Member Stories

Preparing for Gallipoli

“I would like to share my father's story. His name is Ian. He lives in Rockhampton and has been an avid supporter of the use of a pedometer and daily walking regime for many years. On the 30th of April 2006, he commenced recording his steps in earnest to prepare for a trip to gallipoli in 2007. On the 4th May 2010, he rang me to proudly advise that he had achieved 10,000,597 planned steps (10M) and 16,002,000 (16M) total steps (which included unplanned walks using his pedometer reading), totalling 12,623km (his calculations). This is over 4 years. My Dad is an inspriation at age 83, and part of his success was to start by using the pedometer and achieving 10,000 steps a day, many years ago. Set a target or goal, and do something everyday.”

Half an Hour Walk

“I'm just starting the 10 000 Steps for this year. I know that just half an hours walk lowers my blood sugar to normal levels, and within a week I can lose 2 kilos just by adding the walk to my day. Wearing the pedometer is a great reminder to keep walking and having a group at work at you to put your steps in is a great motivator!”

My Afternoon Walks are the Best for De-Stressing

“I was having trouble lifting my steps per day as I was getting tired and short of breath. I had been a smoker for about 6 years. I quit smoking at the start of March and even though at first my shortness of breath increased causing my number of steps per day to decrease, I have started to pick up again now. I feel much better and I don't nearly pass out from shortness of breath after I run. I can actually enjoy running again. I have not been sick at all this month and I feel so good. I find out of all the exercise I'm doing, my afternoon walks are the best for de-stressing me after a busy or bad day. Exercise also keeps me motivated to not smoke.”

Walking after a Heart Operation

“I have had a heart operation and I am nervous about doing aerobic activity so I am doing 10,000 steps and this has really worked for me. I have just walked across Mississippi with three days to spare and in excess of the 343,750 steps. This web site has really made me more aware of how far I walk and I never let myself go below the 10,000. Thank you so much. This is a great idea.”

Beating my Previous Days Steps

“I bought a pedometer and then by chance found this fantastic website! I've only been counting steps for a week and a half but already I'm hooked! I love trying to beat my previous days steps. I am finding it much easier to concentrate on the steps rather than the kilos. Even if I don't beat the previous days steps, I can still see on the graph how far I have come since starting - it is a great motivational tool that graph! In a short amount of time I already feel healthier and the biggest thing I've noticed is that I sleep much better.”

Aiming for 10,000 Steps Everyday

“I got myself a pedometer which I bought in London during my recent trip there. I stayed just a fews steps from Hyde Park that triggered me to start walking. On coming back to Kuala Lumpur I stumbled into this wonderful website. Walla, I'm so pleased with my action. I stay very close to a public park with a good jogging track that surrounds a lake. Despite the fasting month, I'm able to achieve on average of 7,000 plus steps. Reading and sharing this story certainly helps me to continue with this healthy lifestyle. Being in the late 50+ I find myself transform into a newborn person. My adrenaline starts to flow again and feels good after all the hectic years of working in academia. My target is to achieve a constant 10,000 steps and beyond by end of the year.”

I Quit Smoking and Started Walking

“I stopped smoking June 2008 after 30+ years of smoking. I am 52 years old, in September I started walking and jogging. Am now averaging over 25,000 steps a day and feel better then I have since I was in my 20's. I also play tennis and swim on a regular basis, just having a pedometer on makes me conscious of my goals.”

Being Part of a Team

“At our school the teachers have taken up the Tournament, 3 teams of 11 and what a competition it's becoming. Being part of a team makes sure you don't get too lazy although some days I need to give my knees a bit of a rest. Have had a couple of slack days but planning to make up for it this weekend and enjoy the scenery out walking around the city. It is quite bizarre attaching your pedometer first thing in the morning, like putting your false teeth in! Our groundsman is cruising in with huge times because of all the walking he does in his job, although the lower school teachers are giving him a run for his money with all the chasing around they do. Our challenge is the Great Wall of China. Would love to do it for real!”

This Site Keeps Me Walking

“Hello from Mexico! It's been an amazing ride, from 2,000 to 2,500 per day I am now out around 13,000 steps. And working on the 14,000 steps per day. It takes me about an hour to do 7,000 so on a good day with a couple of hours I make 13,000-14,000. But some days I only make 4,000 because I don't have time. Still, the pedometer is part of my life and at 52 I am glad to have finished July with 13,000 steps daily. This site keeps me walking.”

One of the Best Decisions I Have Ever Made

“I joined in January 2007 and have averaged 9,095 steps a day. I will soon have my 79th birthday. I go to the gym twice a week, dance once a week and enjoy my garden. I have slipped back lately due to a tight muscle in my hip and leg. I am so pleased I joined in 2007 as my energy levels increased from when I started. I always wear my pedometer. Joining would be one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

My Dog is Happier Now Too

“My dog is so much happier now that I'm walking more. She has lost a bit of weight and I'm the same. My eating is still an issue but I'm so proud that at least I can consistantly get my 10,000 steps. Maybe the food will get better too someday.”

Walking Connects Me to the World

“For me, the best thing about walking daily is getting outside and being aware of the seasonal changes in the neighbourhood. I live in a beautiful, tree filled suburb, and I get out and walk while the streets are still very quiet early in the morning. There are subtle changes every day that become part of my street's story. This morning I smelled the wattle that has just come out. I also notice the behaviour and habits of the variety of birds that share this space. Walking connects me to the world.”

I Absolutely LOVE Entering my Daily Steps

“Before I started this 10,000 Steps program, I found that I was averaging a shocking 2,000 steps per day! My previous attitude was to park as closely as possible to wherever I was getting to, and sitting down was more comfortable than standing up, walking, and driving to get lunch. I've tried gym memberships, home gym, dance classes.. but the problem has always been lack of time between full-time work and after hours obligations. This program has changed my life. The pedometer is a great motivation tool but this website is even better! I absolutely LOVE entering my daily steps and I make a conscious decision everyday to walk around the block at work at least 4-5 times per day. I walk to get lunch and I walk while having my light wrap/sandwich roll instead of sitting down somewhere to eat. I also park further away from the shops. It is a great way to stay fit and it doesn't require too much of your time if you know how to swap "sitting around" activities with "walking around" activities.”

I Have Never Felt Better!

“I found that after high school during University my energy and stamina was greatly reduced. Long sleepless hours before deadlines and the convenience of junk food meant that my weight began to gradually increase over this time. Now I work full time and am even more sedentary than before, at least at uni I was constantly walking around campus. But 8 months ago when I moved out of home I decided to change everything. No more junk food at all! And a minimum of 30mins exercise a day. I also started Wing Chun Kung Fu so now I can kick butt and look great and have never felt better! My weight has not changed much but it is in a normal range. I also look slimmer and what used to be loose and flabby is now tight and muscled and since fat weighs less than muscle I'm not worried. I just got my pedometer today as part of a workplace challenge so I think now I am well on my way to feeling and looking great!! I’m sure recording my steps daily will be a great way to keep me motivated! It is also great to read some of the stories here and some of them have really helped to get me motivated.”

Keeping My Steps Up

“Hi All I am really loving being part of this challenge. Because I wear my pedometer all day every day I am aware of how much I have to keep moving to keep my steps up. Being office bound 5 days a week it is really important to get out at lunch time and have a walk for 2 reasons, clear the head and get some fresh air. I have ridden my bike to work again, and although it is getting cool in the morning it is such a great time to be on the bike.”

Walking and Learning!

“I have to thank 10,000 Steps for improving my general knowledge. Why? Well, I download podcasts from the ABC on topical information both national and international and listen as I walk. I often have to get out the atlas or search the internet for further information when I get home. Not only am I enjoying my walking, but improving my knowledge at the same time.”

Just Keep Walking

“I congratulate everyone who manages to reach at least 10,000 steps a day. I have been trying, but it means finding the extra time to go for walks. Like today I had not been feeling well and stayed home. I was amazed at the length of the walk I needed to take to make up for this inactivity. I was determined to make it and I eventually reached over it. I am now determined to "just keep walking".”

Reaching 10,000 Steps Before Bed

“Thank you all for your stories, I find them motivating. I found this site and a pedometer in November 2008 and was shocked at how little steps I am taking. I am studying but spend most of my time stressed about it and on the couch. I finally committed to 10,000 steps and have just finished my first month of it. YAY!! I couldn't wait to get the numbers in and see my chart. I won't go to bed if I haven't walked a minimum of 10,000 even if it means doing housework at double time or doing laps up and down my street at midnight. I am very grateful to the people who have established and continue to maintain and upgrade this site. You are all helping me keep moving and become more healthy.”

Finding the Community

“I found the 10,000 Steps website as it was printed on my pedometer, it has given me the incentive I had been lacking to do my walking on a daily basis. I am thoroughly enjoying my walk through France. I had always been an extremely active person but over the last 18 months it had all slipped away. Lots of issues in my life during that time but I have now found myself again & am enjoying this site immensely. My friends are not interested in walking so it is a solitary pursuit but now I have 10,000 steps it doesn't seem like that anymore. I am so encouraged by all the stories I have read and cannot wait to reach my first target for the month. I only joined this month.”

Positive Stories

“I am loving all of these stories. The people on here are so positive and give such wonderful stories of their lives. I am walking about 15,000 steps a day and it can be difficult but so rewarding. I eat a pretty balanced diet and I am trying to drink more water! Very difficult with the water though. I home school to my nine year old son and now he wants to start walking as well”

Timer to Keep Active

“This is my 4th year of step-counting and I sometimes joke I am going to have my pedometer grafted into my waistline for more convenience. This is also the first time in my life that I have maintained this consistency with any form of exercise. My dietician recommended 12,500 steps a day and I have been maintaining it. To combat the time spent at my computer, I use a timer which rings every 30 minutes. I position it far away from my desk so I have to get up to turn it off and reset it. Then I take a couple of minutes to do some on-the-spot stepping or some small job which requires moving around before returning to the computer. By the end of the day, I don't have so many steps to complete. Then, if necessary, I step on the spot during TV ads, using the ad music to increase intensity.”

Now I Run with the Dogs, go to the Gym and Swim

“I have been recording my steps for several years and increasing my goals for a few years now; entering health statistics; encouraging friends to join and using the data to illustrate case study design with measurable outcomes in my teaching. I've signed up for other websites for calorie counting and health promotion, but this one just seems to be easy, quick to use and part of my daily routine. When I first entered my steps I was more than 30 kgs heavier while challenging myself daily to reach the 10000 steps minimum. Now, I run with the dogs, go to the gym, swim, enter fun runs and generally enjoy all the benefits of excellent health. My goals are measured, graphed and highly visible so I can't delude myself or graze around with my head in the sand. Life is fuller when I am alert and alive to what is around me as well as what choices I make to achieve fitness and vitality. My friends notice and it is fun wearing things I love with the confidence that comes with having that extra spring in my step and energy to be socially engaged. I needed all the motivations this site had to offer to get moving and stay on track ... now it is fun to keep on running and get the compliments that come my way from dear friends and family.”

Motivation to Move

“I started using the pedometer and have clocked in 10,000 steps daily since Jan 2009. I also have maintained a low-carb diet since then, cutting back on my rice intake switching to partly brown rice meals. Eating less fried foods. The 10,000 Steps program has really been a motivation for me getting me to move. I have so far lost 2.5 kg and I am hoping to lose more with this walking program and healthy diet.”

Tracking Steps

“Isn't this a fabulous site? I joined in 2004 and have so far logged 24,040,705 steps - that is so amazing. I can't say I have logged everyday but I have most days. I'm 59 years old, feel fit and healthy and I know that this site has a lot to do with that.”

Stay in Bed or Get up to Walk?

“At 5.55am the alarm goes off! Do I stay in bed or do I get out and walk? While staying in bed is the more comfortable option, the walk in my Crescent is much more enjoyable. I live on acreage and therefore the morning sounds are quite different to my city cousins. As the humidity rises so does the sweat, and it feels GREAT to shower and then head into the office.”