Instead of 'Hitting Your Steps,' Just Focus on Sitting Less
Hitting 10,000 steps every day is a bullshit goal. Step counts can feel daunting, especially for people who work desk jobs or have physical limitations. The mere pressure to hit 10,000 steps can become its own source of stress—miss the goal by a few thousand steps, and it's easy to feel like the whole day was a wash. Rather than obsessing over hitting a specific step count, consider shifting your focus to a simpler, more achievable goal: sitting less. This reframing is not only easier to sustain, it could be just as beneficial for your health.
Why you should break up sitting time
"Spending the bulk of your time seated is a major contributor to increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke," says Pamela Light, a certified personal trainer at Bay Club. And if you think you can't afford to take movement breaks during a busy workday, know that you don't need to transform into a marathon runner or achieve some lofty daily step count to see real health benefits. Simply interrupting your sitting time throughout the day can make a meaningful difference.
"Just ten minutes of movement is enough to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, while slowing down muscle loss," Light says. And the science backs this up. In fact, a 2022 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that ten minutes of moderate exercise daily would prevent more than 111,000 premature deaths a year. Small changes could have a major impact on your life.
How to break up your sitting time
The beauty of this approach is its simplicity and flexibility, especially compared to the stress of 10,000 steps. You don't need to do jumping jacks in the middle of your office or draw attention to yourself. Instead, try incorporating more movement to things you already do throughout the day. This could look like cleaning up around home, checking in with co-workers, helping with an extra chore, or walking around the block.
Even bathroom breaks become opportunities for movement. "Go to a restroom further away or on a different floor and take the stairs. Once inside, do 10 squats," Light says. "They don't have to be huge or perfect, but giving the large muscles of your legs a chance to flex and release will feel great on your joints, boost your mood, and help your body to pull nutrients from the blood and into the muscles."
Other ideas include pacing during phone calls and setting timers to remind yourself to take breaks. Besides, I know that when I get a chance to move, the time away from my desk will makes me more productive when I get back to it.
The bottom line
Instead of chasing an arbitrary step count number that might feel out of reach, simply commit to stand up and move for a few minutes. Take a lap around the office, do some chair squats, or just stand and stretch for a moment. Instead of feeling guilty about what you didn't do, you can feel good about the small moments of movement you incorporated throughout your day.
Plus, achievable goals are the ones we're most likely to stick with. If you're someone recovering from an injury, managing a chronic condition, working a demanding job, or simply new to thinking about movement, getting up once an hour is an achievable place to start.