Nov 2020 Step Challenge

Shar2020

Hi everyone,

Would any of you like to do a November step challenge with me? State your personal daily step goal for November and check in daily or weekly to report your progress. Any pedometer, fitness tracker or step app on your phone will do!

My daily goal used to be 10,000 steps, but it causes pain in my legs and heels since starting chemo so my goal for November is 6000 steps/day.

I hope you join me! 🏃🏿🏃🏼🏃🏻🏃🏿

marie914

Hi Shar! My step goal used to be 10,000 and then I dropped it down to 7500.

November I start chemo so I will check in with you. I am thinking I should drop down to 6500 for November. Not sure how the chemo will affect me but I know you should still try to walk. Thanks for starting this thread.

Peregrinelady

I will join you! My goal is 10,000 steps and 30 activity minutes. Today I reached the steps, but only 18 activity mins. November may be tough when it starts getting dark at 4:00 since my exercise is walking on my trail in the woods. I am not doing chemo but I do have micro vascular heart disease, perhaps due to estrogen deprivation. Exercise is beneficial, but I carry nitroglycerin with me just to be on the safe side. The trail is very hilly.

MinusTwo

I haven't counted my steps, but I'm walking 5-6 miles a day. I'll have to count on a segment that I know the mileage.

Peregrinelady

Minus Two, on my Fitbit 10,000 steps is a little over 4 miles so you are probably getting at least 12,000.

Shar2020

Great, Marie914, PeregrineLady and MinusTwo!

Marie914, wishing you well as you start chemo in November. I hope you joined a November chemo group here at Breastcancer.org for extra support and I will be here cheering you on, too!

PeregrineLady, sorry to read you have heart disease. Walking on a trail in the woods sounds enjoyable!

MinusTwo, yes, that sounds close to 12,000 steps, but it depends on the length of your stride. A daily goal in miles instead of steps works, too!

🏃🏼🏃🏿🏃🏿🏃🏻

Peregrinelady

Already have 10,000 steps today at 2:00 p.m. Working in the woods clearing fallen trees. One of my favorite ways to get exercise. Gorgeous sunny fall day.

MinusTwo

Thanks Peregrine & Shar for the translation. My goal when I started in March was 3-1/2 to 4 miles a day. Living in Houston that was a challenge with 100 degree heat & humidity, but I only missed 7 days in 7 months - one for a hurricane, one for a storm, four for doc appointments and one because I just decided I owed myself a day off. Now that it's cooler I find it easier to do 5+ miles.

Today was sunny w/bright blue skies & cool here as well so I made 5 miles. About 1/3 of my walk is in a City park and the rest in a neighborhood. I sure do envy access to the woods. Or for that matter, anyone who has a beach for walking. Although I might loiter to pick up shells.

Shar2020

PeregrineLady, 10,000 steps by 2 pm yesterday. That's awesome!

MinusTwo, wow, you missed only seven days of walking in seven months. That's fantastic! Great that you walked five miles yesterday.

I was nowhere near my goal today...1540 steps. I took medication and slept most of today. I will start early tomorrow and get more steps.

PeregrineLady, MinusTwo and Marie914, wishing you a pleasant week!

🏃🏿🏃🏃🏻🏃🏿

Peregrinelady

Over 10,000 steps today, working in the woods again. I am exhausted now. 😩
Shar, every step counts. I hope you feel better tomorrow.

clarrn

I need this. 9 weeks post surgery and so slow to get moving again I am going to try to get to 8,000 a day.

Shar2020

Clarrn, welcome! 8000 steps/day is a great post surgery goal.

PeregrineLady, thank you. Yes, I feel better today. That's great you had 10,000 steps yesterday from working in the woods again, but yes, it does sound exhausting!

Wishing everyone a pleasant Monday!

🏃🏃🏿🏃🏿🏃🏻

MinusTwo

Thanks Shar.

No walk today. I had my once a year MO appointment. Interesting since my dearly loved MO retired and this doc really doesn't "know" me. Still - he wants to see me once a year and said (quoted??) - since I was (am) HER2+ and NOT hormone positive, I only have a 5% chance of recurrence after 5 years. Hmmmm. I had a recurrence after 2 years, but now I'm 6 years out. Maybe good news???

Shar2020

MinusTwo, that must be difficult to have a dearly loved MO retire and replaced with someone new. Sorry to read about your previous recurrence. Yes, the MO’s comment about a 5% chance of recurrence after five years-and you are six years out-sounds like good news. GREAT news!

Peregrinelady

10,000 steps and 27 activity minutes. Almost didn’t get out there before our sunset at 4:30!

Shar2020

PeregrineLady, 10,000 steps and 27 activity minutes yesterday! That's great!

I had only 1604 steps yesterday, but I have 6000 steps so far today and it's still early so that's better.

Wishing everyone a pleasant Tuesday!

🏃🏿🏃🏼🏃🏻🏃🏿

MinusTwo

Saw a chart of steps per mile by height. It shows 2218 for my height of 5'8". I walked 5 miles today - so 11,090 steps. Or if I go by the average of 2000/mile - I got 10K in today. I have to do a little make up time time this week since I was at the doctor's office yesterday and missed my walk.

Still my goal is 3-1/2 to 4 miles a day, so when I do 5 or 6 miles it's just gravy.

Peregrinelady

Shar, good job in getting over 6,000 steps today. Minus, I am impressed with your 5 or 6 mile days. I got 10,000 steps in right before rain showers.

MinusTwo

Interesting statistic. I posted that I'd found a chart on line that showed the average steps in a mile by height. For my height it was 2218. I actually counted today on a track that I know for sure is a mile. It came out 2220 steps in a mile. Amazingly close. Walked 4-1/2 miles.

Shar2020

Thank you, PeregrineLady. You and MinusTwo had fantastic step counts again yesterday, and it looks as if MinusTwo exceeded 10,000 steps again today. Well done! (My FitBit wasn't charged so I have nothing to report for today, but it's charging now for tomorrow.)

MinusTwo, that sounds like a great chart. I haven't seen one for height.

Good night, everyone.

🏃🏿🏃🏼🏃🏻🏃

Peregrinelady

11,500 steps yesterday and 38 activity minutes. I get about half my steps at work (teacher) and half on my trail.

MinusTwo

Wow Peregrine - great moves. I wish I could convince myself to take along weights when I walk. Or at least take one weight and switch arms. I tried it once but it threw me off stride.

Redhead2758

Hi Shar. Count me in. My daily Fitbit goal has been 7500 but i have been barely reaching 4,000 the past month. Sapped of energy with the winter months coming and I am afraid of slipping further behind. So, i would love to join you and gain some strength from the BCO community sisters/brothers.

Peregrinelady

10,000 steps, 27 activity minutes. Minus, I know that carrying weights is a good idea but I think it would throw off my stride too. Today I had to walk in the rain, but I try not to let weather stop me. Welcome Redhead, every step counts!

Shar2020

Hi everyone, and welcome, Redhead! I am happy you have joined us.

Wow, PeregrineLady, look at those steps. Well done!

MinusTwo, I agree that carrying the weight affects the stride. Also, I gripped them too tightly when I tried it previously so walking felt more enjoyable without the weights.

My total steps were 6101 on Thursday and 6626 on Friday. Only 1633 so far today, but I hope to get more today.

Wishing everyone a pleasant weekend.

🏃🏃🏿🏃🏼🏃🏾

MinusTwo

Six miles Thursday. I was trying to make up for not walking one day when I had a doc appointment. Five miles yesterday & five miles today. Five miles for me means 11,000 steps. If I don't walk the minute I get out of bed, it just doesn't happen.

Peregrinelady

Worked in woods again. Keeping steady with over 10,000 steps and over 30 activity minutes this week. Good job, Shar with reaching your goal. Welcome Redhead! The more the merrier. Minus, I agree that having a routine works best. I make myself walk right when I get home from work or else I might sit down and lose motivation. Keep walking, ladies!

Peregrinelady

I just looked back on my Fitbit app and this is the first week since August that I have walked 10,000 steps every day, including today, which I plan on doing this afternoon. Thank you, Shar, for starting this challenge! And remember, every step counts!

MinusTwo

You're an inspiration Peregrine. I can't even imagine doing those steps when I was working full time.

Although I've only missed 7 days in 7 months, I started out with 3 miles a day. During the summer months I usually walked just a bit over 4 miles (8800 steps). Houston in July & August is HOT even before 7am. Now I'm working on 5-6 miles a day. Today I did 6 miles - so over 13,000 steps.

And I played with speed. I have NO desire to run, but on a track I'm sure is 1/3 of a mile, it's easy to clock walking time. The times I record are for 20 minute miles. But a 20 minute/mile is my slowest speed. Normally I walk 18-20 minute/miles. Today I did at least one mile that was 16 minutes. That's really moving & my calves feel the difference.

I'm doing this as weight bearing exercise for bone health more than anything else. Thank you chemo for popping me into osteoporosis (not). I can't take Prolia shots forever, so.... I'm looking forward to my DEXA scan next year to see how much the walking has improved my bones.

Peregrinelady

Thanks, Minus! Your mileage inspires me. Today I had over 12,500 steps and a whopping 127 activity minutes from dragging branches up a hill to put on the fire. Can’t wait to go back to work tomorrow to relax. 😄 Working at school actually helps with the step count since I am on my feet quite a bit. I am due for a Dexa scan in Jan. I hope the osteopenia has not increased. Minus, it sounds like you are doing that intermittent fast walking that I have heard is very beneficial.

MinusTwo

Peregrine - I don't know anything about intermittent fast walking. Guess I'll have to check with Dr. Google. (LOL)