How to hit your daily step goal without going outside — 5 easy ways to get 10,000 steps
Getting 10,000 steps in a day can feel impossible when you're stuck inside, whether you're working from home, dealing with bad weather, or just don't feel like going out. Fortunately, you don't need to step foot outside to hit your daily step goal.
While outdoor walks offer fresh air and sunshine, indoor walking can be just as effective for your cardiovascular health and fitness.
You might be surprised how many steps you can rack up just by moving around your house differently, taking advantage of stairs, or following simple walking routines in your living room.
With a few strategic changes to your daily routine, you can easily reach that 10,000-step target without ever opening your front door. Here's how.
1. Turn your stairs into a step-counting machine
(Image: © Shutterstock)
If you have stairs in your house, you've got a built-in step generator that most people completely ignore. Going up and down stairs burns more calories than walking on flat ground and racks up steps surprisingly quickly.
Try taking multiple trips instead of carrying everything at once. For example, make separate trips for laundry, grab one item from upstairs instead of five, or just walk up and down a few extra times when you're already heading that direction.
You can also use stairs as a dedicated walking break by doing 5-10 trips up and down during work breaks or while waiting for dinner to cook. Each round trip typically counts as 20-30 steps, so even a few extra stair climbs throughout the day can add several hundred steps to your total.
2. Try walking workouts in your living room
(Image: © Shutterstock)
Walking workouts have exploded in popularity, and for good reason. You can go from your desk to getting steps in less than a minute. YouTube is packed with free walking workout videos that require nothing more than a small space in your living room.
Personally, I love Grow with Jo's content. Her workouts are fun, seem to fly by, and she has specific walking routines designed for hitting different step goals. I sometimes do her 5,000-step workout in the mornings, so I only have to think about getting another 5,000 steps for the rest of the day.
These aren't just basic marching in place; they include side steps, knee lifts, and arm movements that keep things interesting while racking up serious step counts. A 20-minute walking workout can easily net you 2,000-3,000 steps, and many are designed specifically for small spaces.
If you have a treadmill or walking pad, even better, but these workouts are designed to be effective with just your body weight and enthusiasm.
3. Invest in a walking pad
(Image: © Tom's Guide)
A walking pad is essentially a compact, foldable treadmill that can slide under your bed or couch when not in use. These affordable devices have become incredibly popular because they let you walk while working, watching TV, or doing almost anything else.
Unlike traditional treadmills, walking pads are designed for slower speeds (typically 1-4 mph) and quiet operation, making them perfect for apartments or shared spaces. It's an excellent way to rack up thousands of steps during a work call, while binge-watching a series, or even while reading.
Many people find they can walk 2-3 mph comfortably while typing or using their phone, turning previously sedentary time into step-counting opportunities.
The DeerRun Q1 Mini is the perfect first under-desk treadmill. It's simple to use and requires just one button to turn on. While it's quite small, it's one of the most affordable under-desk treadmills money can buy. View Deal
4. Take walking breaks during work calls
(Image: © Getty/martin-dm)
If you work from home, phone calls and video meetings are perfect times to sneak in extra steps. During audio-only calls, walk around your house, pace in your office, or even walk up and down stairs while listening.
For video calls where you don't need to be on camera, you can often get away with walking around your room as long as you stay near your computer.
Even fidgeting and shifting your weight during seated calls adds some movement. Schedule walking meetings with yourself. If you need to brainstorm or think through a problem, do it while walking around your house instead of sitting at your desk.
5. Pace around during TV time and phone calls
(Image: © Sling TV)
Instead of collapsing on the couch every time you watch TV, try standing and walking around during commercial breaks, or pace slowly during shows that don't require intense visual attention.
Phone calls with friends or family are perfect pacing opportunities, as most people actually think better while moving anyway. You can walk around your living room, kitchen, or even go up and down hallways while chatting.
During long streaming sessions, set a timer to remind yourself to get up and walk around every 30 minutes. Even pacing slowly while watching adds up to significant steps over the course of an evening.
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'Going through everything before you pack and donating anything that you don't want to take to the new house will save you hours of packing and unpacking.' It's also good to have an idea of where larger items (like furniture) are going to live in your new space so you can give the movers clear directions as they unload the truck, ultimately saving them extra effort and exertion. What items should I move first when moving? What items should I move first when moving? While everyone has their own system for moving, Walker said that generally, your high-priority items should be the last thing you load onto the truck. That way, they can be the first things off once you get to your destination. Walker recommends loading your packed boxes first. This creates space to wrap, disassemble and move larger furniture pieces more efficiently. She added that her team often asks for kitchen boxes to be loaded last so they can be promptly unpacked and set up early in the new space. Fragile and other valuable items should be clearly marked and moved into the truck separately or last to ensure they're easy to access upon arrival. For pet owners, Goddard said moving day is a good time to leave your furry friends at the veterinarian, pet hotel or boarding house to prevent them from getting stressed by the chaos or interfering with the move. They can return once the movers are all gone and the new house is more settled and quiet. How should I organize boxes for moving? How should I organize boxes for moving? Ayoub said packing isn't just about putting things in a box. 'Use quality packing materials and start with packing heavier items like books at the bottom and lighter-weight items like pillows on top,' she said. 'Fill in any gaps with soft items like clothing, towels or crumpled paper to keep things in place from shifting, especially when it comes to packing fragile items.' A top tip we heard from all our experts was to refrain from overpacking boxes, which can make them difficult and unsafe to lift. When it comes to fragile items, Ayoub said to use packing paper, bubble wrap or boxes specifically designed for breakables like dishware or wine glasses. 'They take the guesswork out of packing,' Ayoub said. 'No overcrowding or worrying if things will shift. And of course, remember to label boxes as 'fragile' to make sure everyone knows these boxes need to be handled with extra care.' Labeling all your boxes — not just the fragile ones — is essential for ensuring a smooth unpacking process. Goddard said to label boxes based on their end destination in your new home: bathroom, kitchen, dining room, main bedroom and so on. It's also a good idea to add a brief description of what's in each box. '[It] doesn't have to be 100% of the contents, but some content details will help you when you start looking for a specific item for the kitchen, for instance,' Goddard said. If you're moving cross-country, you should also add your last name to each box, just in case things get lost in transit. However, there are some things you shouldn't pack in the main truck. Goddard said valuables like jewelry, musical instruments and important documents like passports or birth certificates should remain close to you (like in your personal vehicle) for the duration of the move. For this article, we consulted the following experts to gain their professional insights on staying organized during a move. 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