I was reading with interest the thread "succesful diet" by Lneal. I learned alot and found some new sources to help - thank you!

I recently joined Shape Up the Nation, through my employer.
I have 2 jobs, and sit at both, so have been trying to find ways to get exercise while sitting at my desks. Have started walking 5 flights of stairs, up and down, 3-4 rounds twice a day. Also, use the restroom furthest away (3 flights up). Pace in place on the phone, or when just watching the monitors.

But, on reading this topic here, I got wondering how I could still take my rare moments of quilting, and use it as exercise too?

Stand to quilt (I did that the other day, as my sewing table doesn't leave much room to let the quilt move during FMQ)? Maybe move the ironing board further from the sewing machine, so I have to take a few steps?

What do you think? Any ideas?

Yep! They can! Pretty much the way you've already figured out! :)

Or...you can quilt for say...55 minutes and then stop for a five minute fast paced walk in place...

I sit at my office job too...I will often just lift my legs while I'm sitting...or put my ankles together, put a little rubber ball between my knees and squeeze it.

I find when I sew that my hands are busy and I don't munch as much!! I keep my bottle of water handy also, keeps my hunger pains away.

and it really helps if you don't buy fabrics with food on them.
I only have one of those and it's all veggies :wink:

If I am dieting, I have more money for fabric.

While you are sitting move parts of your body, like a fidgety person :wink: You can stop frequently and stretch, tighten and release muscles. While you are sitting lift one leg at a time and move your foot in a circular motion. Little things like tapping your feet even help. I find myself doing this more and more as it helps me from getting to stiff and sore from sitting for very long :D:D:D

My quilting/sewing room is upstairs and the powder room is downstairs (as is the coffee pot!)...that's pretty good exercise in the course of the day...also helped me quit smoking because it was just too much of an interruption to go "all the way" dowstairs to go outside and smoke...was having too much fun in the sewing room!

When I read the subject line.... I thought 'not if you have some chocolate stashed in your sewing room' lol

But on the serious side. Yes one can diet and quilt. Some of the suggestions are wonderful. Another one - don't have your ironing board right next to the machine. Move Cut for awhile, then sew for awhile, and press for awhile. The key is to move. Sure it's not a 5 mile walk but you would be surprised by just moving around your room helps.

My first reaction was, I'd rather just focus on and enjoy the quilting, but there are some good suggestions here.

I'll add one: Keep a set of dumbbells by you, and each time you finish a section, do a quick set of 10 or 12 reps with your dumbbells. Do a different lift each time, like a set of biceps curls one time, then a set of overhead lifts (I don't know the actual names of these) the next time.

By section, you define what a section is for you, whether it's a quilt block or just a seam if you sew by hand, or cutting a set of strips, or even every 20 minutes or so.

When my hubby & I were designing my 'studio', we decided to use kitchen counters & cupboards. We didn't take in to consideration that the area where my machines would be wasn't suitable for sitting! Originally I thought no problem, I'll just get me some drafting chairs. Well that didn't work out well at all. It was a royal pain get'n on & off of them every time I needed to cut or iron. So now I sew standing up. I've had 8-10 hr sew-a-thons & let me tell you, you feel it!