15,000 steps per day for a year: How a simple goal became a lifestyle

2020 was a year of changes, for all of us. But outside of the pandemic and lockdowns, I also made a bunch of personal changes. One of these was a commitment to walk at least 15,000 steps per day for an entire year, a goal that was completed yesterday! At first, I was only supposed to do it for the month of February, but I quickly got hooked and it became not only a goal, but a complete lifestyle change.

So, every day since February 1st 2020, I’ve walked at least 15,000 steps. That’s 5,000 more than the recommended 10,000, and it means spending at least two hours outdoors per day.

But why do such a crazy thing!?

First of all, I wanted to be more healthy. I wanted to be able to walk long distances without getting tired.

Secondly, I wanted an excuse to explore more. I know that sounds silly, but as much as I love exploring, I do sometimes get lazy, especially if I’m in the same place for a long time. When I made the choice to start walking 15,000 steps per day, I was living and working on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Sure, I explored a lot of the island during my days off, but what did I know about Portree, the town I lived in? Nothing, I suddenly realized. And why? Because I hadn’t taken the time to explore it thoroughly. With this new daily goal of mine, I’m motivated to explore much more than ever before.

The art of exploring in depth

Since I started my goal of walking 15,000 steps per day, I’ve gotten to know quite a few places in depth. I’ve walked all streets in my hometown of Hov in East Jutland, Denmark, many of which I never before knew existed (and it’s not a big town…). I’ve walked just about everywhere in and around Portree. I’ve explored much more of Lolland, my current home, than I would’ve without this goal – tiny villages, forests and dirt tracks all over the island. And even on rainy and windy days on the Faroe Islands, I went out to explore and ended up discovering many new places on the island of Vágar.

I clearly remember one evening in Germany, on Reichenau Island, when I was really tired from driving all day. I still had several thousands steps to do and I really wasn’t feeling motivated at all. But I pulled myself together and set off on a long walk around the northwestern end of the island. It didn’t take long to find my motivation. The sun was about to set and I discovered the most gorgeous nature area with views over Lake Constance as the sun said goodnight. I took my best pictures of Reichenau Island that evening. If I hadn’t gone on that walk, I would’ve missed out on so much.

Does it ever feel like a chore?

In the beginning, yes. I won’t lie.

In the beginning, 15,000 steps seemed like A LOT. 15,000 steps IS a lot. It’s 10 km, two hours of walking! Every single day. But as the days went by, weeks and months, it started becoming something I just did. Something that was part of my everyday life, and during travels the only routine in my life. I became slighly obsessed with reaching my goal everyday, not in an unhealthy way, but in a I-love-this-I-don’t-want-to-ever-go-back-to-being-lazy kind of way.

It is still tough to motivate myself on stormy and wet days, but with proper outdoor clothing and music in my ears, nothing is impossible.

I love it, I truly do. I’m currently working at an excavation on Lolland, where I’m walking 3 km to and from work in the weekdays (+ lots around the excavation site at work, so I usually do way over 15,000 steps), and in the weekends, I go for long hikes, bike rides or walks to neighbouring villages with the dogs. I always look forward to my walks, even the one between home and work even though I do it ten times per week. It’s a time for me to think, sing, read the news, do whatever I want while being outdoors and doing something good for myself.

Do I feel any changes in my body?

Definitely! I’ve lost 11 kg (with the help of cutting down on food too, though!), and I’m in MUCH better shape than a year ago. I used to be out of breath from just 30 minutes of fast-paced walking. Now, I can walk fast for hours on end without getting tired.

When I was on the Faroe Islands in October, I truly felt the changes in my body. I was able to climb 35 mountains and hike seven trails in just 31 days, and it felt much easier than it ever has before.

Will I continue?

Yes, definitely. For as long as I can!

For me, 15,000 steps is the perfect amount. It’s not too much to accomplish in a normal day, and it’s not too little to feel effortless either.

How can I reach a goal of walking 15,000 steps per day in a busy life?

Start by thinking walks into everything you do. Do you have a relatively short distance to work? Why not walk instead of biking or driving? Even if you have a long distance to work, consider parking a few kilometers from work so you can walk the rest of the way!

In the weekends and holidays, make an adventure out of your walking. Go explore new places. Bring a picnic. Walk 5 km in one direction and 5 km back taking a different route. Or walk 10 km to a new place and catch the bus back. Or even walk back! Having a goal of 15,000 steps per day doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to just that. If you feel like it, do get those extra steps in!

Something that works for me when I get a bit tired of walking and walking and walking, is reading the news, reading blogs, updating instagram or listening to music while walking. It gives me something to do, and sometimes I can even finish a job I’ve been putting off during a walk!

Most importantly, only do it as long as it’s fun. Cut it down to 10.000 or even 12.000 steps if 15.000 is too much for you. The main thing is that you have a goal, you’re getting exercise and you’re spending more time outdoors!

The stats

• February 2020: 547.378 total » 18.875 on average » 44.245 on the best day
• March 2020: 500.417 total » 16.142 on average » 26.864 on the best day
• April 2020: 466.430 total » 15.548 on average » 16.989 on the best day
• May 2020: 556.401 total » 17.948 on average » 42.126 on the best day
• June 2020: 500.777 total » 16.693 on average » 25.341 on the best day
• July 2020: 537.972 total » 17.354 on average » 40.020 on the best day
• August 2020: 599.742 total » 19.347 on average » 34.504 on the best day
• September 2020: 494.678 total » 16.489 on average » 25.011 on the best day
• October 2020: 711.870 total » 22.964 on average » 41.692 on the best day
• November 2020: 530.654 total » 17.688 on average » 42.039 on the best day
• December 2020: 538.111 total » 17.358 on average » 31.712 on the best day
• January 2021: 533.316 total » 17.204 on average » 26.862 on the best day

6.517.746 in total for the entire year, 17.800 on average per day for the entire year.