My dog knows the meaning of sedentary. Do you?

I just got a pedometer a couple weeks ago. Not a FitBit or any sort of bio-reading fanciness, just a $22 goodie that tells me how many steps I am taking, or in my case not taking, a day. I knew my lifestyle was pretty sedentary, but seeing it on a digital screen kind of makes it real. I have been trying to read up on how many steps I should be taking a day. A number that is thrown around a lot is 10,000 but for someone who has an office job, is that conceivable? I’m off to try! I found some good info on about.com about “What Should Your Step Count Goal Be?”

Here is the list they provide, which I think is a good guideline:

Classification of pedometer-determined physical activity in healthy adults:
1) Under 5000 steps/day may be used as a “sedentary lifestyle index”
2) 5,000-7,499 steps/day is typical of daily activity excluding sports/exercise and might be considered “low active.”
3) 7,500-9,999 likely includes some exercise or walking (and/or a job that requires more walking) and might be considered “somewhat active.”
4) 10,000 steps/day indicates the point that should be used to classify individuals as “active”.
5) Individuals who take more than 12,500 steps/day are likely to be classified as “highly active”.

I can attest to the fact that 12,500 steps is “highly active” – the day I hit 14,000 I went for a 5-mile hike up a mountain, shopping and housecleaning. I felt pretty active that day. Rather than wait for the new year to start a resolution, I’m going to make it a forever goal to crank up my pedometering up to 7000 a day. Some days I know it is going to be a struggle, but if it was easy the sense of accomplishment would be greatly diminished, yes?

Do any of you have ways you get those extra steps in each day? I try to park on the 2nd floor to get those extra 200-400 steps (up & down stairs-bonus!) to the office.