Everyone and their pet is walking 10,000 steps per day. Some people are even doing 15,000 or even 20,000 steps per day–those numbers are insane to me, but some people can, and actually do, do this! While there is nothing wrong with any of those numbers, not everyone wants to walk that much and so walking 8,000 steps is where they’re more comfortable.
Today, I will show you how to walk 8,000 steps without feeling like you’re exercising all day long or quitting by day 3!
Have you ever looked down at your fitness tracker at 8:00 p.m. only to realize you’ve barely hit 2,000 steps? You’re definitely not alone.
Walking 8,000 steps daily is significantly easier than 10,000 or even 15,000 steps per day. However, sometimes you just don’t know how to fit those steps into your day without pulling your hair out.
After all, the secret isn’t finding one giant block of time to walk. If you try this, chances are it’ll make it much easier to quit if you’re busy and can’t always spare an hour or an hour and a half. Or, when the day has been busy or long and you’re not motivated to do it.
So, I’ll show how you can build small walking habits into your day until those steps happen almost automatically.
As such, this guide shows you exactly how to walk 8,000 steps per day—even if you work from home, have a busy schedule, or usually struggle to stay consistent.
Is Walking 8,000 Steps Per Day Even Enough?
Yes it is. While 10,000 steps has become the number everyone talks about, research suggests that there are many benefits to walking 8,000 steps too.
And the best part of all, you can stick with this consistently.
How Far Is 8,000 Steps?
For the average adult, walking 8000 steps is a distance of around 3.5–4 miles (5.5–6.5 km) with a walking time of about 70–90 minutes total.
While this looks like a lot now, when spread throughout the day, it’s not so intimidating.
How Many Calories Does Walking 8,000 Steps Burn?
I can’t tell you exactly since this is based on your walking speed, weight, terrain and even your stride length. However, you can check out this table below for some rough estimates.
| Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 250–320 |
| 150 lbs | 300–380 |
| 180 lbs | 350–450 |
| 210 lbs | 400–520 |
Now, that a few of these things have been cleared up let’s move on to the tricks you can use to get those 8,000 steps in!
How To Walk 8,000 Steps Per Day
1. Stop Trying To Get All 8,000 Steps At Once
This is one of the biggest—if not the biggest—reasons most people quit after a few days. It’s very overwhelming to think of dedicating 70 to 90 minutes to walking every single day. But, if you make it seem less overwhelming by breaking this long walk up into smaller chunks throughout the day, you get rid of this overwhelm almost instantly.
So, instead of feeling stressed that you have to find an hour or more some time in your busy day, break it up somewhat like this:
- Morning/As soon as you wake up: 2,000 steps
- Lunch: 2,000 steps
- Afternoon: 2,000 steps
- Evening: 2,000 steps
This (or your own version of it) makes it easy to reach your goal without one exhausting workout.
2. Start Your Morning With A Short Walk
I mentioned it above, but I’ll mention it again because it’s so important. Get some steps in as soon as you get up. Hopefully, every one else is still sleeping then too. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy. But even a quick 15 or 20 minute walk helps you get those first 1,500 to 2,000 steps out of the way.
This is what I do anyway. A few minutes after waking up, I jump on my walking pad for 20 minutes and it does something to my brain that makes me feel like I’m already making so much progress which then makes it easier for me to stay on track for the rest of the day.
Want an easy way to get more steps in without buying a bulky treadmill? This walking pad gives you a simple, space-saving way to move more at home, even on busy days. It’s a practical, budget-friendlier option for small spaces and makes it so much easier to stay consistent with daily movement.
Also, do it as early as possible. I find that waiting, even for a few minutes, makes it that much harder to want to do it.
3. Walk After Every Meal
Another quick way to get those 8,000 steps in throughout the day is to walk for 5–15 minutes after every meal. Building this habit is not only great for getting your steps in, but research also suggests that taking a short walk after meals has some health benefits too. But it’s also a great way to get an extra 1,500 to 3,000 steps in too.
Here’s how this works:
After breakfast: Walk for 5–15 minutes (that is about 500–1,500 steps)
After lunch: Walk for 5–15 minutes (that is about 500–1,500 steps)
After dinner: Walk for 5–15 minutes (that is about 500–1,500 steps)
Those three short walks alone can easily add 1,500–3,500 steps to your daily goal.
Pretty cool huh?
4. Make Your Walking Pad Your Best Friend
Not everyone has one of those, but I highly recommend it mainly because it has made it so much easier for me to stay consistent in the last few months. I used to start and stop a lot!
One of the biggest reasons many people miss their daily step goal is because life gets in the way. Things like rain, hot weather, not having enough daylight time, not feeling like leaving the house—all of those problems are taken care of if you have a walking pad. Bonus points if you have the space to keep it set up all the time so it’s ready whenever you want to walk. Removing the hassle of setting it up every day makes it much easier to stay consistent.
Having a walking pad makes walking easy because there are really no excuses. Plus, you can walk:
- While you watch Netflix
- During Zoom meetings
- While listening to podcasts
- While replying to emails
- During YouTube videos
- While reading on a tablet
- While catching up on your favorite audiobook
And, even just a 30 minute walk on your walking pad can make a huge dent in your daily goal.
5. Walk While You Watch TV
With or without a walking pad, you can walk while you watch TV. Think about it. If you get up and walk/move throughout an entire episode (about 45 minutes), this is equal to about 4,000 steps!
6. Set Mini Step Goals
Looking at 8,000 steps can feel intimidating, but looking at 2,000 doesn’t feel that bad.
So break your day into checkpoints like:
- 2,000 before breakfast
- 4,000 before lunch
- 6,000 before dinner
- 8,000 before bed
Achieving each small win can help to keep your motivation high throughout the day.
7. Walk During Phone Calls
I really like this as a secret little hack to get steps in. Most people take their calls while sitting down. But, walking phone calls are a hidden opportunity to get some extra steps in. When you get on calls, instead of sitting, walk around your house, walk outside, pace the hallway, pace your office. Whatever space you have, use it to walk while you’re taking that call.
If you spend just 10 minutes on the call, that can add an extra 1000 steps! If you’re on the phone for 40 minutes, that’s roughly 4,000 steps! Some days, I just get on the call with my mom or my best friend for an hour while I pace around that house and get 6000 steps in!
8. Don’t Sit For Hours Without Moving
Sitting for long periods makes it much harder to reach 8,000 steps in a day. So, build a simple, healthy habit of walking for a few minutes every hour.
Do so by setting a timer to stand up every hour, then walk for just 3–5 minutes.
This will help you build your daily step count in a very doable way. If you set 8 timers and do 300 steps each time, this is equal to 2,400 steps!
9. Make Walking Enjoyable
Most people stop walking because it feels like a long boring chore. It doesn’t have to be though. You can make your walks something you enjoy!
For example, you can:
- Listen to podcasts
- Listen to audiobooks
- Listed to music
- Watch crime documentaries
- Watch motivational videos
- Take language-learning lessons
I use this for most walks to listen to podcasts, audio books, music, or YouTube videos. If boredom is your biggest obstacle to walking, these can help make walking time more enjoyable.
This can make your walks into something you look forward to instead of dread.
10. Track Your Progress
Watching your step count increase throughout the day is one of the best motivators.
Use:
- A smartwatch
- A fitness tracker
- Your phone’s built-in step counter
If you're like me and hate carrying your phone everywhere, some type of wearable can be incredibly helpful so you don't miss any steps from regular daily activities.
Seeing yourself get closer to 8,000 often encourages you to finish strong.
11. You Don’t Have To Power Walk
One thing I think stops a lot of people from even starting is the idea that every walk has to be fast enough to count. It doesn’t. Although you can if you want to or enjoy it. You’re goal is to get steps in. And while power walking or speed walking have great benefits including burning a few more calories in the same amount of time, walking at your normal pace is perfectly fine too—especially if you’re just getting started. Walking at an average pace is perfectly fine too! Especially if you’re a beginner.
If you’re trying to build a consistent habit that you can stick to beyond a few days, do not put too much pressure on yourself right from the start.
The idea of having to walk 8,000 steps is pretty intimidating, especially in that first week. But, if you convince yourself that those walks must be speed walks? You’re asking for trouble.
Don’t let perfect become the enemy of good.
Instead, make it as easy as you can. So, if part of making it easy is to walk at your regular pace rather than power walking or speed walking, then so be it.
12. Wear Comfortable Walking Shoes
Walking a lot can and will make your feet hurt, especially when you’re first getting started. But, it’s usually much worse if you’re not wearing good walking shoes.
When I started walking, I just grabbed an old pair of sneakers that were in my closet. And, I definitely paid the price. The first couple of weeks were rough. My feet weren’t used to walking several miles every day, and my old sneakers weren’t doing me any favors either.
Honestly, I think most people go through this in the beginning. And, if your feet hurt after every walk, you’re probably not going to be excited to do it again tomorrow. I sure wasn’t.
Now, you obviously don’t have to run out and buy expensive new walking shoes right away, but having a comfortable, supportive pair can make a huge difference if you’re planning to walk every day. The less your feet, knees, and legs ache afterwards, the easier it is to stick with your routine.
Simple 8,000-Step Daily Routine
Here’s what an average day might look like.
Common Mistakes That Make 8,000 Steps Feel Hard
Waiting Until Night
If you’ve only walked 1,500 steps by dinner, reaching 8,000 will feel almost impossible. So, I implore you to start walking/getting those steps in as early as possible.
Depending On Motivation
In everything, motivation comes and goes and building habits will take you much farther. So build habits instead. Try to do this by scheduling your walks into your day rather than hoping you’ll feel like it.
Skipping Weekends
I don’t like walking on weekends, but I don’t stop because I want to stay consistent. Instead, I reduce my weekend walks from 8,000 to 4,000 or 5,000 steps instead.
Thinking Every Walk Has To Be Long
Every walk does not have to be an hour long. Even throwing in some five-minute walks count too. So when you can’t find a big chunk of time, take the short walks. Before you know it, those little walks will have helped you reach your 8,000-step goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to walk 8,000 steps?
Most people need about 70–90 minutes in total, depending on pace and stride length. You don’t have to do it all at once though, which is great.
Is 8,000 steps better than 10,000?
Not necessarily. If 8,000 steps is a goal you can maintain every day, it’s often more beneficial than aiming for 10,000 steps per day and giving up after a week. Consistency is what you should aim for if you want to stick to this long term.
Can I get all 8,000 steps on a walking pad?
Yes you can. A walking pad is one of the easiest ways to reach your daily goal, especially if you work from home, the weather isn’t ideal or you don’t like working out in public. I love mine!
What if I miss a day?
You will miss some days every now and then. And there is no need to try to make up thousands of extra steps the next day. Simply get back to your normal routine the next day. After all, one missed day won’t undo your progress, but if you let one missed day break your habit and then it turns to four or five missed days then it might. It it then becomes very difficult to get back on track.
You Can Do This!
Some days I can get my 8,000 steps by jumping on my walking pad and doing the full 90 minutes in one go. Those are the days when I have a lot of energy and motivation.
Other days I abhor the idea of having to do all those steps, so in order not to give up, I resort to breaking everything up in smaller, more manageable chunks so as to squeeze those 8,000 steps in. On those days, I collect my steps however I can. I even go as far as track steps while I brush my teeth! 2 minutes of brushing at an average pace while I stroll around the house gets me an average of 200 steps. I brush my teeth 2–3 times a day, so that’s 400–600 steps.
Another of my favorites is to go browse the mall on those days. I spend at least 30 minutes walking through a few of my favorite stores (or the grocery aisles) to get those steps in. I know it probably sounds a little over the top, but some days just aren’t made for long, dedicated walks, and you have to get creative.
Or I dance to a few of my favorite songs. Sometimes I do tik tok dances or I just move to the beat and get the steps in that way!
It helps that I always use a smartwatch because every single step is counted too!
And, if you want to get your 8,000 steps in each day, you may have to do some of the same too! Because like me, you’ll never do it perfectly every day.
Some days you’ll cruise past 8,000 steps without even thinking about it. Other days you’ll scrape by right before bed. Both days are days that count. And, what really matters is that you keep showing up.
Six months from now, you’ll be amazed at how automatic walking 8,000 steps has become because you’ve built a routine that works—even on the days when motivation never shows up.
Keep Walking
If you’re ready for your next walking goal, here are a few more guides you might enjoy:
How to Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day Without Quitting
28-Day Indoor Walking Challenge (Perfect for Busy Beginners)
