How active are you *other* than when you're working out?

[pumptmuscle]

We're all here because we like to work out but how active are you other than the times when you're working out? Do you let the workouts themselves constitute most of your exercise or are you active in addition to the workouts? Do you do things like park far away in parking lots, take the stairs, etc.? I've always been curious about this and I've wondered if there was a correlation between how active someone is when they work out compared to their activity level otherwise.

In my case, I'd say I'm pragmatically active when I'm not working out. I realize I need to rest outside of the workouts but I tend to be fidgety. I rarely sit for too long and often do things like tap my feet and fingers. I usually walk to the post office and supermarket both of which are about 1/3 mile away. If I'm going somewhere that's under half a mile and it isn't raining, I feel walking is best. I definitely have my lazy days but even then, I just hate to sit still for too long (thinks "maybe there's something I can take for that" but let's the thought just fade away).

How about you? How active are you outside of your formal workouts?

ETA: One thing I want to add is that there are no right or wrong answers to this. It's perfectly fine to be active or inactive outside of the workouts. Technically, it'd even be fine for someone here to not be active at all in general as they may be contemplating starting to work out, they may be here to gain fitness knowledge for someone they know, etc. Please don't feel awkward or apologetic whatever your answer may be.

[cpcathy]

I would venture to guess that most of those who will answer this will say they are pretty active. Just a hunch.
I feel like I have always been on the "go." My job is a desk job but we also have to move around pretty quick. For my free time I love to go to places where there's usually walking, zoos, museums, etc. I'm not a sports-player, so you won't catch me playing softball or volleyball anytime soon! And when I'm finally home I do spend time on the couch, but it's in between cooking and cleaning and some form of organizing. I even park my car further away for shopping trips at the mall!

[ebianco]

Unfortunately for me I am not very active outside of my actual workouts. I mostly sit all day at a desk job (which frankly feels good after working out hard in the morning before work!) but on the weekends I often disappoint myself by vegetating on the sofa (again, after my morning workout) which is inevitably accompanied by snacking, which downfalls my weight loss efforts And yet I just want to relax after I work out! To me it is a vicious cycle

Summer and spring allows more flexibility (and more enthusiasm!) for me to be more active. I walk to the train that gets me to work (~1 mile each way), I like to take evening walks/jogs and be outside a lot more in general. I can jog and bike with more intensity on the weekend and I just feel like being more active. I am sooooo ready for winter to be over with.

[beckythecook]

I have a very active, fast paced job, and I'm on my feet the whole day, other than my lunch break. There are also a lot of bursts of speed walking during the day and I carry around 20-50 pound objects while speed walking multiple times. So my job itself is quite active, plus I walk 1.5 miles each way to work and try to push myself to walk as fast as I can. I usually make it to work in 18 or 19 minutes at this point. Phew!

The downside to being this active in my daily life is that I have a lot of trouble motivating myself to add on additional "workout" time. It's so much easier to sleep in or just crash on the couch when I get home. I just started p90X and am on my 6th day in a row, so maybe I've finally found something to keep me motivated. I hope so at least!

[Sarah-lara]

Not NEARLY enough. The Go Wear Fit taught me just how sluggy I can be. Having a big dog in a little condo is helping me now to get just to the bare minimum number of steps per day that the average person does. Before getting her, I lingered around 2000, which I once saw Dr. Oz say was pitiful.

I have downstairs neighbors, so my cardio has to be outside or in the garage. But this winter has been a killer. DH and I used to be able to hike or take long walks, but it's been all rain, snow, wind and mud for months.

And I used to be able to walk to the grocery store but it burned down over a year ago. They renovated it, but the old place can't afford to move back in with this economy. It's a difficult neighborhood to walk because of lots of highways, so that was about it, in terms of functional walking. Boo.

[Fidget Queen]

Up until school ended in December, I was VERY active outside of workouts. Actually, I barely worked out in the last two years because of illness. But I have no car and needed to get around. So I walked, and walked, and walked, and walked, and walked all day. I was also carrying my books (and food and water and art supplies) with me all day long, as well. I maintained my weight very well during this time. Now, though, I don't have school, I can't find a job, and I don't tend to go out if I don't have to (the weather freaking sucks right now!). I still have to walk when I do want to get somewhere, but once a week isn't enough. My workouts aren't exactly top notch right now, either. I've put on a lot of weight in only a couple of months.

In the past, though, my activity level was directly related to my caffeine consumption. I quit all forms of caffeine when I became sick two years ago. Since then, my motivation is GONE. I only now realize that the only reason I exercised, fidgeted, or did anything, for the last 10 years was because I drank coffee all day long!! I was called "Fidget Queen" because I NEVER STOOD STILL, even when I was desperately trying to stand still. Now, you can't make me move if I don't have to.

[jessicavi]

During the winter/cold days, my a.m. w/o's are pretty much it. I take two flights of stairs everyday and my office is small so no walking around much. Occasionally, I do a p.m. workout or go indoor skating w/ my son. But I stay out of the cold as much as possible.

During spring/summer, I take walks during the workday for about 15-30 minutes. I love warm weather and getting out. I may take my son to the park or skating. It's so uplifting.

[suebella]

Three months ago I would have answered "very active."

Then I bought my BodyBugg and started wearing it daily. The real, true answer is "not very active".

I have a sedentary job and tend to enjoy activities like reading, listening to music and writing that are not very active.

I have been working on incorporating 10K steps a day, irrespective of workout, and that helps.

[toaster]

As others have said, you can't hide from a pedometer!

I exercise daily, so that's a plus. But I have a job that means sitting all day (not exactly a desk job--I'm a psychologist ), so that means that I'm pretty sedentary otherwise. I started wearing a pedometer daily about a year and a half ago, and most days, it is a stuggle to get my daily step totals over 2000 (I don't wear the pedometer while exercising). But, just having the pedomter does encourage me to try to move more.

For those of you who also wear pedometers daily, we actually have a checkin! Please join us for the "Every Step Counts" checkin.

[Helen S]

I have a desk job so I'm mostly sitting all day. I do go up the stairs but I take the elevator going down. Going down the stairs is a little hard on my knees so I only do that if I'm walking down with co-workers. Sometimes, we walk to different places for lunch. That's mostly the walking that I do outside since I don't live close to any stores, library, etc.

I do work out for an hour in the morning. Then I either work out or go to various classes, e.g. dance, at night.