Why Aren't You Exercising?

It's STEPtember at America On the Move, and they want you to move more and eat better, for your own good. They conducted a poll and found that most of us have gotten the message that we aren't exercising enough and we know we've gained weight over the past five years. But our main excuses are that we don't have enough time and we just aren't motivated. We're all worried about the economic downturn and most of us are worried about the US obesity rates. But what will it take to make us put on our walking shoes and put down the fork?

America On the Move has fun virtual challenges. Sign up for free and you can do a virtual walk on the ancient Silk Road, or Alaska's Iditarod Trail, or other fun destinations. They also make 100 calorie change suggestions for each meal or snack. Small steps add up.

What motivates people to walk more? Study after study find that wearing that silly little pedometer is what really works. Having a nag on your hip makes you find ways to add in a few more steps a day. A few more steps means a few less inches added to those same hips over the years. For eating better, keeping a food diary is a simple step that makes a big difference.

I started writing down what I ate on Tuesday and saw an immediate drop of over four pounds this week. I am eating much the same for meals, but I said no to a piece of apple pie and resisted diving into a candy bar or bag of chips for an afternoon snack. No diet, no hunger, just a bit of control. I am using our Calorie Count Plus to track my food log and I'm happy to report that I got an A- for nutrition yesterday, up from my B rating of the previous days.
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