Less Than 20 Percent Actively Commute to Work
I get a hard time from my husband's co-workers -- especially on rainy days and all winter long. That's because he bikes to work every day, even in inclement weather, while our car stays home sitting in the driveway.
They think I'm mean, mean, mean. But in reality, he just likes to ride his bike.
But, he's a minority in our country.
A survey of 2,364 young adults in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study found that just 16.7 percent of them walked, or biked any portion of their commute.
However, for those who did the results were worth the extra effort. Here's what the study authors found:
Active commuting was positively associated with fitness in men and women and inversely associated with body mass index, obesity, triglyceride levels, blood pressure and insulin level in men.
If you think about it, it's really a perfect solution for busy people who think they don't have time to exercise, but spend minutes or hours every day stuck in traffic. In fact, my husband often finds he gets to work faster by bike than by car. And that daily exercise commitment really pays off.
Not everyone lives in bikeable/walkable neighborhood, or has a reasonable commute to work. But there are ways around that. For instance, you could park your car on the way to work and ride the rest of the way. Some people get off the subway several stops early, walking into work that way.
Walkers and bikers alike have to watch for risks like traffic, dogs, and inclement weather. Learn more about safe bicycle commuting from Paul Dorn, whose ideas are also good for walkers. Or visit Bicycle Safety Tips, for some lessons that go further than normal safety guidelines.
Do you walk or bike to work? If not, what stops you?
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I would love to be able to walk to work. Unfortunately, I work 35 miles from home. But I can say for certain, that after having an hour drive to work every day for the past year, I will NEVER live this far from work again. My next job will be close to home, or I won't take it. It's just not worth it.
ReplyIve been walking into work daily; its about a 6k round trip, so im doing at least 30k a week just getting to work and back. It really is great exercise and my commute is quicker than some ppl who drive. I also walk to meetings and such if they are close by and i have the time... and its not too hot out.
ReplyI bike to work often. Its a 3.5 mile trip one way. Sometimes I even bike home for lunch to let the dogs out. I love having a nice commuter bike with which to make the trip. Its been unseasonably cool here in Central Illinois this July, so I've kept on biking!
ReplyI wish I lived closer to work...my commute is 25 miles on a two lane country road. It's just way too dangerous to bike on it, especially since I usually work strange hours and would be biking at like, 4 am or 11 pm some days/nights. Driving and then biking part way is also not a good option because there is no place to park my car halfway between Oshkosh and Fond du Lac. Plus, there is nowhere to park a bike at the hospital. I don't generally have problems working out at home or at the gym before or after work, so the bike commute thing isn't entirely necessary.
My husband, however, could TOTALLY bike to work. And he should, since he likes it and lives only about 5-6 miles from the office. But, he's too lazy to do it most of the time. A lot of his coworkers bike to work, so maybe some of what they do will rub off on him.
ReplyIf he needs tips on biking to work...let me know. I love it. Same 6.5 mile commute/35 minutes each way. Lost 10 lbs the st year and I eat a lot more now...just never gain it back. : )
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