Hi there,
Thanks for reading this.. Ive looked all over the internet and can't seem to find any specific answers, so I thought I would ask here and cross my fingers… 
I moved like four months ago, and I seem to have gained a lot of weight since. I noticed this about two months ago, and have put a lot of effort into examining and modifying all the general ''new" food choices in this new situation, that are different and have a plan to make things work. Basically I used to live alone, cooked my own meals etc.. I'm vegetarian and lived near a proper market so it was always very fresh and healthy, now I live with family (who are mostly not vegetarian) and so I end up just snacking on carbs and things, and having half arsed meals which are not always so balanced as we eat together. Anyways, I'm working towards cooking solo whilst not offending everyone and basically keeping to a diet that works for me.
My main problem right now is my thighs, (yes I have gained weight, which is slowly dropping off due to taken more control of the food situation) but the other major issue is now at my new home, I don't really exercise, my physical fitness level is at zero.
When I lived alone I did not technically work out, but I walked to work and back every day, I walked to the shops, to socialise.. I walked everywhere really, and rarely got into a car.
Now, well, I have to take the bus to work and you could just say I sit around and sit some more.
My legs which were once lean, slim, toned without seeming 'worked out or muscley' (I'm naturally slender I have no boobs so this worked for me) are suddenly well, HUGE.
Whilst I can still wear all my tops as comfortably as ever, my jeans and trousers are tight, hard to button and I feel very unattractive and unlike myself… I can't afford to get a whole new wardrobe you know? Everywhere is more or less as it was, but lower than my hipbone theres this new curvy thigh area which I simply have never seen before, even when I was pregnant and gained weight I never gained in just one area like this.. The scale now only says about 6 pounds difference, yet my thighs are pushing at my jeans seams, it's all very uncomfortable.
I have now purchased a mini side stepper thing from argos.. Cheap and I can put it in my bathroom. I want to start a program of maybe 30 minutes a day on it, to make up for the lack of walks etc in my previous life which it seems was the only thing that kept me in my comfortable 'normal'.
I don't want to make too much of a fuss, as this whole move has already stressed me out a lot, but I just need advice… Will the stepper be enough to mimic the low impact exercise that came up to about 45mins daily very brisk walks? Which it seems is what kept me lean and slim?
Or will this encourage my new thighs to build muscle or something scary like that… ?
Thanks in advance.
Look you wrote a ton but from what I read you just need to either power walk or start running! Walking or running will help your overall fitness. You also may want to consider avoiding a lot of carbs! I know I started avoiding carbs and lost weight! DRINK TONS OF WATER!
Hope this helped!