I've been lurking here for the past few days and reading about people's struggles, successes, questions, etc. All the things I've read have really gotten me thinking, and I realized how sedentary I have become. Somehow I didn't attribute my rising weight to my lack of movement, mostly because I haven't acknowledged it. Being around this site has really made me realize how lazy I've gotten though, and today I happened upon a free pedometer that I had gotten in the mail. I decided to strap it on and see how far I walk in a typical day, which today was. I know there is a recommendation of 10000 steps a day, or about 5 miles. Though I didn't wear the pedometer all day (it stopped working, guess that's what I get for free!), I wore it for the most active part of my day. I had always thought of myself as reasonably active in my daily life, but I was sadly mistaken. I took off the pedometer and I had registered less than half a mile for the active part of my day. Unbelievable!!! I know it was mostly accurate because I kept checking it through the day, it didn't reset itself, I am just that sedentary. Tomorrow I am going to pick up a new step-counter or pedometer, and force myself to log some real mileage. I'm really upset that I let myself become this lazy. Time to make a change.

Aww hunny.... recognition IS the first step in the right direction in weight loss, you'll do just fine now that you've realized whats been holding you back.

Tell me about it! If I don't get in a good solid exercise in the day I would be completely sedentary. This summer has been the most active summer yet, but if I am not DOING something with a purpose of movent, I am sitting on the darn couch! I've got to find a way to move more once summer (and thus activities) are over. In the school year I tend to go exercise hard, sit at work, come home and sit on the couch. Truly pathetic.

I only recently came to the same conclusion you have. One of my best friends (former college roommate) and I were talking about this the other day. We never realized just how much walking we did in college. We walked a mile just to get to one class and then a mile back sometimes for a 20 minute break before we back out walking another mile to class. We walked a 1/2 mile to lunch and dinner every day and skipped breakfast because, well, it was a 1/2 mile away. If we wanted to go the store, that was a two mile walk. Uptown (fun) was a mile and a half away. And then sometimes we'd actually walk for exercise. So yes, we ate whatever we wanted and worked it off without realizing it.

So when I got married right out of college, of course I packed on the pounds. I stopped moving but continued to eat like I was in college.

little things add up throughout the course of the day. Taking the stairs when you can instead of the escallator, parking a bit further away when going to the grocery store, etc.

You can work your way up to log more and more steps and pretty soon you will using miles and not steps and your marker!

Are there good walking trails where you live? Does your neighborhood have sidewalks so you can take a evening walk after dinner?

Just being mindful of it is a good thing. When My kids are in school and I am home with just little ones I get up and make the bed all pretty with throw pillows and such. I also start folding the laundry into stacks on the sofa while I wash several loads of laundry that day. This reminds me to stay off the sofa and bed during the day and keep moving.

I too was very sedentary when I began. The longer I stay on plan (which for me is within a reasonable calorie range- which consequently is much less food than I used to eat) the more energetic I feel. I was dreading exercise and looking for excuses not to do it, but the more I do the better I feel. I keep up with housework better and I don't mind if I have to park at the far end of a parking lot - no more wasting time driving around waiting for a spot near the front! Yeah! Progress!

Thanks for the support and suggestions. I spent the day shopping and running errands (including getting a decent pedometer), so at least I wasn't sitting on the couch. I set some goals for myself last night and I've been thinking about how I can attain them. I need to spend a lot less time making excuses too. I should be really active since I don't drive right now and I live in a big city, but it's too hot or the kids are engaged in something or blah blah blah. Time to get up off my butt and move! One nice thing that is coming up though, my oldest son starts preschool in September. That means every day I will be walking him to school, walking home, walking back to pick him up, and walking home again. I was going to start walking there and back with him each day to get him used to it, but I really need to start doing it for me too. Looks like I have a mission tomorrow to get moving!