You've heard of a couch potato? Well, I've become a computer potato and are my muscles telling me about it! All summer I've been promising myself I would go out and do some weeding, finish the memorial garden we are building for our dearly missed pets, use the remaining pavers from the swimming pool addition to build a walkway to the backyard, etc. etc. You catch my drift.

I work from home so it's very easy to get caught up in a call or a fire drill project and forego taking a break during the day. My day sometimes extended to 6 or 7 PM and there would go the best intentioned plans to get out in the garden. Of course you're thinking what about weekends? The usual - laundry, visiting my elderly parents, one quick glance at emails... What finally got me moving, no pun intended, was joining the local Wellness Center. I forced myself to find the time to get off my chair and drive the short mile 2-3 times per week to start losing my computer thighs. Then I finally moved outside this long holiday weekend to trim trees and shrubs, pull weeds and just generally start putting the gardens back in shape.

Moving is the key to burning fat and calories or so I am finding. From now on I want to find the time to move and enjoy my garden. Do you find the time? Do you go to an office everyday so don't have the luxury of fitting a garden visit into your schedule? I used to work in an office setting, and when I travel for my job I visit lots of office buildings. So far wherever I've gone or whatever city I've lived near there was always a park or some type of gardenscape close by. If you can't go out to your own garden during the day, take advantage of what's around you. Take a walk and enjoy the surrounding beauty. Long story short - gardening burns calories, walking burns calories, I'd even bet bending down to smell a gorgeous flower burns calories or at least it can't hurt. Your muscles will appreciate it not to mention your thighs. Happy Florida Gardening.