Coffee Break: Jacqueline Tote

127 Comments

1. Cathy Engelbert, the head of the WNBA, wore to the draft what looks to me like the same dress Kat posted some weeks ago – I’ve forgotten the designer (because why would I need to remember when I could neither afford nor pull off wearing that dress?), but it’s the one that looked like a slightly pixilated tetris game, the one with a matching jacket and also, IIRC, the bottoms that had one long leg and one short. She looked fabulous in it.

   https://jezebel.com/wnba-draft-orange-carpet-2023-a-string-of-slam-dunks-1850322774/slides/11

   1. It’s Akris. I actually saw the dress in store, and it was pretty awesome. I might have jumped at the jacket but that wasn’t in stock.

   2. Was it by Akris Punto? That’s my guess based on the overall shape and pattern.

   3. Yes, Akris! And Kat actually posted the suit, not the dress. https://corporette.com/suit-of-the-week-akris-6/
      I love the dress.

   4. I love the dress!

   5. She looks great which makes me happy because a) I love sports b) I love love women’s sports c) she and I went to (and were varsity athletes at) the same university.

   6. Love her manicure too!

2. I’m totally a late comer to this counting your daily steps thing. I started having my phone track it recently, but I’m not sure how to set a good target for myself. I know the general recommendation is 10K steps a day, but is that like on top of other exercise? I also do 20-30 minutes of vigorous cardio daily, so does that mean I don’t need as many steps?

   1. No, it’s not on top of other exercise. If you’re already doing 20-30 minutes of cardio a day, that’s about 150-200 minutes a week, which is aligned with health guidelines.

      I use steps as a tool when I don’t have a workout planned. If it’s the end of the day and I have 3,000 steps, maybe it’s time to go for a quick 1.5 mile walk. That doesn’t get me to the “recommended” 10,000 steps a day; the purpose is to avoid being a complete couch potato. FWIW, I run about 1,300 miles a year.

   2. I aim for 10,000 but some days I cycle everywhere so I just get steps inside my small house, and don’t sweat it, if I’m otherwise active. I use a garmin watch and aim for 480 minutes per week, but vigorous exercise often is often worth double minutes.

   3. my understanding is 10K was just hatched by marketing, not science
      but that you do see a huge impact if you can get to 5000 steps daily – i’ve read 8000 is optimal.

      1. yup, I also remember hearing that this number is made up!

         1. You are correct. A Japanese pedometer company arbitrarily selected 10,000 steps for their advertising campaign. There was a recent study that used 8000 steps as a goal and found good results. It is called “Association of Daily Step Patterns With Mortality in US Adults.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10051082/

      2. While it’s true was originally made up, there is newer evidence to suggest that approx 3,500 and 7,500 steps a day are breakpoints that were studied for reducing Alzheimer’s risk with positive results.

         1. wow, i didn’t know this – thank you! from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2795819#:~:text=Our%20findings%20suggest%20that%20approximately,be%20associated%20with%20mortality%20outcomes.

            Our findings suggest that approximately 9800 steps per day may be optimal to lower the risk of dementia. We estimated the minimum dose at approximately 3800 steps per day, which was associated with 25% lower incident dementia. Other studies have found 4400 steps to be associated with mortality outcomes.

   4. if you’re doing 20-30 minutes of vigorous cardio daily, I don’t think you have to count steps. You’re meeting to exceeding the CDC recommendation.

      https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm

      The counting steps is a blend of marketing and trying to get otherwise sedentary people to at least walk. You’re not the target. Ignore it.

   5. I try to do 10K a day when I don’t do some other exercise, and if I do a workout I aim for 3-5K. I figure I’m so incredibly sedentary during the day that even if it’s more than really necessary, my body could use the help.

3. We’re outfitting our new patio, and I’m shopping for a patio umbrella. The West Elm/C&B ones are like $800 (all-in, they make you buy a base separately), but you can get one on Wayfair for $150. Is it worth it to get a higher end brand, or will any one do? They all look very similar.

   1. $800 seems like a lot for an umbrella. We got a huge one from Lowes a few years ago that you crank open and can tilt/adjust as needed. I don’t remember how much it cost, but it definitely wasn’t that much. Anyway, I don’t you need to spend that much money. It is going to fade in the sun anyway. Just make sure you keep it tied down during bad weather.

   2. Can you go to a store to check out the pricey umbrella and see if it has features that the cheaper versions wouldn’t? I think some are much easier to open and close than others. As a very short person who has struggled with those big umbrellas in restaurants, the beach, etc. I would be inclined to spend more if the extra price got me an umbrella I could open by like pushing a button instead of making a hilarious-to-others spectacle of myself.

   3. Yeah, don’t need to get one that fancy. I’d maybe get nicer Sunbrella fabric, but as long at it’s sturdy and fits your needs should be fine.

   4. That’s a lot. Try Costco, Home Depot or Lowe’s.

   5. We bought ours from Lowe’s for $200 and it has lasted us six summers in a very windy part of the country. I would not spend $800 on an umbrella.

   6. Given how much wind we get in my area, I would have a hard time stomaching spending that much on a patio umbrella. YMMV depending on your local climate.

   7. Non-Sunbrella or the like fabric will fade noticeably and perhaps unevenly within a couple of years or so. If you are big on it looking nice it might be more cost effective to spend more on the nonfading fabric. If you don’t care or money is tight right now just get a cheap one.

   8. Wirecutter has good reviews of a brand that is sturdy and reasonably priced. It’s worth buying one that will last, but no need to spend $800.

   9. I have purchased both (from Wayfair and Pottery Barn) and will say there is a big quality difference between the two. I had the Wayfair cheap ones and found they only lasted a season or two and then needed replacing. They faded quickly and didn’t stay up as well. Enter the PB big leagues umbrella. Worth it, IMHO. We have a very sunny patio area and entertain outside a lot. Having a good umbrella makes the area.

4. What are the recommended packing cubes these days? I realised I need some compression to get a week’s worth of clothes in my backpack. 5 days is fine, a full week is a squeeze.

   1. I bought mine years ago, but got ebags after reading someone’s rec on this site.

   2. I got some LL Bean ones a few years ago and they are pretty great.

   3. I bought mine for like 3$ at a tjmaxx, and I’ve been super happy with them.

   4. Eagle Creek or whatever it’s called. I don’t think there’s been any groundbreaking innovation in packing cubes in a while.

5. I’m stuck in a mind-numbing all day Zoom meeting. Anyone want to share low stakes/funny embarrassing stories?

   I didn’t know that the phrase “play stupid games, win stupid prizes” was a saying in general. I consider myself well-read but I’d never come across it until Taylor Swift’s song Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince, and I thought it was something she came up with. A few years ago, right after the song came out, my boss used that phrase in a meeting and I said “[Boss], I didn’t know you were a Swiftie!” And my boss said “…what!?” and everyone in the meeting stared at me blankly. 

   1. Lol – I was in a meeting a few years ago where a male, older, member of senior leadership said, “the juice isn’t worth the squeeze,” and a junior team member leaned over to me and whispered “Did Dr. So-and-so just quote Lizzo??” I quietly explained that it’s a southern saying that predates her, though I also hoped that Dr. So-and-so was indeed a Lizzo fan.

      1. I feel like I’ve heard this loads lately and even googled it the other day. It’s somehow become a thing on podcasts.

      2. That’s hilarious. The phrase definitely wasn’t coined by Lizzo!

   2. I came back to my car in the parking lot at lunch and a roll of dog poop bags had somehow gotten caught in my door like a streamer. Said bags are printed with “I Love It When You Call Me Big Pooper.”

      I’m praying no one starts calling me that.

      1. hahahah

6. Do you do any brain games, either in one of those apps or general games you consider good for your brain? Just started Sudoku and loving it (but feel so so stupid when I screw up on paper).

   1. I love doing logic puzzles – I just bought a book of them that I keep on my breakfast bar and I’ll do one while I’m eating breakfast most mornings now.

   2. I play the wordle and spelling bee daily from the NYT app (I pay.) I don’t stop Spelling Bee until I get Queen Bee.

      I also play number games that come in the SF Chronicle sunday paper – Kakuro and Sudoku, as well as logic games that I can’t remember the names of. (one is about connections that can have one or two tracks between nodes, the other is an x,o grid where you can’t have more than 2 x’s or 2o’s in a row and you have to fill the entire 10×10 grid.

      1. Wait, stop! What is this Queen Bee? I play everyday and stop when I get to “Genius” – are you saying there is a (secret?!) level past genius!?

         1. Definitely. Queen Bee means you get all the words in that day’s list.

         2. You can find the total number of words and points (i.e., what it takes to become Queen Bee) by going to “Today’s Hints” at the top of the game. Sometimes if I am one or two words away, I can’t sleep…

            I hit Queen Bee a couple of times a week; I don’t look at the community hints but I do have a running list on my phone of words that I hadn’t caught in previous games, although I use it less and less as those words are starting to finally stick in my breain.

            1. I play to at least Genius every day but somehow I have the hardest time seeing the word nene, which often appears. Just a mental block, I guess.

            2. Acacia, chai, baobab, tali, tallit, tomtit, naan, halal, lunula, naiad,raita & all kinds of compound words I never would have thought of. There are words from today I could put on the list but no spoilers.

         3. When you get to Genius there’s a Keep Playing button. I’m Queen Bee or bust, even if I have to the “Community” hints for the last few obscure words. I figure it’s helping my vocabulary.

         4. Oh my gosh, y’all! I am so excited about this now! I’ll have to try tonight! (Though I feel like I should have started earlier in the day if I want to get to the Queen Bee!)

      2. I also play Spelling Bee every day, but are you seriously able to get Queen Bee every day?! I’m so impressed! I try to shoot for Amazing/Genius every day, and I also finish the NYT crossword daily.

         1. I can get Queen Bee every day if I use the Community hints when I pass Genius. That may be “cheating” but I am okay with it!

            1. Different Anon here to say that I’m still impressed!

            2. I’m the same. No hints at all before Genius. Then I will look at the “hints” and make a list of the number of words that start with each letter to see what I’m missing. Community is a last-ditch effort.

               Today I hit genius all by myself (GABM) and didn’t need any hints beyond the Hints tab (to figure out I was missing a single M word). Didn’t need Community today, I just had to let it marinate and then it came to me.

         2. Yes, every day. But I’m an obsessive person!

         3. My parents collaborate on Spelling Bee but they get Queen Bee almost every day with no hints.

   3. Not brain games but I do Elevate, two languages in Duolingo and Wordle every morning while I have coffee.

   4. I like quordle, it’s 4 words at once and regular wordle no longer does it for me. Sometimes I try wordle in my target language.

      1. Have you tried squardle

      2. I love quordle!!

   5. I play Wordle every day and I’m in a competition with myself to improve my strategy and score every day.

   6. I like the mini and regular crossword, the Tiles motifs, and sudoku on the NYT app. I used to actually enjoy doing logic games when studying for the LSAT so I might buy a book of those.

   7. I really like this game called Marple in the app store. It’s kind of similar to sudoko in some ways. Do the whole tutorial and be patient while you learn the rules. Once you learn them it plays fast. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/marple/id288689440

   8. Any benefit of phone games, even smart ones, is probably offset by the whole phone addiction part.

   9. I Wordle daily and have separate text chains with different friend groups. Love how I’m able to stay connected to people.

      And the new Digits game from NYT!! So far I’ve hit 15/15 stars everyday. Have needed to bust out a pen/paper + calculator a few times but my brain definitely needs the arithmetic challenge these days.

7. Folks with Apple watches, are they worth it? I would like to have an Apple Watch for three reasons. First, track my steps and other fitness data as I try to improve my fitness. Second, avoid having to have my phone with me all the time when I’m running and listen to music. And third, so that I can stay connected to phone calls and text messages when I’m out with my kids, but don’t have the temptation Of just scrolling on my phone all the time. does an Apple Watch work well for this? Or is there a better alternative? TIA!

   1. Those three things are exactly what the Apple Watch does.

      1. Yes, 100% what Apple watch is for. I love mine, but if you would like to leave your phone, note you’ll need the more expensive version of the watch (cellular option), and have to pay an extra cellular monthly charge to have the watch be able to have its own connectivity versus receiving through your phone. IIRC this was $15/month when I had it. When I got a new watch, I dropped the cellular because I found I usually wanted my phone nearby anyway, especially when running (for safety reasons, and also photos).

   2. I’m prob in the minority, but I don’t like it. I don’t need one more thing pinging me during the day, telling me I have unread emails, messages, calls, or haven’t hit my fitness goals. It added nothing positive to my life. At first I thought I’d liked it because I didn’t want my phone on me all the time. Turns out, time away from the phone is actually healthy (I’m in a job w/ zero boundaries so I thought I wanted the total connectivity).

      I use it more as a HRM when working out but that’s kind of it.

   3. I have a galaxy watch/android, but totally agree that smart watches do a great job for #2-3. #1, eh, lots of other options but it’s a nice bonus.

   4. I got mine in November 2020 and thought I was just buying my pandemic feelings and wouldn’t use it much, but I absolutely love it and have worn it every day since. It’s so nice to get calls and texts without having my phone on me, and I actually find the fitness goals accessible in a way that “10K steps or bust” never was.

   5. I got one for my birthday and it is going back to Best Buy today. It made me feel trapped.

      1. I think that’s how I’d feel. I’m hooked on my phone to a degree, but it’s pretty easy to put down.

   6. It sounds perfect for any of this. I use it mainly to roughly track my steps and know how active I’ve been, and then to track my swimming which it does well.

   7. So one thing to know: in order to actually use the cellular capabilities of the watch, you have to own the phone line to which you are connecting the watch (or have a workplace that is willing to foot the cost of the line for your watch). They can’t just be on the same carrier, the watch and the phone have to be on the same plan.

      That said, I do like my Apple watch but would like it even more if I could truly leave my phone behind when out & about.

   8. Honestly, sometimes I consider spending, what, $400 on an Apple Watch solely for the ability to ping my phone and find it in my not-very-big house.

      1. I broke my Apple Watch and thought, eh, I’ll live with a Fitbit, because I didn’t want to spring for a new Apple Watch. As someone who lives alone with no landline and a laptop that’s never charged up, it turns out that the ability to locate my phone is not only the single most important function of an Apple Watch for me, but is also a singular reason to have it outside of all other reasons. Hooray for the ping.

      2. I frequently use it for exactly this purpose because my kids will walk off with my phone and leave it in some unknown spot.

   9. I love mine for its intended purpose. For me, that’s getting notice of texts and calls during the day subtly in meetings that I’d otherwise miss. I see it as a work device that helps me juggle. I never wear it on weekends unless I need to get subtle text or call notices. But I hate watches outside of work anyway.

8. Anyone have ideas – Muslim who didn’t grow up praying but would like to try now and just realized I don’t have anything to cover my hair with. Ladies who do this all the time can use the smallest scarf and make it work without any hair falling out. I know I can’t manage that and need something much bigger but IDK what. I was thinking something the size of the scarfs that Indian ladies wear with their outfits – they wear it for fashion not to cover up but about that size. I looked for those online and it seems like even the ones on etsy and the like come from India which means either it takes weeks or you pay a lot. Only other idea I can come up with is going to a fabric store and getting some scarf like light material though I’m unclear whether I ask for a few feet or what.

   Ideas? I’m not picky just looking for a light material that can be machine washed. I’m only using it for the five or ten minutes of prayer at home so it doesn’t matter what it looks like really – as I’m not looking to cover all the time or anything. I’m not tied to an in person religious community so I can’t ask there and honestly I’m in my 40s so even asking this question now will get you raised eyebrows along the lines of – omg people figure this out in middle school, how do you not know this?

   1. Just use literally any scarf you already own. You don’t need to perfectly cover ever hair just get started if that’s what you are feeling called to do!

   2. If you search for “hijab” on Amazon, you will come up with a bunch of options that qualify for Prime shipping. They are not fancy but they come in a bunch of colors and styles, and a lot are pre-sewn which should make it easier.

   3. The Indian grocery store near my house sells them. Might be worth a look in your city.

   4. With the major caveat that I am not Muslim and don’t know if you have to have your entire head covered (like ears and all, not your face?), would a pashmina or a pareo work? I feel like pareos/sarongs are usually 3’x5’ which seems like plenty of fabric to cover your hair and are also lightweight. A pashmina is probably 2×4 feet which would also be a good size? Also maybe search for lightweight scarves or summer scarves. A large silky scarf may work too?

   5. When I had to wear a head scarf I found some tutorials on YouTube. I used a regular scarf and it worked fine for my purposes.

   6. Seriously? Who cares if you are in your 40s? This sounds like it is about much more than the cloth…
      You aren’t the first and you won’t be the last, and this is something that every religious leader deals with.
      Contact your nearest mosque, explain what you explained here and ask for guidance. They might just invite you to come for Friday prayers and poof, your first tie to an in person religious comminity.

      1. Not OP – Theoretically everything you say is true but I don’t know if you truly know or understand the community. As a community member myself, sure I’d be happy to help anyone who was interested whether they were 10 or 60, and I think a lot of the younger community members are the same. But don’t kid yourself there are a TON of older aunties who can be pretty rude about such things and unless she’s a white convert, they would absolutely make comments about – didn’t your parents teach you this etc.

         In some Muslim households including mine, let’s be real our parents didn’t teach us these things. They maybe showed us once in passing and then just lectured us periodically how we don’t pray or aren’t religious – as if we should just be born knowing. Nowadays you can learn things via internet but this wasn’t the case for OP’s age group and yeah many of us have had to struggle to learn on our own and don’t need rudeness on top of that.

   7. What about something like this: https://www.hautehijab.com/collections/jersey-hijabs
      This would be pretty easy to slip on and off: https://culturehijab.com/collections/under-scarves/products/full-coverage-essential-under-scarf-ivory

   8. I’m late to this party but although they’re made for Christian women who cover their hair, Garlands of Grace has some really pretty headcoverings that have a discreet clip or snap to help wrangle your hair. They also have these snood and scarf sets where you kind of stuff all your hair in one piece and then snap the scarf over it.

   9. Buy a pretty dupatta (scarf worn by Indian ladies). It’s a narrow stole.

9. If you got cheated on a year ago but have a happy relationship otherwise, would you want to know? So many people said they wouldn’t this morning! I am curious now.

   I wouldn’t want to tell the wife as the OP since it seems like getting mired in drama, but I would definitely want to know if I were the wife. Though I can see a compelling argument for just never finding out and being blissfully ignorant, since the feelings otherwise would be a lot to process.

   1. I would want to know. I also think it’s very reasonable to not want to tell, especially if you know nothing about the wife or the relationship in general.

   2. It would depend on the relationship. Married with a house and kids, probably not. Just dating and considering taking the next step, I’d want to know and leave him.

   3. I wouldn’t want to find out from a vindictive affair partner. If my friends knew, however, I’d expect them to tell me ASAP.

      1. I think it’s unfair to call OP vindictive. I read her post as generally being sad and concerned for the wife, not wanting the man to herself and thinking this would be a good way to get the wife out of the picture…

         1. I read that she was p1ssed off, and rightly so, but any concern for the wife seemed to be barely an afterthought.

            1. +1 Definitely vindictive. She didn’t even bother to find out any facts, her whole post was based on assumptions.

            2. What ‘facts’ could she find out? You want her to hire a PI or something? I agree she should stay out of it, but I think the instinct to tell the wife was coming from a good place.

   4. Yeah I would want to know, but wouldn’t tell the wife in OP’s shoes because of the drama potential.

      If diseases/pregnancy weren’t a factor, I don’t think I’d want to know about a one night stand. But a long term, dating-type affair like the man in OP’s situation had, definitely. And STIs complicate things and are a good reason to want to know about even a one night stand.

      1. This is also why it’s not a bad idea to get checked during your annual exam even if you’ve been in a long term relationship.

   5. I wouldn’t want to know unless it were an ongoing emotional affair where he would likely leave anyway. Just physical one-time thing? No. I’d rather not know. I also don’t think a mistake is worth blowing up the rest of a good thing that we’ve had for so long.

      1. I agree that I might not care if it was a purely physical one-time thing. However, if it was two instances of that, I would care, because it would look like my partner just didn’t value being faithful and didn’t feel bad about the first time. And I don’t have a way to know how many one-time instances there were unless I knew that it had ever happened in the first place. So that leaves me… wanting to know.

         1. Yeah, I agree. I guess what I’m saying is that if my partner cheated once and used protection, I wouldn’t necessarily want to know from *him* but the woman has no way of knowing if it’s a one time thing or if he used protection with other partners.

   6. I would, because I’ve known people who think everything is fine and get blindsided by a spouse who suddenly wants out to be with the love of their life. If it was >10 years ago, I probably wouldn’t want to know, but even then….

   7. One night stand post marriage? Nope. Don’t want to know. Ongoing emotional or physical affair? Yes, I want to know. Cheating pre-long term commitment? Yes, want to know.

   8. I want to know. I think I would therefore not consider it a “happy relationship otherwise” because I don’t really believe my partner could make that decision in isolation or make that decision and actually be the person I believe him to be.

10. I recently switched from a job where I was running between court and the office multiple times a day to a job where I basically sit in the same spot for 8 hrs at a time. I tend to hyperfocus anyway, and am finding I have a headache every evening from staying in the same spot and staring at a computer all day. I’ve been trying to remind myself to take a walk around the building every time I finish a task but it feels a bit awkward without a destination. I could walk to get coffee, lunch etc. but I’d rather not spend the money. I’m thinking about maybe doing 10 mins of yoga a couple of times a day (I can close my office door so coworkers don’t think I’m crazy) and getting a run in at lunch. Does anyone else have any successful approaches for avoiding becoming one with the office chair during the workday?

    1. I drink a lot of herbal tea. I do it for the warmth and tastiness, but it also means i move. The refills keep me going to the office kitchen and the constant drinking creates bathroom breaks. You might also have a podcast or audiobook that you listen to in 5-10 minute chunks while you walk – then the walk around the building will feel less aimless.

    2. It’s not awkward to get up and walk around and no one will notice. Sometimes I do walking meetings with coworkers or mentees.

    3. Drink a lot of water or tea so you have to get up and pee all the time.

    4. nitrogen oxide dumps are a good break

11. tall ladies: which are your favorite dresses and pants for work?

    1. As a tall and very thin person, I’ve accepted that work pants just won’t look good on me so I stick to dresses. Most of mine are from Ann Taylor or express.

       1. I am tall but not super thin. I honestly do better in separates than dresses, because dresses are always too short in both the waist and the hemline.

    2. Old Navy tall sizes work best for me but their dresses are too casual for a lot of workplaces. Ann Taylor tall sizes are too short for me but I’m very tall (5’11”). Talbots was good many years ago but they’ve shortened their hemlines a lot in recent years and a lot of their stuff is not work appropriate on me. They still have some midi dresses that work ok for me.

    3. Depends on your inseam. I like talbots 32″ inch inseams in some pants.

       These pants that I’ve recommended before come in long inseams. Since they’re straight leg, I’ve been fine with the 32″ version, but if I were going for a wide leg or flare, I’d choose 34″. I have the 32s in navy and charcoal.

       https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DTVLH3W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1

    4. Pants: Old Navy Pixie
       Dresses: Nearly my whole wardrobe is from Boden or Talbots. Boden carries far less profesisonal wear and a lot more breezy boho midi dresses that don’t work for work anymore though.

       If you’re really tall, check out Amalli Talli and LongTallSally.

       If you’re tall and slender, try brands that are cut long–Club Monaco, Zara Women, Theory, JCrew Tall.

       For reference, I am a short-waisted tall, so I don’t need a super-long torso.

12. Re: the step counting comments above, any tips from anyone with a sedentary lifestyle about how to get more movement it? I WFH and we live in suburbia and have to drive everywhere. Excluding dedicated exercise, there are days when I don’t walk 500 steps. I’ve tried to be better about carving time out to walk 2-3 miles a day, but even that only gets me halfway to the number of steps you’re supposed to be walking. I’m hoping that in August when my kid starts elementary school in our neighborhood I will naturally be moving more but right now I’m a couch potato except when I specifically devote time to exercise. I miss the days of working in an office and naturally walking more.

    1. Standing desk with slow treadmill?

    2. Get a dog. Not a bulldog who doesn’t want to walk (like mine) but a more energetic dog that requires a long walk twice a day.

       1. +1 – plus my dog is a complete joy!

       2. I have a dog but she’s small and very old and just wants to sleep all day! I do not want a big energetic dog…the kids are enough lol.

    3. My Fitbit has an optional feature where it buzzes you hourly if you haven’t taken 250 steps. Would that help?

    4. Sometimes ar the end of the day when I haven’t met my steps goal I treat myself to a Netflix episode and just pace and wander as I watch it on my iPad. It probably sounds silly but it’s helped me a lot because I need to walk a lot as part of my physical therapy. I also try to walk whenever I have a call that doesn’t require me to be on camera or taking copious notes – so basically a third of my administrative meetings or when I do my CLE.

       1. I’ve been trying to do more work calls while walking (especially as the weather gets nicer) but good reminder that I should try to move while watching TV too. And I like the idea below about doing laps around the house too.

          1. then maybe my ridiculous solution is of interest to you. I’ve started cleaning more as a way of getting up and moving. I’m usually pretty lazy, doing the bare minimum at home, but scrubbing the bathroom tile and vacuuming are good ways to get my heart rate up gently and I don’t mind a cleaner house.

    5. I’m working on it also but I do a lot of loops around my first floor, particularly while munching carrots or eating lunch.

    6. It isSO HARD. I have a consulting type job where I usually have 5+ hours of meetings. Things I try: walk the kids to school when I can (half mile each way, but only works if I don’t have anything I need to get done first thing since both school and my work day start at 8); be on the treadmill or on a walk outside any time I have a listening meeting; take any discussion I can do by phone without taking notes as a walking meeting. Jump on the treadmill or do a weights workout at lunch, or any time I have a random 5-15 minutes.

    7. I tend to get in a lot of steps if I am just trying to “not be lazy” – like I’ll put things away as soon as I am done instead of waiting for them to pile up, I get up to go drink more water, I tidy, etc. I did this for a morning in my 2 bedroom apartment and I had 3,000 steps just from that. I think if you can manage that during the day and take a post-dinner walk, you should be at least to 5,000.

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