Day 18

Avoid the Car.

People often comment on how thin Europeans are compared to Americans. There are many potential explanations of why this is and nobody really knows for sure, but one big difference is that Europeans seem to walk a lot more to get where they’re going. They use public transportation a lot, and this involves a lot of walking. Americans, particularly suburban Americans, use the car for everything. This doesn’t have to be so. I live in a great urban neighborhood, and although I use the car to commute to work, once I’m home, everything is within walking distance. I may go the whole weekend without using the car.

We walk to the pharmacy, to the grocery store, to the nearby BlockBuster to rent a movie. We walk to restaurants and coffee shops. Walking is good aerobic exercise, strengthening your heart and lungs, and burning calories. Driving does nothing but make you crazy (can you say “Road Rage”).

Everybody’s living situation is different, but most of us can figure out ways to decrease our use of the car and increase our walking. Often all you need to do is change your mindset. If the store is a mile away, it may take you a while to get there and back walking, but what a great use of your time.

The path to your ideal weight involves a lot of walking.