# How Sedentary Are You?



## debodun (May 3, 2017)

On a scale of 10 to 1 (10 = have a regular exercise/aerobic routine and am very fit for my age, 1 =  I consider turning over in bed as exercise), how do you see your fitness vs. sedentary lifestyle?


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## exwisehe (May 3, 2017)

Probably an 8.  I exercise at a gym (Planet Fitness Club) and ride my bicycle every week.  Plus I mow my own yard, and also my brother's, who disabled.  I also walk my dog every day for about a half mile (I know that's not much, but he has Cushings disease, and has to go slow.)


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## Victor Meldrew (May 3, 2017)

I would say probably about a 4 or a 5. I try to walk as much as possible by not taking my car from one place to another when the distances are relatively short. I manage to get a fair amount of walking in that way. Plus, on weekends I'll find a city park or somewhere to go and walk around for a few hours or so just to fight the boredom. I could do a lot better, though. In the summer there's always the yard that needs to be tended to.


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## RadishRose (May 3, 2017)

4 to 5 as well. Lately more of a 4.


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## Aunt Bea (May 3, 2017)

Very sedentary, my biggest exercise is walking up and down the three flights of stairs where I live or pushing a shopping cart around the local mega stores.  I need to run more errands on foot in my neighborhood.  I've worked all my life so I can have a dependable automobile and now I need to walk, first world problem LOL!!!


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## Ruth n Jersey (May 3, 2017)

I think about an 8. I don't do exercises or go to a gym but once my feet hit the floor in the morning I only sit down for lunch,dinner and a couple of hours after dinner. This time of years matters also. Summer I'm outside doing yard work. If the weather is nice I park my car at the mall as far away from the entrance as possible. Still hang clothes out on the line and always find something that needs doing or redoing much to my husbands dismay.


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## Callie (May 3, 2017)

I have three different stairs at my house, front door, back door and up from the garage. If it isn't winter-time, then  I'm up and down those stairs all day long.
I have a couple of acres and  it all gets mowed. I also do a lot of hand-weeding in the flower areas.
The  mailbox is down at end of my lane and it's a nice little short walk.
I guess I'm about a 5 on the scale.


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## hauntedtexan (May 3, 2017)

I'm comfortable at about minus twelve.... go through about 3 recliners a year and still have my 9 year old pair of sneakers. Been rode hard and put away wet, as we say in west Texas. Used to be a power lifter, golf 7 days/week, and remote hiker, so I have earned every second of this sedinantarious life style.... LOOK, a new word!


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## nvtribefan (May 3, 2017)

debodun said:


> On a scale of 10 to 1 (10 = have a regular exercise/aerobic routine and am very fit for my age, 1 =  I consider turning over in bed as exercise), how do you see your fitness vs. sedentary lifestyle?



8. What's yours?


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## SeaBreeze (May 3, 2017)

I'd say about an 8, I no longer go to a gym but I do take long walks every day and do a lot of yard work, housework (well maybe no so much of that layful, chores, etc.  I do some hiking too when we go out to the woods.


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## Whisper (May 3, 2017)

I'm probably an 8. I have a regular exercise routine, yoga, walking and light weights. My knees are starting to give me trouble though. So it's more yoga now instead of cardio.


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## debodun (May 4, 2017)

hauntedtexan said:


> I'm comfortable at about minus twelve.... go through about 3 recliners a year and still have my 9 year old pair of sneakers. Been rode hard and put away wet, as we say in west Texas. Used to be a power lifter, golf 7 days/week, and remote hiker, so I have earned every second of this sedinantarious life style.... LOOK, a new word!



Sounds good to me.


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## debodun (May 4, 2017)

nvtribefan said:


> 8. What's yours?



1 or less. I don't move unless necessary.


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## Deucemoi (May 4, 2017)

3 maybe


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## Don M. (May 4, 2017)

A strong 8 or 9.  Every day the weather permits, I'm outdoors several hours doing chores and yardwork, etc.  In the Winter, I have a Bowflex gym in the basement, and use it frequently.  I'm 5'9", stay between 155 and 160 lbs, and rarely visit the doctor for anything other than the annual Medicare Wellness exams.  My wife also tries to take good care of herself, and our annual medical "out of pocket" expenses are usually less than $1000/year...and most of that is vision or dental, copays, etc.  Knock Wood...we hope to stay this way for many more years.


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## SeaBreeze (May 5, 2017)




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## jujube (May 5, 2017)

A snail whizzed by me last night and yelled "MOVE IT, GRANNY!"  <sigh>


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## Dragonlady (May 6, 2017)

Probably about an 8 or 9 I take Taekwondo 3 times a week and TaiChi once. Just recently bought a bike, but haven't been able to ride it much because of the rain. Hope to do more when it finally lets up. In the nice weather - warm & dry I walk.


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## Aunt Bea (May 6, 2017)

jujube said:


> A snail whizzed by me last night and yelled "MOVE IT, GRANNY!"  <sigh>


.  

Damn snails!!!

Getting up after a fall is about the only exercise I get these days!!!


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## Bobw235 (May 6, 2017)

I get to the gym at least twice a week for a minimum of an hour, split between aerobics and weight training. I've also resumed working out at home on our recumbent bike and using weights at home. Trying to keep active around the yard too and not stay glued to the couch.


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## Callie (May 6, 2017)

This week,  I upped it to a nine. LOTS of yard work... lifting/mowing (both riding mower and push mower)/hauling/on knees pulling weeds/up and down the stairs. Have been sleeping like the dead at night time. I'm feeling it all today, though, plus, my foot is a little painful. Yesterday, was cleaning up next to old falling down fence and stepped on a board that... ooops.. stuck to my foot.. Yep, had to pull it away from foot to remove the nail that was embedded in my foot. I was wearing some old, and cheap, croc-like shoes. They did nothing to slow the nail from making me yell, Ohhhhhh Dammit!!

Today, I finished up with my list and am now kicking back and gonna do nothing tomorrow.. well, the laundry, but the only thing I don't like about it is putting away the folded clothes.

Even Trav (dog) is tired.. It was a long rainy season and he got used to the sofa - he doesn't like getting wet. This past week, it was pull some weeds, toss the ball, pull some weeds, toss the ball, run the fence line and bark at neighbors- repeat as needed.


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## Butterfly (May 6, 2017)

Callie said:


> This week,  I upped it to a nine. LOTS of yard work... lifting/mowing (both riding mower and push mower)/hauling/on knees pulling weeds/up and down the stairs. Have been sleeping like the dead at night time. I'm feeling it all today, though, plus, my foot is a little painful. Yesterday, was cleaning up next to old falling down fence and stepped on a board that... ooops.. stuck to my foot.. Yep, had to pull it away from foot to remove the nail that was embedded in my foot. I was wearing some old, and cheap, croc-like shoes. They did nothing to slow the nail from making me yell, Ohhhhhh Dammit!!
> 
> Today, I finished up with my list and am now kicking back and gonna do nothing tomorrow.. well, the laundry, but the only thing I don't like about it is putting away the folded clothes.
> 
> Even Trav (dog) is tired.. It was a long rainy season and he got used to the sofa - he doesn't like getting wet. This past week, it was pull some weeds, toss the ball, pull some weeds, toss the ball, run the fence line and bark at neighbors- repeat as needed.




I hope you got a tetanus shot, Callie.  Rusty nail punctures are nothing to mess with.


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## Callie (May 6, 2017)

Buterfly, I was going to call my doctor today, but I forgot. Thanks for the reminder. They are all closed now, but will call again in the morning.


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## HiDesertHal (Jun 25, 2017)

I will not assign a number to my fitness/sedentary lifestyle, becaue it can't be done!

I ride my Bike *occasionally*, I Pump Iron in my Home Gym *occasionally* (Light Weights & Many Reps), I do Pushups and Floor Touches *regularly*, and I never worry about interrupting my "routine" at all!

("Oh gosh...I missed my 10 AM workout...")

Phooey!

HiDesertHal  [Almost 81, 6' 2", 205 lbs., 36" waist, Small Gut.]


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## Falcon (Jun 25, 2017)

It used to be much higher,  but now I'm down to about a 1  or  2.

@ MY age, it's a wonder I can move at all......except for my bowels.


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## tnthomas (Jun 25, 2017)

Well, I was doing good, I forget which end of the 1 through 10 scale is "better', so I'll just say a 5.    I was doing well, after I retired  was eating really healthy, getting to the gym frequently...I lost 50 pounds without really sacrificing .

Then I went back to a full time(full stress load job, working at a prison) and how now put back on, 30 of those pounds that I had lost.  

But, I retire again at the end of next week, so I'm going to re-trace my former steps-to-health...and get as healthy as God will allow.


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## Trade (Jun 27, 2017)

I do a two mile walk every morning and I hit the free weights 2-3 times a week. The rest of the time I am a couch potato. 

So, if I understand the scale right the minimum score is 1 for waking up in the morning. I'm going to give myself another point for the daily walks. And one more for the weights. So that's 3.


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## drifter (Jun 29, 2017)

I had to look the word up but about twelve hours a day.


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## GypsyRoadLady (Sep 26, 2017)

9 would be my guess, but my neighbors who think I am crazy would say 10.


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## Camper6 (Sep 26, 2017)

Not sedentary at all. Ride a bike every single day. Rarely use a car. It's a feeling of power to be able to do it at my age. I feel bike riding is a great exercise as it reinforces balance with aerobics. I can't think of another exercise that does that to any extent.

This winter I will use a balance board.


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## Manatee (Oct 4, 2017)

It depends on what time I get up.


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## Lon (Oct 4, 2017)

I am more sedentary than I would like to be but have to deal with some pain and physical limitations.


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## Bob P (Nov 6, 2017)

A 1-10 scale is necessarily subjective, but by the guideline you set (10 = regular exercise and very fit for my age), I would rate myself in the 8 - 9 range. I religiously do 2 strength workouts per week, and then various other activities on the off days (hiking, biking, kayaking, etc.).

The emerging science about the health risks of sitting too much and also the consequences of loss of muscle as we age are pretty strong motivators. Besides, I enjoy outdoor activities and want to retain the ability to pursue them as long as possible. I figure a few hours a week invested in health and fitness pays a pretty good dividend in the long run.


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## Wren (Nov 6, 2017)

I would say around 7 I enjoy a walk most days, weather permitting, but can be a bit lazy at times....it doesn’t take much for me to curl up with a good book instead.....


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## rgp (Dec 6, 2017)

Do ya think there is a difference between "exercise" & "activity" ?

I do,...activity is doing the same thing , walking the dog, vacuuming the house, etc.

Too me exercise is actual "exer" / extra. Like going to the gym & perhaps pushing for just a-bit more. Our bodies become complacent with the everyday.  Not that "activity" isn't better than sitting, I just think that it leaves the "exer" out.

 There is a guy that walks by everyday...I mean even in nasty  weather, and he is walking !...pickin'em up & puttin'em down. Not sloughin' along. And his belly is bigger than mine ! I used to walk daily, [before arthritis] and i miss it. But after seeing this guy everyday for over two years now. I wonder just how much it helps in terms of fitness ?

Don't misunderstand me...I believe there are "hidden" benefits of it, but judging by him...calorie burning is less than i would have thought.


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## retiredtraveler (Dec 6, 2017)

rgp said:


> Do ya think there a difference a difference between "exercise" & "activity" ?  There is a guy that walks by everyday...I mean even in nasty  weather, and he is walking !...pickin'em up & puttin'em down. Not sloughin' along. And his belly is bigger than mine ! I used to walk daily, [before arthritis] and i miss it. But after seeing this guy everyday for over two years now. I wonder just how much it helps in terms of fitness ?
> Don't misunderstand me...I believe there are "hidden" benefits of it, but judging by him...calorie burning is less than i would have thought.



You're correct. Walking has some benefit, but not a lot of 'fitness'.  I'm 67 years old and hit the gym 2 hours a day. I'm doing a 'boot camp' class, a couple of step classes, weight lifting, and using a stepper. If you want to be 'fit', you have to push yourself and get your heart rate up for over 30 minutes a day. You need to work out to the point you can hardly carry on a conversation and sweating to the point it looks like you took a shower in your clothes.


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## Knight (Dec 7, 2017)

I'd put my level at 8. Regular exercize 5 days a week both cardio & weights. Toss in getting up to go to the bathroom, dropping keys and other things and bending over to pick them up I think count. What I am not is a health nut. 


Because.


Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in the hospital, dying of nothing.


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## C'est Moi (Feb 1, 2018)

I'm probably about a 5.   No exercise routine but I keep busy.   According to my Fitbit, I walk up and down the stairs in our house over 20 times a day on average and put in a lot of steps daily.   I also spend a lot of time in the pool in the warmer months so all in all, I'm fairly active.


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