How far do you walk in your average day?

I’m a recent convert to a “fitness tracker”. My Fitbit bracelet records steps, as well as heart rate, distance walked, stairs climbed, calories burned, and sleep patterns. It talks to my iPhone and encourages me with messages and badges. It’s a winning formula.

Fitbit has a target of 10,000 steps per day. That is approximately 8km or 5 miles.

According to various reports and surveys, Australian adults walk an average of 7,400 steps per day. Swiss over 9,000, American’s just under 5,000 while Brits average only 3,000 to 4,000 steps.

One of my 52 challenges at the beginning of January was to complete 10,000 on six days a week. After four weeks, I achieved that with only 3 days below my target, but still above 5,000 per day.

I know I feel better. I can see that my resting heart rate has dropped. My mid life sleep patterns are still erratic but hey ho.

So in February I will continue the step challenge but add a target of 10 floor on 6 days per week. If I eat less, perhaps I will lose some weight too.

There have been days when I am walking around at ten pm, to get to the magic 10,000.

Don’t tell the neighbours, but I might have to do late night runs up and down the communal stairs of our building to achieve the floor target. My pj’s are quite respectable.