How do you break out of your sedentary lifestyle?

[lacieloo]

I'm super sedentary; I move very little, your average couch potato, and if I'm just going about my daily routine I'll get only 1,000-2,500 steps per day. What I want to know is, how do those with sedentary lifestyles find the motivation to increase their activity level? Are there any tips or tricks that could be offered to me?

[whosails]

I find that I am moving better now. Set your Fitbit for 4,000 steps a day and it will cheer you each day when you reach that goal. When you can reach it fairly consistantly set it for 5000 and so forth. That bit of a cheer makes a huge difference. It is all about confirmation in your ability to reach goals.

Good job Fitbit!

[SeattleJumper]

Great idea. I have mine set for 10,000 and I rarely make it. Setting it for 6,000 would be better. Baby steps. Thank you.

Sent from my iPad

[whosails]

[LoriLinn]

Thank you for mentioning Zombie Run.  This looks like a blast and I have already added it to my phone!

[A_Lurker]

Just adding one - I was out back watering yesterday afternoon.  I was having a semi-lazy day after working on Saturday.  However, I did notice that I was doing a circuit of the pool or a section of the yard after dumping the watering can into each.  It's just become a habit.  A rather strange one if any of my neighbours can see me (one might be able to).

[Thyla]

I am ridiculously active now but a few years ago I was 10kg and on a walking stick and everything just *hurt*. I started by just walking around a bit during commercials on the tv. If a song came on that I liked I got up and danced about like a drunken teenager. I then built up to a 20 minute walk in the mornings and then built on that. There is a pretty famous diet book here in Australia called the clothesline diet, the woman who wrote it started by doing laps of the rotary clothesline (google hills hoist if you don't know what that is) in her backyard. Every day just try to do a little more. I celebrated my 51st birthday weighing in at 67kg and deadlifting 100kg (1.5 times my bodyweight) and nothing has ever felt that good. I started it all at age 45.

[Thyla]

Whoops, 150kg, I started at 150kg (over 300lb). Darned autocorrect

[NattieGrl2016]

I can totally relate. I have an office job, I sit on my butt all day long, to the point where I get cramps and pains in my legs. I need to move more...So I got the fitbit. I thought I moved a lot more than I do but apparently I might hit 5000 steps on the weekdays and maybe 10k on the weekends...I lack motivation but I know I need to find it! 

[diaryofafatgirl]

One thing you can do in your home is when you are folding laundry, put away each individual piece.  No longer do I do piles of face clothes or clothes, each item separately gets put in the drawer or on the bed.  You can get a good number of steps that way too.

Try marching in place during the commercial breaks on tv.

[MGPanda]

Hey,

I have an office job and have done since I left school, I am also a gamer and love my consols and computers, I am now 31 and have turned myself into a bit of a fitness freak, I got to a point where I couldnt take sitting at my desk and struggling when moving about. I have gone from 14 stone 12 down to 12 stone 3, it has taken me a long time (3+ years) but I've had set backs and road blocks. 

What helped me to begin with was just making small goals, small things like when I got home, walk the length of three lamposts and back, and then each time I did it I went that little bit further, and so on and so on. Then I took the jump, I probably wasnt ready for it, and was probably far to heavy for it, but I went to my first gym class, which was Les Mills Body Step, my god it was hard and hurt and I was breathing like a cart horse but was proud and felt accomplished. Since then I've went from strength to strength. 

I have now done 2 half marathons, two tough mudders, back on track to do my third half and third tough mudder and do a spartan race and rough runner, coming back from injury. 

Just do things small to start with, find a friend to do things with, my best bud and heterosexual life mate Beth is my support (along with my husband). We push each other. Also I got a personal trainer, I see her once a week, she pushes me too 🙂 

Hope some of this helps 🙂 

[USAF-Larry]

I understand your problem, @NattieGrl2016. For a couple years I had an office job which kept me in one place for hours a day. But, I developed a habit of getting up and going to a colleagues desk to resolve a problem rather than calling them on the phone. Our office developed a "procedure" of using instant messaging to ask/answer questions, but I never used it - if someone sent me an instant message, I walked over there to answer it. It took far less time to resolve it in person, and my legs appreciated the change in position.

[SeattleJumper]

Good idea.  At the moment I am being too much of a couch potato watching the Olympics...so I have started jumping rope and watching them.  

[SeattleJumper]

Hi MGPanda, good for you to start and stay with your new exercise regime. I don’t know what “stones” are in relation to “pounds” and that is OK. You have lost! I know what a marathon is but have no clue about a “mudder.” Sounds wet and dirty. LOLI

I can’t run any more or even play tennis due to heel spurs in both feet. Walking is OK but doesn’t get me excited. I have discovered jumping rope recently. WOW, what a challenge but I’m getting there. Fast way to add steps, too. I have lost about 20 pounds. I love not needing expensive equipment and I don’t have to go to a gym. I can do it right in my home rain or shine.

Keep up the great work. I love the support and teamwork that this site gives.

[SeattleJumper]

Hi diaryofafatgirl, I love the inventive ways people think of adding steps to their days. I would have never thought of the laundry idea. Marching in place is something I do along with jumping rope during TV commercials, too.

Keep up the good work.

[SeattleJumper]

Hi Thyla, the constant theme that is in everyone’s posts is that they started with baby steps and add to them a little at a time. Good for you. I’m glad you have found something that works for you. For me it is jump roping.

[SeattleJumper]

Hi A_Lurker, good for you…Doesn’t matter what is looks like; if it works, all is good! 🙂

[MarjieHughes]

I have very lazy days. to help myself i :

1. do leslie samsone- walk videos (get 1 dvd from walmart & i youtube her videos)

2. i play biggest loser on wii & xbox

3. when home i make myself walk.during commercials

4. i walk a treadmill in at the gym for 45 minutes

5. i walk late nights when the sun is down so i can go further (i play pokemon go safely some nights)

6.  i do various 5k walks. ( i cant afford all of them but if you volunteer you can walk for free)

7. i like to dance. i play dance central for cardio on xbox 360

8. when i feel bored or depressed i walk walmart (i push a cart down every aisle at a slow to medium pace)

9. i dont have good strength so i do wall push ups, for squats i barely sit on my couch or chair, and when im laying down i do leg raises.

[Nomad92]

I don't understand what's so different of finding a way to break out of it?

Simple: You need to go for walks in the evening or morning, or even runs. That's about it. There is no other way if you are busy having a job in which you won't move much anyway.

[NeoJr]

Hi

I have a desk job so I sit 8 hours every day. To get my steps in I run 5-10 km every other day, the other days I go for a 5-10 km walk with my dog.

Extra tips:

1. Park your car in the furthest parking lot if you go somewhere.
2. Always take the stairs, never the elevator.

3. Find a sport that you like to do.

4. Get a dog (think this over really good, because it takes a lot of responsibility and time), a walking buddy is always a good motivation.

[UrbanWildLifeMn]

Two big motivators are walking the dog (or your freinds dog) and I do a lot of photography and getting out with your camera or cell phone and looking for the perfect photo will get you going.