Move More!

Here is what I believe is our second-biggest reason we are getting fatter as time goes on: We don't move enough.

I'm not talking about organized time to go out and exercise (which I think is most definitely a good thing)- I'm just talking about generally moving more.

A majority of us are far more sedentary than our parents and grandparents were, simply by the nature of the modern world. We have remote controls and moving walkways and lawn mowers that push themselves. Even sedentary office work was more active years ago: To make a copy or file papers you had to get up. Now you can hit the "copy" button on your computer screen and have the document in your hands without leaving your seat. Many things are filed digitally.

As bizarre as it sounds, we are both more productive and more sedentary.

It just takes less calories to live these days.

Now, I'm not dogging progress, but the bottom line is that the less you move the less calories you burn. And the less calories you burn the less calories you should eat. Of course, we aren't eating less calories (I covered this subject in my very first post), so it's really no mystery as to why our waistbands are expanding.

The only solution to this problem is of not moving enough is, of course, to move more. But how do you do that when your day is already full?

As the title of my blog states, it ALL makes a difference. Even the small things. With that in mind, aside from regular, planned exercise, there are small changes we can make that will make a big difference for our bodies and overall health over time. It's not that they burn a lot of calories in and of themselves, but cumulatively they raise your metabolism which burns a larger period of calories over time. The key, of course is to get into the habit of doing these things consistently, day in and day out.

Here are some ideas:

- Get the blanket (or remote, or laptop computer, or whatever else you are wanting) yourself, instead of asking one of your kids or someone else to get it for you. Even if it's just two steps away or entails reaching to the other end of the couch.

- If you want a snack, get it yourself! If it's not worth getting up to get it yourself, you don't really want it. Don't eat it.

- Vacuum your car instead of having the guy at the car wash do it. (You could get REALLY ambitious and wash your car yourself! This is actually a very fun thing to do with your kids.)

- When you are doing yard work, go get the hedge clippers yourself, instead of asking someone else to do it for you.

- Park your car at the other end of the parking lot and walk into the store. Save the closer spots for old people and parents with small children. Yeah, yeah.... I know you've heard this one before, but it's a good tip and something we should ALL be doing.

- Walk around at lunch. I don't mean put on your workout shoes and take a power walk around the block (which is a very good idea!), but just get up and move around. You'll be back to sitting down soon enough.

As time goes on you'll think of more ways to move more and sit less.

A high metabolism really isn't so much given as it is obtained.