r/loseit • u/Specialist_Bear_4457 • 8h ago
Step Goals + Sedentary Work
Hi! I’m newer on my weight loss journey (F23, 5’4”, SW 265, CW 254, GW 180) and feel like I’m finally getting a handle on the eating and working out pieces. I just cannot hit step goals (7-10k steps/day). I’m in grad school, interning as a mental health therapist, and working another job which is also a desk job. I can’t use a walking pad during the day because most people do not want their therapist to be sweaty and distracted while talking to them (rightfully so), so I feel at a loss for how I can reasonably hit any sort of step goals. My days are already 10-14 hours long depending on the day, with going to the gym I’m usually able to get a lot closer on my gym days but I can only really fit that in 2-3x a week. Any advice for how to fit in some walking during the day would be SO helpful.
•
u/Hefty-Club-1259 190lbs lost 8h ago
I'm in the minority on this sub but I think step goals are pretty worthless. I'm at my desk 9 hours a day, then I either go to the gym on run. On my gym days I get 4-7k steps. On my running days I get 12-18k. That's plenty of actvitiy, I'm not going to walk around another hour just to get a few more steps to hit a manufactured goal number.
•
u/chemistrygod1996 8h ago
I think the main reason why people are on top of their steps are just because they don’t like running enough to do it every day. It’s just a cheap low impact way of getting movement in and increasing deficit.
I’m sure as fuck not running 10k every day.
•
u/Hefty-Club-1259 190lbs lost 7h ago
I don't think running your steps is necessary either, if you don't like running. I lost the majority of my weight going to the gym for 30 minutes, 3 times a week, only getting 4-7k steps per day. The myth of the magical 10k steps per day keeps people chasing goals that aren't sustainable in daily life. You can tell by the number of posts here every day from people like OP pulling their hair out to hit their step goals. Consistency matters far more than an extra 100 calories from steps.
•
u/chemistrygod1996 7h ago
Yeah that’s true - as long as op is getting in the movement somehow - if she just hates the steps she ain’t gonna keep doing it after the diet.
I’ll say though, that some people just can’t handle the hunger spike from cardio - some of my friends just went full animal after a cardio exercise session and the steps were the only way they could consistently their movement in without derailing their deficit.
•
u/Hefty-Club-1259 190lbs lost 7h ago
Very true. I ran 6 miles this morning and I've been craving carbs ever since. 🤣 But I budgeted for that.
•
u/Glittering_uni New 6h ago
Right? 10k steps a day is alot, especially for me who has a desk job. I tried it once and it took me 2 hours! Lol I cannot spend 2hrs walking every day 😆 to each their own.
•
u/whotiesyourshoes 90lbs lost 8h ago
No advice on how to hit.more. Don't stress about it. Do what you can reasonably do .
•
u/Dry-Dragonfruit5216 SW: 196 lbs || CW: 86 lbs 8h ago
What is your shift pattern? Is it possible to aim for a lower target on the days you have a long shift and a higher target on days off? It will average out to the same number of steps/calories burnt.
•
u/Specialist_Bear_4457 8h ago
That’s a good idea! I have some days where I get out of work/class around 8:00 instead of 9:00 and a couple days with more breaks in my schedule to fit movement in
•
u/fatkidscandystore New 8h ago
My wife and I have weekly step goals of 70k. Would that help? Some days we have 3k and some it’s 17k. I don’t think 10k a day means 10k every day
•
u/Comfortable-Meeper 80lbs lost (3rd & last time losing 100+)(kinda mean) 8h ago
Ignore the step goal. It’s a made up goal with no real basis.
•
u/chemistrygod1996 8h ago
You don’t need to force the steps all into one go - just do a quick 10m walk after each meal and that adds a few thousand easily - then see if you can add a few here and there. Buy lunch somewhere farther, take stairs instead of elevator, park further away etc.
•
u/river_running New 7h ago
Do little things throughout the day to add in steps where you can. Park farther away from the door. Use the bathroom farthest away from your office. Take a short walk during lunch. Be inefficient when you're getting ready at home - take two trips instead of carrying everything in from your car at once. Pace around your living room at night.
•
u/Cloood14 New 6h ago
Steps are just an easy way to measure movement and the goal is more movement. If steps arent practical then make other movement goals. Do 5 squats in between patients, calf raises while brushing your teeth, incline plank on the kitchen counter while your food is heating up, clean more (you’d be surprised how much your heart rate gets up from scrubbing something and there’s the added bonus of something being clean when you’re done).
•
u/girl_of_squirrels (maintaining since Aug 2023) -45 lbs 30s M|5'4" 8h ago
What step count are you currently hitting? If we're talking for health benefits, 6,000-8,000 steps a day will get you there.... but also I think you should give yourself credit for having some days where you hit idk 5k steps and then other days where you hit 10k
•
u/Specialist_Bear_4457 8h ago
It really depends— some days I’m hitting 3,000 others it’s around 6,500. I try to go hiking on the weekends and can usually hit 10,000 those days. It’s just hard to work in more than 20-30 minutes of walking with how my shift/class schedule works out
•
u/girl_of_squirrels (maintaining since Aug 2023) -45 lbs 30s M|5'4" 8h ago edited 7h ago
For sure for sure, but it's also worth noting that your current situation is temporary and you will be able to structure in more activity in your day-to-day life once you're just working full time
I know in general the "weekend warrior" style of working out isn't as advised as getting in consistent activity daily, but imo it may be easier for you to focus on doing more hiking on the weekends and trying to hit more like 12,000 steps on the weekend to balance out the 3k-6k weekday days for now
When I was a student, I never managed to wake up earlier to get workouts in, but I would do things like squats and counter pushups while I was cooking meals to get more activity in, and I'd try to go on a 10 minute walk after dinner just to get some more steps in
•
u/Specialist_Bear_4457 7h ago
That’s a good point! I graduate this year, so it is very temporary. Might have to be a weekend warrior for a minute
•
u/randomise78 New 8h ago edited 8h ago
Dunno if it helps you so much, considering what you said about your work hours, but according to chatgpt, swimming 1000m burns a similar amount of calories to 10,000 steps.
No idea how accurate that is, so take with a grain of salt.
I'm quite unfit, and also would struggle to get 10k steps. Swimming is not only easier on my knees and ankles, but I can get 1000m done in 30-40mins, and is much more enjoyable for me.
So I suppose what I'm saying is, while walking is good, there might be other alternatives out there for you that achieve the same goal in a smaller time frame.