We know going for a walk outdoors is best - but knowing how to get 10,000 steps in without leaving the house can also be very useful. Whether you're strapped for time over the holidays or the weather isn't on your side, there are plenty of ways to tick this number off at home.
There are many physical and mental health benefits to pulling on your walking shoes and doing your 10,000 steps a day outside, from elevating your heart rate to breathing in the fresh air. But with the temperature dropping and weather warnings out this year, it's not always possible.
Luckily, there are a few simple ways to reach your step goal from the comfort of your own home. Here, woman&home speaks to the experts to reveal how to get 10,000 steps in without leaving the house - and without compromising on those all-important benefits.
How to get 10,000 steps in without leaving the house
1. Walking workouts
Indoor walking workouts have been huge this year - and their popularity is set to continue. These are certainly more than a trend though, says Emma Simarro, a personal trainer and the founder of Building Body Confidence. "You can go from desk to workout in less than a minute and clock up plenty of steps in your living room," she says.
"There are plenty of workouts available on YouTube that give you a great 20-minute workout with a variety of walking exercises, ranging in intensity, from intervals to adding in low impact exercises such as squats and lunges, a walking workout can tick a lot of boxes."
You might also like to try one of the best fitness apps, like Peloton. If you have a walking pad or treadmill, you can participate in instructor-led sessions on your phone, laptop, or smart TV.
2. Walking on the spot
Walking on the spot or 'in place' is an old-school method of getting your steps in - but it works.
If your goal is to walk 10,000 steps a day to improve your health, you'll need to up the intensity of your walking. Most of us will walk slowly on the spot, especially if they are watching television or doing something else at the same time.
According to the NHS and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, moderate-intensity exercise is needed to see major health benefits - like a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
For most people, this means getting your heart rate to 50% or 60% higher than resting. So, for example, if your average resting heart rate is 60 bpm, you'll need to aim for at least 90 bpm. A fitness tracker can be useful to see this data in real time and make sure you're hitting this threshold.
3. Household chores
"If you’ve got washing loads to take up (and down!) stairs, take it in separate trips so you get more steps in," Simarro suggests. This is known as exercise snacking and it has proven health benefits - such as improved cardio fitness and alertness - as well as helping to get steps in.
"Doing the hoovering or dusting also helps add steps to our day, and whilst they may not be the most interesting, it all helps and makes you feel really productive at the same time," she says.
4. Dance
You don't have to walk to get your steps in. One way to work towards your 10,000 steps indoors is to dance them away. "Whack on some music while you make your lunch or dinner and have a dance around the kitchen," suggests Simarro. "It's a great mood booster too."
5. Walking phone calls
If you spend even 10 minutes of your day talking on the phone, why not make those minutes count? You'll be distracted by your conversation, keeping boredom at bay, and you'll get more steps in than you'd think.
I tried this and managed to rack up 400 steps in just 11 minutes. While it doesn't seem like a lot, every little helps.
I'd recommend keeping your watch hand by your side as you move though, if you're using a fitness tracker (like one of the best Fitbits) to count your steps. This will make sure every step is counted accurately.
Tips for getting in 10,000 steps at home
- Aim for at least one 30-minute walk: Walking 30 minutes a day all in one go could offer 3,000 to 4,000 steps. You'll be halfway to your goal by lunchtime if you do this first thing in the morning - and if you do this four times a week, you'll surpass the NHS' recommended amount of exercise.
- Set a timer: If you work from home and find it difficult to get your steps in, set a timer every hour or two to remind yourself to walk around.
- Put on some trainers: It might sound silly to wear shoes if you're only getting your steps in at home - but the support is important to reduce the impact walking can have on your joints by wearing a pair of walking trainers or running shoes.
- Add in some strength training: Walking is one of the most beneficial exercises women can do, but adding strength work can boost the rewards. "One study found that performing 10 squats every hour across an 8-hour working day has the same benefits as a 30-minute walk for our metabolism," says Simarro. "This is a great option for those who are really tight on time and feels really doable."
Do I really need to do 10,000 steps?
10,000 steps a day is an admirable goal - and plenty of research suggests this is a good number to aim for. The more steps you take, the lower your risk of early death, a study in the Journal of Preventative Cardiology reveals.
However, the same study shows that just 4,000 steps can make a difference and start to reduce the risk, so it's better to aim for an achievable number than set your sights on 10,000 steps if that's unachievable right now.
"This is important for people to understand because even a little helps," says Simarro. "When we use 10,000 steps as a target across the board, many people believe it's not worth getting any if we can't get close to that number - but that's not the case."
It's far more realistic to aim for a step count that is aligned with your current activity levels and schedule and go from there, she says. "If you are currently getting 3,000 - 4,000 steps a day, it is far more achievable to aim for 6000+ to begin with. Aiming for 10,000 steps straight away can be disheartening if you don’t hit it and discourage women altogether."
A Japanese marketing company thought up the 10,000-step goal to sell pedometers - called 'manpo-kei', which translates to '10,000-step meter' - in 1964. Before the goal was set, scientists knew that more movement produced better health outcomes, but there wasn't any research to suggest this was the perfect number.
