Just bought a pedometer - steps question

[cynpatt 2]

Just bought a pedometer. How many steps is considered normal in a day? for weight loss? I keep hearing crazy numbers - how many do you do?

[HappyMom 1]

I have always heard that you need to take 10,000 steps a day for your overall health. I try to get around 15,000......but I walk around a lot during the day and am able to get in a 1-hour walk in the evening....once the kids go to bed!

I am sure that it varies from person to person about how many steps will help with weight-loss, but I am assuming that maybe the 10,000 would get you close to that.

I am only 3-weeks out from banding and am trying to lose weight, so the 15,000 is working for me. Some days I just can't get that high, but I try to always exceed the 10,000.

Good luck to you!

[jensmallwood 0]

I also average 12-14,000 steps per day, but I walk every day, and work at a gym (and don't have a desk job.)

I think most Americans get 4-6,000 steps per day. The "healthy" goal is 10K.

My recommendation is that you wear your pedometer for a week... figure out how many steps you take normally, and then set some goals for yourself. A lot of people are low on the weekend-- set a goal to increase your weekend step total to equal your week day total. Or try to increase your steps by 1,000 steps a day next week. Little things like that. Add in a ten min walk in the am, then one in the pm another week. Etc.

[getnthere 0]

10,000 is what i have heard also for being healthy but most people dont do that on a daily basis. I sure didnt. I just wore mine checked out how many I had at the end of my day and tried to increase it by 100 steps every day. It just depends on how active you are and how active you want to be.

[Jachut 487]

The guideline is for 10,000 steps a day but this is totally dumbing it down for a sedentary population - meaning if you've been totally sedentary, then great, this will help you on your way to being more active and as a general healthy lifestyle its a good amount to do.

For really good long term weight loss and real aerobic fitness, you have to do more and it has to be harder. But that's up to you, fitness goals are personal, some people totally want tto just stay out of the cardiac ward and others have much more athletic goals.

I dont really use a pedometer, but have on occasion. For me, on a normal day when I do my normal running around (work as a teacher, a bit of shopping, the kids sports training etc) and also go for a normal length run (about 8kms) I do about 18,000 to 20,000 steps.

Edited May 21, 2010 by Jachut

[mjm2009 0]

My RN says 10,000 steps a day is the goal.