Losing weight is not only about the size of your jeans. In fact, the means by which you lose weight could also affect the environment. From your commute to work to the foods you purchase, going green can be an effective way to shed pounds. Not only will you burn calories and lose weight, but you'll help Mother Nature in the process.
Move More
Save energy and electricity -- and get more exercise -- in four distinct ways. First, change your commute to work. Instead of driving to work, try biking or walking if you live within a close enough distance. Given that cars emit approximately 20 lbs. of carbon dioxide per gallon of gasoline and walking one mile burns approximately 100 calories, changing your mode of transportation is both good for your waistline and the planet. Second, spend more time outside. Watching TV and playing video games uses the earth's energy but not your own. Save electricity and burn calories while choosing alternate activities that involve more physical activity outdoors. Third, make the world your gym. Use the stairs in lieu of the elevator or your Stairmaster. Run or walk outside instead of adding up those miles on your treadmill. Although gym equipment may be convenient, they are also known as "electric vampires" as they suck energy even when not in use. Last, try nonmotorized alternatives: Sure, it's often easier to use a snow or leaf blower, but shoveling snow and raking leaves burn an average of 400 calories an hour vs. an average of 300 per hour when using the motorized versions. So use less gasoline and burn more calories with traditional tools.
Eat Right
Three ways to go green and lose weight involve changing your food choices. First, shop the perimeter of the grocery store where you typically find fresh produce. Produce uses significantly less packaging than processed foods, and therefore less natural resources. Second, head to your local farmer's markets. With less resources used to transport the food from farm to plate and more whole food options with fewer calories, both your waistline and the planet benefit. Third, buy organic. Some organizations argue that eating organic foods will help you lose weight as eliminating the toxins and pesticides in your diet can alter the hormones responsible for fat retention. Although there may not be much research to currently support this theory, eating organic is a green alternative to conventional foods.
Think Green
In addition to moving more and eating right, you can also get involved with a local volunteer program to clean up a road, park or highway. Be active, burn calories and clean up your community. Another option is to make your own garden. Not only will you burn calories while tilling and tending to your garden, but you will be eating foods that are more nutritionally dense and require no petroleum to packaging to make it to your plate. Last, think about running for a greener environment. Look for a 5K race that benefits an environmental cause. It gives you a goal and benefits the environment at the same time.
Implications
Go green and you may lose weight in the process. By making small, daily changes in your life that benefit the environment and use more of your own body's energy expenditure, you'll be on your way to smaller numbers on the scale -- and a happier Mother Nature.
References
- Environmental Protection Agency: Emission Facts and Average Carbon Dioxide Emissions Resulting From Gasoline and Diesel Fuel
- "Science Daily"; Vampire Appliances -- They Suck Electricity; Cornell University; September 2002
- "Tree Hugger"; Jillian Michaels Wants You to Master Your Metabolism; N. Chambers; June 2009
- Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture: Issues In a Nutshell, How Far Does Food Travel to Get to Your Plate?
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