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Each day we have a ton of errands we run. We all need to make short trips to the grocery store, pick up dry cleaning, go to the bank and a multitude of mindless trips that are necessary to get us through our daily lives. I bet many of you even hop in the car to get to the gym. Getting things done is a part of life that we all need to do.
What if I made it all a little easier and more efficient for you to get it done, add a work out and give a little back to the planet?
It can happen. No matter what your views on global warming are, it is not that hard to see that you could make a difference in walking or taking a bike around town from time to time rather than getting in the car.
Let me give you an example of how you can make a difference.
Let’s say you live in a place where you have a grocery store, dry cleaner, pharmacy, your local bank, a restaurant, and probably a coffee shop within a mile to 1 ½ miles of your house. And let’s say rather than driving every time you needed something from any of those places, you hoofed it up to the mini mall to run your errands.
If you walked 10 miles each week instead of jumping in the car, studies show you could potentially eliminate 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every single year. Now… not only are you helping your fellow earth inhabitants but you are breathing better air for yourself and you are burning approximately 1,000 calories more per week for a person who weighs an average of 160 pounds.
We all have those daily chores that we need to fulfill. It’s a necessary evil and you simply must get it done. By choosing to walk those 10 miles a week instead of driving, you will lose an extra 1.3 pounds of fat every month by doing nothing more than walking to the errands rather than driving.
These numbers are extremely conservative and you should recognize if you happen to be a bigger person who weighs more than 160 pounds you are going to lose a lot more weight and get in a lot better shape simple because you have more to carry. Now add into the equation, if you pick up 1, 2, or 3 bags of grocery’s, you might be carrying an extra 10-12 pounds of stuff. You have a little more to carry and your energy expenditure is exponentially increased.
You are really making a difference now.
Heck, what if I was a true crunchy granola type and I told you to run out and get some of those recyclable bags so you don’t need to choose paper or plastic? Or maybe I could go on and on about not using Styrofoam for your goods from the deli counter. While you are at it, I want you to go out and buy an electric car.
OK, I believe I have gotten a little carried away. But I think you get my point. What if you took the time to change your walk to more of a jog, and what if you your mini mall is more than 1 mile away? You could essentially lose 3-5 pounds a month, no change in diet, spend a little time outside and still get all your errands done. You are becoming more fit all while making the world around you a little better. Whether you agree or disagree with the views of the politics of global warming, this is a win/win situation. At this point who cares about all that? You are losing weight and getting in shape.
I already see the argument coming. Bobby, it will take longer to get my errands done. If I follow your advice I am adding a couple of hours of time each week to those errands. OK, let me get this straight, you are outside, in the fresh air, getting exercise, probably listening to your MP3 player and you want to complain about the extra time? Sorry I have an answer for that too.
TiVo American Idol, Survivor, or whatever TV shows you watch. Just cutting out the commercials probable saves 20 minutes per show. Download the book you’re reading on to your ipod and listen to it as you walk. Multitasking is a wonderful thing.
You are lowering your stress level, reducing your chance of heart disease, losing unwanted fat, lowering the carbon dioxide emissions by 500 pounds per year and saving the planet.
My gosh, the ice caps are melting, the California coast is falling into the ocean and before you know it New York will be underwater. All because you didn’t want to walk to the grocery store on a Saturday morning.
So maybe the planet is not in jeopardy and all the hype is just that… hype. I have no idea. I got this information and thought my readers would like me to share it with them. For some it will motivate them because I have a ton of clients who need something to get them going. They are more likely to workout when they have a cause.
Millions of women each year start a program because they want to do a breast cancer walk. They look at it as a way to help out the Cancer Society. Sure they are helping themselves, but they are doing it with cancer awareness in mind.
Some people will read this and use it to start walking, while others will read it and say it is an easy way to workout and get things done. Others will look this over and say Bobby is a “nut job” and his little rant made me laugh out loud in my office cubicle today. Great, at least they burned a little energy laughing and getting their abs to move. See, I am a sneaky little bugger aren’t I?
(Side note: it takes 13 muscles to laugh, 40 to frown, want to be lazy? Laugh a lot)
No matter how you look at it, save the earth by walking, or get your butt in shape by walking… getting a little walk in is good for ya’.