What do thin people do during the day?

messyhare
messyhare Posts: 366 Member
edited September 29 in Health and Weight Loss
I have a quick question for those that have either lost and gotten to goal/close to goal and/or any that only ever needed to lose just a bit of weight.

During the day do you count the little things you do as exercise? Example would be a good song comes on and you dance to it and even the next one! Or you have to run up to the corner store which is 2 blocks away and you walk? Or park as far as you can from the grocery store and walk the distance.

The reason I ask is because I am trying to act like the thin person I will eventually become - I had read an article on this and was encouraged by the good results of those that followed the suggestions. I am walking to the corner store, I am dancing to songs with my daughter (and when I say dance, I really mean a short aerobic workout! I totally add in squats and lunges etc to the beat) and parking as far as I can from places I am going and walking the distance. And I am not counting any of this as exercise. I'm just chalking it up to normal day to day activities. I only add to my exercise log if it's actual the time I have set aside to exercise.

I've really never be thin so it's hard for me to think like a thin person. What are some other things that thin people do that help them to stay thin?

Replies

  • daisymae9801
    daisymae9801 Posts: 208 Member
    I don't count it because thin people just move a lot :) I read an article by a celebrity trainer who said that the most common misconception is that celebrities spend hours on end in the gym every day. He said the most basic thing he tells them is to move more on a daily basis.
  • PBmaria
    PBmaria Posts: 854 Member
    I just count my actual workouts, not the little stuff :)
    Sometimes I just dance in my living room and don't count that either.
  • crystalmichelle82
    crystalmichelle82 Posts: 249
    i have to be different, dont mean to be ... but i count everything for the most part. Not just casually walking around though. Even if you jog 5 minutes, or lets say you do ab burner (ChaLean Extreme) for 11 minutes I log it all. I love to see what i have done and share that w/ others. If i am snacking i log all that too. If i just dance for a song in the living room then I dont log that. you have to be realistic with what you log. If you are working on your fitness, you know it! :wink:
  • kanonxbou47
    kanonxbou47 Posts: 265 Member
    Um, if you move a lot, I wouldn't count it.
    I read in a magazine article (from Katy Perry's personal trainer) that Katy just brings a jump rope everywhere, for when she's waiting or something.
    If you do stuff like that that are hard to log, probably just set your lifestyle to something a bit more active.
  • kappy_hollowell
    kappy_hollowell Posts: 399
    I don't count those either. That's just hidden physical activity that will help you burn more and you're not really thinking about it.

    I do count my saturday or sunday house cleaning chores as exercise. It usually takes me 2 hours, and I'm out of breath and sweating a lot.

    I do walk further to the grocery, take the stairs, walk around, etc. but...... I Just chalk those up to bonus calories burned!
  • BeGreat25
    BeGreat25 Posts: 78
    I can't say I'm thin or skinny but I can say I met my goal. What I normally do is walk and run to places I gotta be. And I tend to wake up and do quick aerobic video to maintain weight. Also I still watch what I eat n drink.
  • SweetP88
    SweetP88 Posts: 79
    I never count the little things that are just part of my day....I only count it if I actually sweat for more than 20 minutes (and mean REALLY sweat)!! I have reached my goal weight and even got lower than that number and have kept it off for 3 months now. Keep focused and be honest with your exercise and food and you will get there too!!
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    I think you have the right idea, park farther, dance more. When I am cooking I will groove by the stove. When I am at work I boogey around from coffee bar to cooler door or what not (I work in a small convenience store and spend a lot of time just standing at the register helping customers).

    Anything at all that gets you moving is something useful. :) Now that you mention you have a small daughter, play tag outside (or inside, safely) omg tag is so fun and extremely awesome for your health. So much movement!
  • jbucci1186
    jbucci1186 Posts: 440 Member
    park as far away as possible when i go out
    take stairs, and run up them if it's only 1 or 2 flights.
    take random walks around my neighborhood (15-20min at a time)/walk my dog
    walk faster than most people around me

    other than my daily workouts, job, and the above, i basically just sit around

    i also have a bodymedia fit that tells me what i'm burning per minute per day and base my eating off of that.
  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
    I'm not so sure thin people, as a group, think differently than people who are not.

    That being said I:

    ~Stop eating when I feel full. I hate feeling too full, it's uncomfortable.
    ~There is no food that I cannot say no to.
    ~I love running, with a passion, with all of the fiber of my being.
    ~I tend to stay away from things with fattening toppings. I've just never liked that stuff: ranch dressing, gravies, heavy cheeses, and what not.
    ~I don't purposefully walk the farther distance at the mall parking lot, but I will not drive around endlessly to find that perfect spot.
    ~I can't stand sitting on my butt, not doing anything.
    ~I get depressed when I'm not active.
    ~I think food is yummy, but I am in no way, a foodie.
    ~I think food is fuel, yummy fuel... but just fuel.
    ~I hate foods that are too rich. I end up taking frosting off of most birthday cakes.
    ~I have a calorie limit now, but I don't deny myself any particular food.
    ~I like meat, but I LOVE veggies. And, when I'm doing too much, I don't get them as often as I would like.

    EDIT:
    ~I love walks/walking.
    ~I love the sore feeling I get the next day after a workout.

    I only count calories from my workouts and long walks.
  • LauriinSB
    LauriinSB Posts: 34 Member
    I generally just count my workouts, good luck!!!!
  • Nana_Anne
    Nana_Anne Posts: 179 Member
    I had lost weight before and stopped counting. Then I would say well this little cake or fry isn't much. I'll burn it off. If I didn't feel like going for a walk I wouldn't. I started parking closer to the store. The weight came back slowly and I would always say well that's not too much I'll get back to it. Then here I sat at 232 and was like Oh my I see how I got here. This time I'll do things different. I found MFP and I'll stay here and LEARN a new healthy lifestyle. Obviously I dieted before and didn't change my life or inside.
  • hsnider29
    hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
    I don't think I'm thin but my BMI is in the "normal range". I only count actual exercise that I do. I don't count cleaning, dancing or any walking (other than a brisk walk). One time we dug new flowerbeds in my backyard and I counted that because I was busting my butt for 6 hours but I didn't eat the calories back because I'm not sure I actually burned as much as MFP alloted. I don't think there is anything wrong with this, especially if you have been very sedentary but I have a pretty active job and don't consider myself sedentary anymore.
  • hoosiermama1977
    hoosiermama1977 Posts: 43
    I wear a bodymedia fit (like the body bugg) and one thing I've learned - it's all the little stuff that counts! Walkisinng around the grocery store is a MUCH bigger burn then my 1/2 hour zumba class! If I stand while on the p.c. (like right now) I burn more then sitting. If I'm sitting and watching t.v the burn is the same as sleeping!~!! So I'm not sure what thin people do but I know MY plan is just to keep moving!! Keep standing if nothing else. Park further away, etc.. I know that some debate on what to count or not and I guess in that case I'm glad for the bodymedia fit because I can just grab my total but if anyone ever says "cleaning the house" doesn't count then they are lieing! I clean a room everyday and the day I clean the kitchen -wowsers - it all registers as activity! (dusting not so much). Anyway, just my .02 - just keep moving. Have fun with it. My whole thing is if I'm going to sit and watch t.v. or "rest" I'd rather just sleep since it counts the same and the sleep is good for me :)
  • avninjalette123
    avninjalette123 Posts: 129 Member
    It really depends... If I am dancing and cleaning I just log cleaning....I only log cleaning if I brake a sweat. If I walk to the gas station down the street I log the slowest walking possible for the time walked there and back and usually only log it if I haven't done a regular work out for the day. I have my activitly set to seditary because I know I mostly sit here on my computer, so when I do clean i usually go all out from floor to ceiling and I don't do it everyday so i consider it to be a small workout. I do however log mowing lawn everytime because damn...that's a work out.lol
  • krlaws2
    krlaws2 Posts: 47
    I can't really speak on the exercise thing b/c that's where I lacked before and am now learning to make it more a part of my every day life. But one thing I definitely did was to basically always leave food on my plate. It was rare that I would eat an entire serving of something on my plate. When I started finishing every drop of food on my plate is when I started to gain weight.
  • messyhare
    messyhare Posts: 366 Member
    Wow - thanks for all the input!

    I think I'm on the right track according to what I've read on the comments regarding moving. I will just continue doing what I am doing, adding more as I'm able!

    I am back on track this week too for "real" exercise so hopefully will see a loss on Friday.

    Thanks again for the responses!
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,063 Member
    One thing I think is major that I notice about my skinny friends is that they hardly ever finish their plates. I, for one, eat almost everything. It's painful for me to throw away a plate of food that's half full. The other day I did it and it was so sad watching it go in the trash! So yeah, that's my skinny tip - don't eat all the food on your plate, and eat what you like. Skinny people generally don't eat the soggy french fries on their plate, whereas I would chow down on them.
  • katedonn5
    katedonn5 Posts: 16
    I don't count dancing or movement as exercise. 1 - you might be tempted to eat it back 2 - it's part of life. If you're counting steps or something like that then it's naturally factored in. I count exercise as a workout class, gym, run, etc. Walking from my car into the mall is not a .10 mile walk that I log.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    I've been slim all my life, only put on weight whilst pregnant...and then i really put on weight lol!

    Um, i think i've always just moved around alot, even sitting down i'll be tapping my feet or wriggling my hands, didn't really notice this until it had been pointed out to me. I will race with my boys, play football and dance alot.

    I never used to drive, walked everywhere, miles, as didn't like using public transport, which was a huge hassle with a buggy and impossible with a double one. That's why i lost my pregnancy weight so quick the first 2 times. Third baby i was driving and it's taken my the longest to lose the weight this time!!!

    Keep moving!!
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    I try to do anything but nothing.

    As far as excersize, I only count those difficult things that I do not regularly do. Cooking, cleaning, dishes; no.

    Hand washing the floors, cutting fire wood, stacking hay; yes.

    And of course regular scheduled excersize. I am lazy, but I try to avoid fattening things like television and excessively cold AC.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    One thing I think is major that I notice about my skinny friends is that they hardly ever finish their plates. I, for one, eat almost everything. It's painful for me to throw away a plate of food that's half full. The other day I did it and it was so sad watching it go in the trash! So yeah, that's my skinny tip - don't eat all the food on your plate, and eat what you like. Skinny people generally don't eat the soggy french fries on their plate, whereas I would chow down on them.

    Great observation.
  • hsnider29
    hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
    It really depends... If I am dancing and cleaning I just log cleaning....I only log cleaning if I brake a sweat. If I walk to the gas station down the street I log the slowest walking possible for the time walked there and back and usually only log it if I haven't done a regular work out for the day. I have my activitly set to seditary because I know I mostly sit here on my computer, so when I do clean i usually go all out from floor to ceiling and I don't do it everyday so i consider it to be a small workout. I do however log mowing lawn everytime because damn...that's a work out.lol

    I think if I actually cut my grass I would log it too. My DF cuts our grass and he is sweating and exhausted when he finishes. It takes him a good hour and a half of cutting, trimming and edging.
  • messyhare
    messyhare Posts: 366 Member
    eat what you like. Skinny people generally don't eat the soggy french fries on their plate, whereas I would chow down on them.
    SO funny and yet so true....
  • hoosiermama1977
    hoosiermama1977 Posts: 43
    I have to add though - my "skinny friends" usually eat a LOT worse then I ever did!! and most of them never exercise. My ex husband was extremely thin. He had his drawers at work stocked with little debbie swiss rolls and would eat a box every day or two. That was on top of eating fast food 2-3 times a day, chips, etc.. And when he wasn't working he was watching t.v. (his job was not very active). Most of my female friends who are thin are shocked at how much less I can eat then them. So, I guess maybe it makes more sense to try to eat/move like a HEALTHY person then a thin person alone because thin does NOT always equal healthy!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I don't count it as extras.. I just upped my lifestyle from sedetary to lightly active.

    I always walk to the corner store or park far away when I go to class at the local college and walk to the building.

    My fav. sub sandwich place is also opening soon near by and I plan on walking there a lot!
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