Female age 14-18 – 1,800 (sedentary), 2,000 (moderately active), 2,400 (active)
Female age 19-30 – 2,000 (sedentary), 2,000-2200 (moderately active), 2,400 (active)
Female age 31-50 – 1,800 (sedentary), 2,000 (moderately active), 2,200 (active)
Female 51+ –1,600 (sedentary), 1,800 (moderately active), 2,000-2,200 (active)

Male age 14-18 – 2,200 (sedentary), 2,400-2,800 (moderately active), 2,800-3,200 (active)
Male age 19-30 – 2,400 (sedentary), 2,600-2,800 (moderately active), 3,000 (active)
Male age 31-50 – 2,200 (sedentary), 2,400-2600 (moderately active), 2,800-3,000 (active)
Male 51+ – 2,000 (sedentary), 2,200-2,400 (moderately active), 2,400-2,800 (active) How Many Calories Did I Burn?

How can you solve the major health problems America faces? Start by getting off the couch.

Day 3: In addition to splitting exercise up over the course of the day, I'm also trying to be on my feet more this week. Studies have found that when people sit, a fat-burning enzyme called lypase turns off. By standing, you can actually burn up to 60 extra calories an hour.

For those of us with office-type jobs (in my case, a home office job), sitting can take up a large part of the day. So in addition to trying to get three 10-minute mini-workouts this week, I'm also just trying to be more active in general. Here's a few things I've done:

• Moved my laptop to the kitchen bar, where I can stand while working. This really takes some getting used to; I keep wanting to sit.
  
• Removing the basket that collects odds and ends at the bottom or our stairs and taking things up as I find them, one at a time.
• Playing music all day, which encourages my three-year-old to keep the TV off and is the cause of some spontaneous dance sessions.
• Breaking up paid work and housework so that I never spend too long being sedentary.

Of course, it's five degrees here right now. If it were spring, my options for physical activity would be wide open -- walking, a bike ride, gardening. But with a small child, I'm housebound for a few more weeks until the weather starts to warm. Today has proved to me, though, that just because you're stuck in the house doesn't mean you're stuck being sedentary.

Day 7: "Really?" A friend said to me today. "Taking a walk around the block a couple of times a day really adds up to a regular workout?"

Well, yes and no. At my fitness level, getting in three 10-minute spurts of moderate exercise every day is an improvement over my past exercise routines, which usually involved sitting on the couch and thinking, Wow, I really should exercise. So yes, right now, three daily walks (or other short bursts of exercise) is enough for me.

But if you're pretty fit, then you're going to need to step up those 10-minute workouts to get them to work for you. About.com has an example of a relatively intense workout that's just 10-minutes long.

That said, the science is pretty firm. If you've never exercised, even 10 minutes a day can improve your quality of life. And once you can do 10 minutes of exercise, finding time for 10 more, then 10 more, won't seem so hard.

It's time to decide -- is this a healthy habit that can be realistically worked into day-to-day life?

• Piece of cake! I can definitely work this into my daily routine.
• Not my cup of tea. This is harder than I imagined. Still, I plan to stick with it and do my best.
• Nuts! This seems nearly impossible to keep up. But I'll definitely do it whenever possible.

Let me count the number of ways that I loved this week: I never felt pressured to get in a 30-minute workout, I never felt guilty because I couldn't fit in a 30-minute workout and I actually got 30 minutes of exercise each day.

I big, fat, puffy-heart loved this week.

I'm definitely an all-or-nothing thinker, so not getting in a workout when things get hectic can quickly derail me. But on days when a workout just isn't possible, squeezing in 10 minutes of activity here and there almost always is. This, I think, is the solution to my workout excuses.

That said, I don't think that -- in the long-run, anyway -- this should replace my workout routine. Being more active in general is always a good idea, and I think that exercising this way can fill in the gaps during days or even weeks when I don't have time for regular workouts. But to really get physically fit, I think that a regular, well-rounded routine is important too.

Besides being a good stop-gap for days you can't exercise, I also think that exercising in 10 minute spurts can be a good method for people who are just getting started with exercising. It's less overwhelming, and studies have even shown that people who exercise this way do so more consistently.

Let me say it one more time: If you have trouble with exercising on a regular basis, try this.

Ever wonder how much exercise you should really be doing and why? This Fit Kick has your answers.

For more quick and fun fit tips by degreed experts in the field of health and fitness ...

You know that getting active when you're away from your desk is good for your health, but did you know that your after-work workout can also reduce your risk of repetitive strain injuries?

It's true! The theory is that getting physical outside of work "may promote mechanical and metabolic processes in the musculoskeletal system that counters the repetitive or sedentary effects of many jobs." And, most of us definitely suffer from those effects -- from desk jobs to physical labor, repetitive motions and a sedentary nature are all too common.

This isn't just important for your comfort (although, that is pretty important) -- health problems stemming from work-related strains and injuries cost companies big bucks, and cost you moolah, too. Moral of the story -- you have lots of reasons to hit the gym, and this just piled a couple more on.

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Blogging is good for the mind and the soul, but don't let anyone tell you it's good for the body. Sure, writing about healthy habits all day long can be inspiring, but blogging itself is a sedentary, solitary task. And if you're a blogger, you're at risk for something called Blogger Bloat -- "a tendency of bloggers and bloghers to gain weight by sitting for long hours in front of computers, snacking on treats! Blogger bloat is a greater risk in the winter, when bloggers tend to choose starchy and comfort snacks," according to this article on Divine Caroline.

Of course, this isn't limited to blogging -- it's something experienced by anyone who spends hours in front of the computer. It could be called writer's waist, typist's tummy or receptionist's rear. Whatever the reason keeping you from getting up and moving around, it's important to find a balance. Avoid blogger bloat and other conditions with these 10 tips.

How do you keep up with blogging and still stay slim?

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When my body isn't moving so much, my mind goes to a bit of a blue place. I'm not quite there, but I feel myself getting close. Ironically, this week my body has traveled thousands of miles and I've seen my favorite blue place in the world -- the Pacific Ocean.

As most of us know, traveling usually means our health suffers a bit due to lack of exercise, increased stress and the subsequent effect on our mental state of both. I travel from my home in the mid-Atlantic to my native California at least twice a year. I am writing from my mother's home in the Los Angeles area right now. Before heading home a week from tomorrow, we will have traveled by air and navigated airports for more than 12 hours and spent almost 20 hours in cars in order to visit family and friends on opposite ends of the state. So much movement, so little exercise.

Thankfully, visiting the loved ones we live so far away from keeps my mind a bit happier during these sedentary vacation days. And I do try to adhere to some of the common tips for maintaining good health and fitness while traveling, such as making good food choices and drinking lots of water. I also follow certain prevention guidelines.

When I get home, I'll run through the neighborhood, hop on my bike or swim laps at the rec center in an effort to kick those endorphins back into high gear and then some. I'll certainly have to in order to heal the little bit of homesickness and heartsickness that's sure to crop up after leaving so many loved ones behind.

I don't want to be too heavy or too sedentary. I know both will increase the odds that my cancer will come back.

Most cancer survivors know a healthy lifestyle can help prevent recurrences and increase life expectancies. Yet, new research finds that this group has rates of obesity and physical inactivity similar to those of the general population. This is troubling because maintaining a healthy weight and getting regular exercise is critical for cancer survivors who wish to conquer their diseases and live a long life.

The details of this research, published in the June issue of Cancer, include the following.

• Less than one quarter of cancer survivors were physically active.

• Thirty-four percent of survivors were overweight. Almost one in five were obese.

• The lowest rates of physical activity were found among colorectal cancer survivors, breast cancer survivors, and female survivors of melanoma.
  
  

Kevin Stein, director of Quality of Life Research at the American Cancer Society, says this research underscores the fact that cancer survivors need to pay attention to their health.

"There is a teachable moment when someone is diagnosed," he says, "It's the perfect opportunity to say, 'We all need to eat healthy and exercise, but it's even more important for you as a cancer survivor.'"

If avoiding cancer is a priority for you, check out this AOL Body site.

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For many of us, sitting behind a desk is considered routine for most of the day. It's hard to get active (and stay that way) when work, play and home life collide. If you think your lifestyle is getting too sedentary, check out this list of 14 things to convert those habits into healthier choices.

The very first tip really jumps out at me because it is something I've been doing lately to encourage foot traffic. Parking far away when running errands is a smart method to get more time on your feet. After all, it can be so natural to try and fight for the closest spot, but you may even find it quicker to just settle on a back row and get the benefit of walking farther!

While not everyone can afford to hire a yard service, doing your own yard work is another fantastic way to get outside and avoid being sedentary. Don't have a yard? Then try going for a walk while talking on the phone. I have a habit of pacing around anyway, and it's not until I'm off the phone that I realize a 30-minute conversation turned into half an hour of casual exercise! Read a dozen more tips to learn how to get a little bit more active.

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One of the biggest mistakes you can make when starting a new fitness routine is jumping in too fast. Injury and burnout will kill your routine faster than you can say "shin splints." When I was doing the Couch to 5K program last year, I learned that when you first start a new fitness routine, you should actually do what feels like a little less that you're capable of. It's hard, I know, because I just wanted to keep pushing ahead. But gradual progress is safer and healthier for you and your body.

So let's say you're a couch potato who's just recently become interested in getting up off the sofa. If that sounds like you, then you might be interested in this Couch Potato Workout. It'll teach you some basic stretches and strength training exercises to help your body adjust to the idea of exercise, then help you kick it up a notch when you're ready. Before you know it, you'll be out there doing daily workouts with your fellow fitness fans.

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It's no secret that one of the biggest obstacles for all of us in our quest to be healthy and physically active as adults is the overwhelming and growing number of sedentary career and job options. In the olden days everybody, spare the king maybe, had to work physically for their living in some form or another and as a result it was much easier to be fit naturally as a course of living. Now I'm not suggesting we trade in our computer desks and telephones for the technology and science-impaired lifestyles of ages past (I'll pass on catching Polio, thank you) but we definitely have to do something to get moving. This is ridiculous.

Obesity and lazy sloth-like lifestyles are linked to more than 112,000 deaths each year and also feed into countless chronic and potentially deadly conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Forbes recently compiled a list of the nation's 20 most sedentary cities -- are you in one of them?

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Does it surprise you that people who eat fast food several times per week weigh significantly more than those who don't eat fast food very often? It's no shock to me that a study released on Monday reveals what every one of us should already know: Fast food makes us fat.

Each additional fast-food meal packs on the pounds, according to a Temple University obesity study that reveals these specific facts:

• The weight of people who consumed three to six fast-food meals a week was significantly higher than those who consumed no fast food or ate one to two such meals per week.

• Every additional fast-food meal during the week was associated with a 1 1/2-pound increase in body weight. There may be factors other than fast-food here -- like a sedentary lifestyle of people who tend to eat fast food, for example.

• About 50 percent of respondents -- there were 4,600 in all -- said they'd be more likely to eat healthy options if offered as part of a value meal, and 41 percent would like to have nutritional information on menus. This data offers clues about what might help people make healthier choices.

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I was watching TV last night, flipping at high speed through all the channels with my handy-dandy remote, when I remembered the long-ago days requiring an actual walk to the television set for a little channel surfing. It got me thinking about technology, about how the very thing that is revolutionizing the world in so many ways -- think electronic medical records, on-line banking, the fact that I'm publishing this post in cyberspace for all to read -- is also making us one lazy mass of people.

How about automatic garage door openers? Growing up, I remember hustling out of the car, often on cold and snowy days, to manually lift my family's garage door. Once our car was nestled safely inside, the door had to be yanked back down. These days are long gone. Now, I have a button in my mini-van programmed to shoot that garage door up and down at a moment's notice. I don't think I've ever even touched my garage door with my hand.

Sprinkler systems. Remember watering your lawn with a sprinkler attached to your hose and dragging it from place to place until every blade of grass got a drink? Now we have the luxury of sprinklers running on auto pilot. We also have drive-through and drive-up options at almost every restaurant around. We don't even need to exit our cars to collect our carry-out slop. And riding lawn mowers. We're not talking traditional technology here but still, it illustrates my point. I saw a neighbor plowing through his miniature-sized yard the other day on his big and burly John Deere ride-on. Could the 30 minutes it might take to manicure his entire lot of grass be so difficult?