I am at work right now, have been here for two hours. That entire time has been spent sitting in a chair working at a computer--not a lot of aerobic exercise involved. I am at least fortunate in that my office is upstairs in a mezzanine area only accessible by stairs, and the xerox machine, restroom and my boss's office are downstairs, so I get to go up and down all day long. After work I will attend a Sea Scout meeting which will probably be indoors sitting at a table. I will then drive for an hour (more or less) to pick up my son, and get home for dinner at about 9 p.m., unless I eat in my office before the meeting. I go to bed about 10. That doesn't really leave any time in the schedule for major exercise. I never watch TV and don't own a Gameboy, but the effect of my usual routine is the same, and probably is for most people nowadays.

If I want to include exercise in my daily life, I will have to start getting up at 5 a.m. instead of 6, or give up other recreational activities which I enjoy. I could use my bike to commute to work, but only if I can convince my husband to pick up our son--he doesn't like to do this, because he gets his exercise by biking to work. The net result is that he has lost fifteen pounds and has buns of steel, while I have put on a few. Or I could give up housework--at least until the Board of Health condemns my house.