giveaway are sponsored by Kroger. All opinions are my own. This post may contain links to my Amazon affiliate page. Any revenue made from sales through these links helps to support this blog. Thank you!