The 1990s "…brought a historic new perspective to exercise, fitness and physical activity. The perspective has shifted from a focus on vigorous exercise to a broader range of health-enhancing physical activities" (USDHHS, 2000, p.22-3). Walking has emerged as one of the most popular forms of moderate health-enhancing activity. Entrepreneurs who market digital pedometers suggest that achieving a daily 10,000 step count is equal to meeting the amount of activity recommended in the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health (USHHS, 1996). To date there is little evidence, however, to support this contention, and there is evidence that that many sedentary women who walk 30 minutes (equal to Surgeon General's recommendation) still fail to meet the 10,000-step goal (Wilde, Corbin & Sidman, 2001). The primary purpose of this study was to determine if the 10,000-step daily target was appropriate for sedentary women with different baseline step counts. Dependent variables included total step counts for four-weeks following a one-week baseline period and a measure of perceived physical competence. A total of 30 sedentary women between the ages of 25 and 53 (M=38.85 years, SD=8.4) wore a digital pedometer for the five weeks of the study. Each participant was then asked to attempt to reach the 10,000 step goal on as many days as possible. Participants were classified as low (L), medium (M), or high (H) based on baseline step counts. There were significant differences in step counts among L, M, and H groups (L<M<H) at weeks two, three, four, and five (p<.05), except between the high and medium groups at week five (p=.170). Only three women in the H group met the 10,000-step goal on as many as 50% of the days. In addition, none of the women in the L group were met the 10,000-step goal as often as 25% of the time. Though not significant (p=.20), the Group X Pre-Post interaction showed an expected trend. The L group declined in perceived competence, the H group showed an increase, while the M group remained unchanged. Very few sedentary women were able to meet the 10,000 goal including those with high baseline counts. Perceptions of competence were only higher at the post-test among the H group. If the shift in perspective to moderate lifestyle activity is to be successful in attracting sedentary women, it appears that a personalized rather than a 10,000 step goal would be appropriate.Keyword(s): adult fitness, health promotion, physical activity