Weight Loss Tip #6: Use Your Legs

Being able to walk is truly a gift and yet so many of us take it for granted. If you can walk, do it. Instead of driving around wasting gas looking for a parking space, park out and walk (and save your wallet and the planet). Walk to the store if it's close and safe. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. When you walk to lunch at work, take the long way. Basically, if you can walk safely and it's a reasonable distance, then do it! It is free and beneficial. As my brother David says the world has more excess calories than oil!

While at grad school at Emory University, I would walk the 15 minutes one way to class everyday. I burned hundreds of extra calories and saved the 750 dollar parking fee as well as hundreds of dollars in gas a year. Get a pedometer to calculate how many steps and miles you're adding to your workout. Walking with friends/family is also a good way to bond with others and get support in your weight loss goals. While I don't advocate walking being your only workout all the time (although it is a good way for sedentary people to get started exercising), it certainly adds to the calories burned and general activity level.

Here are some ideas to get more walking in (remember safety, distance, etc.)

Park out and walk
Take the long way somewhere
Go to the mall and walk
Walk to deliver a message at work
Walk to your destination (work, store, etc)
Take the stairs