Tuesday, November 3, 2009

On the Move


I already knew that I spend way too much of my waking hours on my backside. Now I can prove it! I was the grand prize winner in our healthy workplace challenge today. The prize - a super duper deluxe pedometer.

I immediately clipped it onto my waist band and starting pacing the aisle outside my cube - and was delighted to see the number rolling up. As someone who is goal oriented - the idea of measuring  results is very appealing to me.

I found myself checking it after every stroll to the washroom, trip to the coffee maker and the photocopier. I even opted for a trip to the gym at lunch - just so that I could make the number climb.

After a full day of trying to move my body more -- I hit just under 6,000 steps. I checked the chart and sighed with relief. I am a notch above sedentary - low active.

Here's how the number of steps pan out ...

  • 5,000-7,499 steps a day is typical of daily activity excluding sports/exercise and is considered "low active."  that hurts
  • 7,500-9,999 likely includes some exercise or walking (and/or a job that requires more walking) and is considered "somewhat active."
  • 10,000 steps/day is a daily goal and indicates you are "active".
  • Individuals who take more than 12,500 steps/day are likely to be classified as "highly active".
It seems like the magic number is 10,000 steps and that will be the goal I will aspire to. So tomorrow I will strap my podometer back on and walk like there's no tomorrow. The way I look at it, I can only get better.

So - forward march!

2 comments:

  1. When I was in middle school, our school hosted a competition to see who could walk the most steps. They gave out free (but probably very cheap ;) ) pedometers to all the students. I think I still have mine somewhere. I thought it was so much fun to watch those numbers roll up.

    Good luck with your goal! :)

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  2. When I waited tables I wore a pedometer - after one shift I had walked like 8 miles. It was great! Now I sit all day. I don't even have to get up to use the copier very often. Maybe a trip to the loo or the kitchen. That's all. That's why I force myself to go running. It's the only activity I get all day. How sad.

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