Hop on the train to shed kilos

Opting for mass transit as opposed to driving is not only better for the environment but also for your health and waistline.

Opting for mass transit as opposed to driving is not only better for the environment but also for your health and waistline. The metro, tube, subway, train or whatever you call it is an easy way to integrate exercise into your daily routine.

John M. MacDonald, PhD, a criminologist and co-author of a new study to be published in the August edition of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, explained to National Public Radio (NPR), a nonprofit membership US-based media organisation, “Commuters who took light rail to work regularly were 6.45 pounds lighter than the folks who drove.”

The metro could add an extra mile a day [of walking] for the average rider. Over the course of a year, that mile a day will translate into substantial loss of weight. “People who used the system also were less likely to become obese over time,” added MacDonald.

SocialWorkout.com, a fitness networking site, tested this theory in March with one of their interns, referred to as the ‘Wired Intern’, in an effort to motivate ‘9 to 5ers’ to get fit and show how many calories can be burned per hour during a 9 am to 5 pm workday.

So, the next time you think of taking a taxi or driving to work, spare a thought for the calories you will burn and money you’ll save by using the metro instead.