Move more!

I saw a tweet today about how people who move more tend to lose more weight. This seems obvious but let's take a closer look. You need to create a 500 calorie per day deficit for 7 days to lose a pound. The average person burns about 1500 to 2200 calories each day if they're relatively inactive. Following a very intense exercise session, like a 1 hour cycling class, you likely use around 500 calories. You would need to do this for 7 days to lose a pound. The majority of the calories that are used daily are used for activities of daily living (walking, chores, and yes, even digestion). It is much easier to increase calorie usage by increasing daily activities than to pound away on the cycle. I am not arguing against planned exercise, which has critical benefits for strength and cardiovascular fitness, and as such is very important. I am suggesting that for weight maintenance and even weight loss, small, daily changes are achievable. So, take the stairs today!