Feel like I am starving!!!

I often work 6-7 days a week and manage 7-8 hours sleep.

on weekdays I get up at 6 am and get ready for work.  I have to also get my son up and make sure he is ready for school.  I fix breakfast for my son and my husband....  Leave the house no later than 8 am.  Except for Wednesday when I leave at 6:30 am to go to Kiwanis...

I work all day until 6 pm...  at least 1 night a week I have comittee meetings or district Kiwanis or something and will get home around 8 or 9 pm...  normal nights I am home by 7 or so...  Oh, on Monday's I take my son to Orchestra and on Wednesday's we have dinner at my parents Effectivley I am not home until 8 or 9  - 3 days a week... and home around 7 on 2 days.  When I get home early I have to make dinner and have some precious family time. I am in bed by 10 am - this princess requires 8 hours of beauty sleep to function well... Saturdays I work from 10 am to 2 pm and then take my son to private viola lessons and have some family time in the evening.  Sundays I make big brekkie for the family and then go to the laundrymat to do the weeks washing.  I often visit the office on Sunday afternoons for a few hours to get some lingering paperwork done. Please tell me where you think I could fit in an hour at the gym (plus transportation) 4 days a week.  Don't bother suggesting lunch hour.  I dont get one.  I work straight through. Of course I am not going to join a gym or begin exercising anytime soon - I am really just making Christa's point that people with families and people who work alot have precious little time to work with.

I have a harder schedule and still manage as well as know others who do.  It's all in your choices.  You choose things other than fitness....

Sure - a person could walk if they wanted to.....

I think the problem with your way of thinking is not everyone can do your plan. Even if your plan is the correct and only way (making a cross on chest like the nuns do) then people will fail at it because it's quite difficult. Very few people can wake up one day and decide to follow your plan for the rest of their lives.  It's a long journey, a learning process.  You yourself did not start at your current plan. I think you've lost sight of that. You know your way works and you want to tell everyone. Nothing wrong with that and you SHOULD  tell everyone.  At the same time though, be sympathetic to those who haven't made it to the point you are at. I'm not sure if you know or not but your approach comes off rather officious.  Not unlike an eccentric preacher on the side of the road telling everyone they're going to hell if they don't follow the one true way.  I'm not trying to say that to offend you by any means. I'm just trying to help you to realize how people react to your posts. We all know the road ultimately leads to a balance between nutrition and exercise for life.  Some of us just aren't quite on the interstate yet.

What's difficult about it?  Eat healthy? Exercise? I see no reason people couldn't.  Again, it's not about my plan but a healthy plan for best results. Even with a disability most people could do a version of it.  Did I wake up and just jump right into it?  Well, I was committed and dedicated, I always give 100%.  I'm not unsympathetic to where others are, but honestly?  The last thing I want is to see people make a road for themselves that will deliver limited and short lived results.  It seems that by accepting and promoting a healthiest option folks take umbrage, rather than listen to the potholes in some plans.... I agree it's a learning process and I really hate to see people learn the wrong things or pursue paths that will only disappoint.

I'm agreeing with Chris, here. There's dozens of paths to every destination and you fail to see that.  There might be more efficient methods to getting to the same goal, but the truth is that Christa's method will get her where she wants to go.   Oprah lost her weight with one treadmill, and I assure you she was not running on that thing when she was in the upper 200's, so apparently walking does have a place in the world of fitness.  I also intend on it being my form of cardio because I find it sufficient.

Point is this: Calm the hell down.  Everyone has a method to their madness.  Stop pushing your methods on others like some cult religion.  No one wants to deal with that crap.  I'm happy it works for you, but learn the difference between sharing and drafting.   

< HUGS! >  How's your band working by the way?  I need an update. I'm too lazy to waft through hundreds of old posts to find out!

IMO walking on a treadmill at a descent pace can give you one hell of a workout!  It's not like taking a leisurely stroll in the park.  I 've lost quite a bit of weight many times by walking alone.  Brenda

You are a workhorse.  You work out like no tomorrow!  It's something you truly enjoy and have immersed yourself in it.  For me, and I imagine others, exercise is despicable and revolting!  However, it is quite important.  Walking is a wonderful place to start.  It opens the doors to other worlds and new ideas for fitness.  It is a formidable way to obtain your exercise.  Intensity can be increased to burn more calories. You can walk for longer periods of time to burn more as well.  It may not be the most efficient way to burn calories but it's definitely one of the easiest , one that most people are comfortable with and one that people enjoy.  Myself, I walk a mile a day and take karate twice a week. It works for me. I enjoy it.  I could step it up some but then I would quit because I hate exercise. I do what I can sustain.  I would not enjoy working out in a gym or using home machines/weights. Just not my cup of tea but those are definitely very efficient fitness avenues.  Kudos to you for having the desire and capacity to sustain such a rigorous fitness plan! I say, walk till you bore of it or want to something more!