...and on the original topic: an alternative title to this thread could have been, "exercise vs activity."

I think the important points have already been made: don't compare shuffing around a little bit to pushing your body to discomfort, which is required for better fitness. They're both good, but one more so than the other.

My job is like Calianna's grocery store job: it's exhausting, I'm on my feet all day, I do get some heavy lifting in, but probably not enough for the benefits most of us want: retaining muscle and bone mass. I guess I could ask my doc about a bone density scan or what not, but I can tell you that I'm NOT very motivated to cycle, lift weights or much else at the end of the day. It's enough keeping the house clean and food in the fridge!

That said: milder activity still has important benefits. It's great for mental health, probably helps to keep your joints healthy, good for relationships if you're with friends or family, and probably helps sleep. These can contribute to the weight loss game indirectly.