I Took 10,000 Steps A Day For 8 Weeks and Here's What Happened | Girl Dance Party

I experienced that awkward sensation when your jeans don't fit right, causing a muffin top and all. It took trying on five pairs before finding one that fit... well, one that fit enough when paired with a long shirt to conceal my belly. Now in my 40s, I realized I had let myself go. The thought was daunting, "I needed to lose weight."

I knew that I would feel better if I lost weight. My clothes would fit, I would feel more attractive, I would be healthier, feel younger, and finally feel better about myself. ...but the thought of diet and exercise freaked me out. However, I knew that I had to face the facts. I HAD to do something.

Taking on the Challenge

"How can I lose weight? I understand that consuming fewer calories than I burn through exercise should lead to weight loss. That's what I learned, but there are so many lose weight fast plans out there, and I dislike exercising. What should I really do?" These thoughts were causing me anxiety.

I calmed myself down, sat down, and I did some research. I found that the healthiest way is if I take an extra 10,000 steps and reduce calories by 500 every day, then it should work.

Architect My Strategy

I paid special attention to what I was putting into my body and how active I really was. I wanted a baseline so that I could see how I was improving. I took an honest look at my life and my bad habits. This was an eye-opening experience.

I made a few initial easy changes to my diet. It made sense to me to find habits that were "unhealthy" and replace them with something "healthier". From the start I could see that going to the all-you-can-eat buffet with my boyfriend wasn't a good idea. We stopped doing that right away and just had regular sized meals. I also replaced sugary soda with diet green tea for hydration.

I work at home, so I wasn't as active every day as I was when I was younger. I calculated an average of around 1000 steps a day. Some days were a lot less. I was kind of surprised it was so low, but then I knew I was shooting for 11,000 steps every day. The first day, I walked around the block.

Make It Fun.

The Benefits of taking all those steps:

First of all, I lost 16 pounds in 8 weeks and got exactly what I expected! I found that I wasn’t as hungry, and I was eating healthier food; I wasn’t making poor food choices as often as before. I would even bargain with myself to dance more for special treats and oftentimes I would decline the offer.

Secondly, it was fun! I had more energy. I noticed that my mental clarity and focus were improving, and I had more energy overall. I was even sleeping better, which I hadn’t been able to do before taking on this challenge.

Lastly, I felt better. My mood was lifted, I was less stressed, and my overall mood was improved. Dancing is a great way to de-stress and lift up mood. I was actually excited for my personal dance party every day and happier than ever and this was before I noticed any weight loss.

Conclusion

Taking 10,000 steps a day for eight weeks changed my life. I felt better, I had more energy, and I was able to make a big lifestyle change that I can continue for the long term. I ended up losing 16 pounds in 8 weeks and in control of my weight. If I ever need to again, I know how to lose weight by dancing. While it may seem like a lot, 10,000 steps a day is an achievable goal. With a bit of fun, focus and dedication, you can reach it too.