Losing weight seems to be a life long trial for so many of us.

Let’s just say that getting on the scale is a sometimes depressing event. I know it is important to weigh yourself regularly in order to keep your weight down. This has been conformed by studies-people who weigh regularly keep their weight off. I confess, I have gotten away from that regular habit. One reason the habit is important because it guards against weight creep. You know, the few pounds that attach themselves to your body without you noticing!

Well I’ve had more than a creep, it’s now a crawl. I put on a dress I wore a year ago for our medical school’s white coat ceremony and it was really tight, really, really tight! So much so, I couldn’t wear it. Then I jumped on the scale and have gained a full ten pounds!

So I began to think, hmmm, not much has changed on the eating front. In fact, I don’t eat that many calories a day. And I am not in denial about this! But I am still gaining weight.

What has changed dramatically is my physical activity. For the past year I have been sitting at a desk developing curricula. And when I looked at one of my previous blog’s, Sitting is the New Smoking, I knew what the weight gain was all about.

And if I need a little reminder from my blog, too much sitting is linked to heart disease, diabetes, and early death from all causes. That’s right, the World Health Organization puts sitting or physical inactivity 4^th on the list of risk factors for death worldwide. Death is a good motivator for me.

Honestly I don’t have time to exercise like I used to, but if I am going to keep my weight down, I have to find a way. Studies confirm this. More Americans are eating less, but are still overweight.

So join me America. Not only do we have to pay attention to what we eat, but we have to ramp up the physical activity. I have an idea of what I am going to do that will not require me to talk myself into going to the gym when I am exhausted. This is key-find something that works for you and make the time. I’m working it in to my schedule like meals.

Exercise is not something I like, but since I don’t have time for tennis or pilates classes anymore, I have to figure it out. I’m getting a mini trampoline called a rebounder that I can bounce in front of my TV at night. It just might work. It’s worth a try because I don’t feel I can cut the calories much more.