How to Walk 10,000 Steps a Day

Co-authored by Danny Gordon

Last Updated: April 4, 2024 Approved

Walking 10,000 steps each day is a great way to stay active and healthy. With the simple addition of a pedometer and some walking shoes, following the 10,000 steps method will increase your fitness and improve your overall health. It is important to implement and increase both incidental and active walking in order to reach your goal, and tracking your changes will help you stay accountable. By making conscious decisions throughout your day, you will be walking 10,000 steps every day in no time!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Working up to 10,000 Steps

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1
Purchase a fitbit or smart watch. Visit an online retailer, sporting goods store, or the electronics section at Walmart. You can purchase a regular pedometer that tracks steps for $15 USD online. You can also purchase a fitness tracking device, like a Fitbit or Garmin, which will keep track of your heart rate and sleeping patterns, too. These devices range from $50 USD to $150 USD online.^{[1]
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- Regular pedometers clip to your belt or pants and track each time your hip moves up and down.^{[2]
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- Fitness trackers are often worn on the wrist and double as watches.^{[3]
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- Many smartphones also have built-in fitness apps that will also count your daily steps. If your phone does not come with a pedometer app, you can download one in your phone's app store.
2
Track how many steps you take in a regular day. For 2 or 3 days, track the number of steps you typically take without altering your routine. Track how many steps you take on a work day, as well as tracking your steps during the weekend.^{[4]
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- This will give you a well-rounded portrait of the steps you take in a typical week and show you how much you need to improve.
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3
Buy a pair of comfortable walking shoes. Before increasing your daily walking, it is important to find a pair of shoes that are both comfortable and appropriate for your daily tasks. Wearing supportive footwear will help prevent injury, especially as you begin to increase your walking on a daily basis.^{[5]
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- If you have a dress code at work, purchase a pair of insoles that you can place in your work shoes to make them more comfortable.
- If you work from home or do not have a dress code, wear running or jogging shoes.
The best way to reach 10,000 steps in a single day is to begin altering your routine to allow for small walking breaks. Begin with adding 300 to 500 steps every day, doing so until you reach your goal of 10,000 steps. Changing your routine in small intervals will make the goal more manageable and allow your body to adapt to the changes.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Danny Gordon
Certified Fitness Coach

Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.}
5
Log your progress in a journal or virtual tracker. Track the number of steps you take each day in a notebook with detailed descriptions of how you met your goal. Take notes about how much active walking you did in a day, as well as how much of your walking was incidental. Keep close record of the habits that are most comfortable for you so that you can adapt to the changes in your daily routine.^{[7]
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- Incidental walking is the walking you do in order to accomplish your daily tasks, such as walking from the car to the grocery store, or walking from your desk to the bathroom at work.^{[8]
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- Active walking is the walking you do when you take time out of your day to gain extra steps, such as going for a walk around your neighborhood or walking on the treadmill.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Increasing Your Incidental Walking

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If you are in the habit of driving to your local grocery store or driving your kids to school, changing these habits can make a big impact on your step count. Instead of driving to distances within a mile or 2 of your home or work, walking will add 2,000 to 3,000 steps to your daily tally.^{[9]
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2
Walk up stairs rather than taking the elevator. Avoiding the elevator during your workweek is a great way to get more steps. If you work or live in buildings with multiple floors, replacing the elevator with the staircase will increase your step count without you having to alter your schedule.^{[10]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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- The same goes for escalators. Take regular staircases instead whenever you are able.
3
Visit your coworker's office rather than contacting them through email. With technology, communicating with coworkers has become really simple. Take this opportunity to set down your phone and walk to a coworker's desk. You will gain small amounts of steps every day and enjoy some face-to-face interaction.^{[11]
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- If you work from home, try taking gifts to your neighbors or walking with a friend during your breaks instead of talking on the phone or texting.
A great way to add steps to your daily tally is to simply go out of your way during your daily routine. If there is a bathroom up a flight of stairs or on the opposite side of the building, decide to spend the extra time walking. These small changes in your routine will make an impact on your overall step count.^{[12]
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Trustworthy Source

Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source}
5
Walk in place while doing stationary tasks. If you sit while talking on the phone or watching television, you are missing out on a lot of opportunities to increase your step count. Walking in place or pacing back and forth while you do an otherwise stationary task will increase your step count without you realizing that you are exercising.
- Consider purchasing a treadmill desk to increase your steps while you work. These walking desks cost anywhere from $500 to $1,000 USD.
During your 15-minute breaks from work, make the conscious decision to leave the building and go for a walk outside or simply walk around the office. Downloading podcasts to your phone and listening to them while you walk is a great way to make these walks fun and interesting.^{[13]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Getting Steps through Active Walking

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1
Set reminders so you don't forget to go for walks. Instead of trying to remember to walk every day, decide on a time that works consistently for you and set an alarm on your phone. Using the alarm app on your phone or the alarm on a clock at home, use this tool to keep you consistent throughout the week.^{[14]
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- If you do not have a consistent schedule, set your daily alarm every morning once you know when you'll have free time.
2
Take a walk after your meals. The best time to get extra steps in during your day is after eating, as you will have just spent a good amount of time sitting. By going for a small walk after each meal you will begin to create new, healthy habits. Before you know it, walking after you eat will become second nature.^{[15]
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- Walking after you eat is also a great way to digest your food quickly, leaving you more prepared for work after the walk.
3
Take your dog on a walk. Having a dog is a really good way to get in extra steps throughout your week, as they need to be walked consistently. Take your dog for walks around your neighborhood, or take them to a park where you can walk on a loop. Although you shouldn't buy or adopt a dog for this purpose alone, they do make great walking companions.^{[16]
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- If you've been wanting a dog for reasons other than just having a walking partner, consider visiting a pet shelter or rescue center to find the perfect pet for you.
4
Go on walks with friends to keep yourself accountable. Recruiting friends for long walks after work or on the weekends will help you get in more steps. Instead of seeing a movie or going out to eat, ask your friends to go on walks around your neighborhood. These walking dates will make you accountable for getting in extra steps at night, and you can walk until you meet your goal.^{[17]
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- If your friends can't meet in person, try calling a friend or family member who lives out of town and speak with them on the phone while you walk.
5
Use a treadmill if you live in a hot region. Walking outside in the heat can sometimes be too much during the summer. If it is too hot to walk outside, purchase a treadmill or use one at a gym so you can walk in a comfortable room with air conditioning.^{[18]
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- You can purchase a used treadmill for around $200 USD online, or get a membership to a gym and pay monthly.
6
Take up a new sport that involves walking. Sports like hiking, tennis, or golf will significantly increase your weekly step count, especially if you hike long distances or play multiple games of tennis. Find a sport that you enjoy and ask a friend to participate in the sport with you. Sports are a great way to stay active and will help you reach your goal of 10,000 steps a day.^{[19]
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Expert Source

Danny Gordon
Certified Fitness Coach

Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.}
- If you are golfing, ditch the golf cart and walk from hole to hole to really increase your count.

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Question

Has anyone lost weight walking 10000 steps a day?

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer
Danny Gordon is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of The Body Studio for Fitness, a fitness studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 20 years of physical training and teaching experience, he has focused his studio on semi-private personal training. Danny received his Personal Trainer Certification from the California State University, East Bay and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Danny Gordon

Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

Probably, sure. Walking is a form of low-impact exercise and it helps burn calories. If you pair regular walks with a caloric deficient, that would help you shed a few pounds. Remember, it isn't only the number of steps you take; your nutrition and diet are extremely important if you're trying to lose weight.

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How can I get more steps fast?

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer
Danny Gordon is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of The Body Studio for Fitness, a fitness studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 20 years of physical training and teaching experience, he has focused his studio on semi-private personal training. Danny received his Personal Trainer Certification from the California State University, East Bay and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Danny Gordon

Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

Try taking up a sport that involves walking. For instance, hiking, playing tennis, and playing golf will really increase your step count. Play with a friend or group of friends to make the activity more fun.

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What if the weather really is too terrible to spend that length of time outside without getting sick, and you don't have access to a running machine? Do you just pace around the house for a couple of hours?

Community Answer

Pacing around the house is fine. Walking around stores or a mall would work too.

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Things You'll Need

Pedometer (available from many sports, fitness and exercise wear retailers, and also online)
Comfortable walking shoes
Water bottle for hydration as needed