This pledge has an additional benefit — weight loss. In the past month, I have lost three pounds. This may not seem like a lot to you; however, if you want to take off weight and keep it off, your goals need to be realistic and ones you can achieve without adding undue stress to your daily life. Over the past six years, I have lost 50 pounds.
The weight loss was accomplished by eating fresh, seasonal foods and mostly by walking. I walk daily, except in extreme weather. Walking is not just my means of exercise but my principal mode of transportation. This means that I do not drive, own a car, but rely on my feet to get me from place to place.
In May, I added a daily morning work out, 15 minutes in duration, with a pair of dumbbells (weights). They only weigh two and a half pounds; however, I will increase the weight when needed.
Walking is healthy. It will help you lose weight. It is also good for the environment as the walker is not pumping any noticeable amount of fossil fuels into the environment. This may sound facetious to you but think about it for a minute, if more people left their cars at home and walked, rode a bicycle or took public transport to work, the cumulative effect of their actions could be significant. So I set an example. This is a win-win scenario, good for me and good for the environment, which is good for me and my neighbours.
The other part of my weight loss scenario is food. Avoid anything that comes in packages or cans; be sure too recycle all packing purchased when possible; canned tomatoes and cereal boxes, for example.
Composting and recycling reduce the garbage produced and both actions produce raw material that could be used to regenerate a local economy. In addition, recycling and composting reduce our impact on the earth and help build soil.
Buy products when they are in season, blueberries, strawberries, apples and am able to purchase these items from a small shop that buys from growers which are for the most part located within 100 miles of where I live. This means that the food I buy does not travel thousands of miles to get to the store but under 100, sometimes much less.
A farmer’s market recently opened in the city and I now have access to grass fed local beef and chicken and fresh vegetables.
Walking is healthy not just for the walker but for the community he or she is walking through. Good shoes and loose fitting clothing are all that is needed. Make a difference in your health and reduce your impact on the earth by making a few lifestyle changes.
