You can't lose if you don't move!

I want to clarify my title a bit.  You can lose weight with out exercise but it is harder and you don't get the toned body with nice lines and the health benefits that you would if you include exercising.  It's important to ask yourself, "Are you interested in just numbers or are you wanting the whole package of getting that thinner, leaner, healthier body?"  If you are going to take on the effort of losing weight, what is your complete goal?  If it is just the numbers on the scale then you probably will not keep the weight off.   Moving your body everyday is an important part of keeping the weight off.  If you research those people who have lost weight and kept it off for long periods of time, they have included daily exercise.  Think about it!  Our bodies were made to MOVE not sitting all day.  Now when I say "move" that doesn't mean an hour of grueling hard core work outs.  Find something that you LOVE to do, dancing, swimming, power walking, hiking, bowling, gardening, ect.  Finding something that you truly love will be the key to making moving a habit and part of your everyday life.  You will look forward to moving your body and being active again.  There a SO many benefits to exercise.  Some of you may say, "I just am so tired when I get home from work that I don't want to do anything."  What if I told you that exercise is the cure for being tired all the time.  If you want more energy get out and move.  You will not only have energy but you will feel so much better.  You will have a clearer mind and be happier.  Some of you may think you don't have time.  Have you ever heard of the acronym N.E.A.T.?  NEAT stands for nonexercise activity thermogenesis.  What that means is all the energy you burn during the day that is not your standard exercising.  This is very important to understand. You can burn more calories each day by increasing your NEAT.  Ways you can do this is by: standing instead of sitting while putting on your make up, wash your car by hand instead of running through the car wash, mow your lawn with a push mower instead of a riding mower, do yard work, doing extra work around the house, taking your dog for a walk, ride your bike around the block, park farther from the store and get more steps in, ect.  Learn to be aware of what you are doing during the day.  Be creative in thinking up some fun ways you can move during the day to get more steps in or activity in.  If you sit at a desk all day takes breaks to stretch and move several times a day, take the stairs instead of the elevator, sit on an exercise ball and move around while sitting at your desk, walk to get some lunch instead of driving your car, ect.  You can burn an extra 100-150 calories an hour by increasing NEAT.  That is huge!  The point is the more time you spend in moving, the more calories you will burn and it doesn't have to be a knock yourself dead work out!  JUST GET MOVING!  If you need more information please visit my website at:  http://www.aspiringtofreedom.com/   You can get my email address there as well.  I'd love to help you!