How to Increase Your Daily Step Count
Follow our simple 5-step approach to increase the steps on your Fitbit, Apple Watch, phone, or other activity tracker.
Here’s how to increase the number of steps you take each day in a realistic and sustainable way. Whether you use a Fitbit, Apple Watch, Health app, or any other pedometer, step counter, or activity tracker, this same approach can be used.
Step 1: Find your baseline
The first step to increasing your daily step count is to get a realistic estimate of your current activity level. To do this, wear your pedometer or step tracker for at least three consecutive days and record the total number of steps you take over those days.
Be sure to include:
At least one weekday (or workday).
At least one weekend day (or non-workday).
For many people, weekday (or workday) activity tends to differ from weekend (or non-workday) activity so it’s important to capture both.
Example:
Here’s an example of what you might track:
Day 1 = 5,623 steps
Day 2 = 6,075 steps
Day 3 = 3,302 steps
The total number of steps taken over 3 days is 15,000.
Here’s the math: 5,623 + 6,075 + 3,302 = 15,000 steps
Although you may be tempted, don’t change your normal daily activity just because you are recording it. It’s important to get a realistic assessment of your current (and typical) activity level.
Step 2: Calculate your average
Calculate your average daily step count. To do this, take the total number of steps you logged in Step 1 and divide it by the number of days you tracked your steps.
Example:
If you took a total of 15,000 steps over 3 days, your average daily step count was 5,000 steps.
Here’s the math: 15,000 steps / 3 days = 5,000 steps per day
Step 3: Aim for your daily average
Now that you’ve calculated your average daily step count, you’ll set a 1-week step goal using this average.
Example:
If your average daily step count was 5,000 steps, this means that for one full week, you would aim to achieve 5,000 steps per day, or a total of 35,000 steps by the end of the week.
Here’s the math: 5,000 steps per day (average) x 7 days per week = 35,000 steps
As you aim to achieve this goal, remember we live in the real world - a place where life is busy, motivation levels vary, and unexpected things can happen.
Some days you might get more than 5,000 steps; some days you might get less. Both are okay!
Take advantage of the days when you have more time, energy, or motivation and get extra steps in. This will help make up for a day when you have less time, energy, or motivation.
Step 4: Use the 10% rule
At the end of Week 1 (and each week after), reflect on how it went and set your next step goal using the 10% rule. The 10% rule means you’ll increase your daily steps (or total weekly steps) by up to 10% each week.
Example:
If you walked an average of 5,000 steps a day during Week 1, you would increase your steps by up to 500 per day during Week 2.
Here’s the math
5,000 steps per day (Week 1 daily average) x 10% (0.10) = 500 steps per day
5,000 steps + 500 steps = 5,500 steps
Based on this example you would set your Week 2 step goal somewhere between 5,000 – 5,500 steps per day (or between 35,000 - 38,500 steps per week).
Your exact goal is up to you!
You might decide to increase your steps by 100, 300, or 500 steps per day.
You might choose to keep your current goal of 5,000 steps per day until it feels easier to achieve before increasing your steps.
Etc.
Step 5: Stay flexible
Your goals are not set in stone so stay flexible in your approach. Take it one week at a time and make adjustments as needed.
Some weeks you might increase your steps.
Some weeks you might keep your step goal the same.
Other weeks you might realize your goal was overly-ambitious and scale back.
Whatever you decide, be sure it’s realistic and sustainable. Gradually increase your step count over time until you reach an activity level that helps you achieve your health, fitness, weight loss, or other goals.
Making small, gradual and realistic changes to your activity level is the best (and only) way to create lasting change. Lasting change = lasting results!
Now it’s time to increase the steps on your own tracking device! Find or charge your Fitbit, Apple Watch, phone, or other activity tracker and let’s move together!