Before Facebook and Twitter there was another great American invention: the Ford Model T. It was produced from 1908 to 1927, it was the first automobile that was affordable to the average American.
Cars paved the way for suburbs. After World War II, the urban exodus began, and by 1950 more Americans lived in suburbs than in cities.15
Our Way Too Sedentary Lives
And with this exodus, commuting—by car and also by train—sky-rocketed. Over the years, commute times have gotten longer as traffic has worsened and home prices in metropolitan areas have increased, forcing more and more people to move even farther away from the city. And, as one study found, driving just ten miles or more to work was associated with high blood sugar, low levels of physical activity, and a higher risk of depression and anxiety.16
So it seems that real-estate agents may be right. It truly is all about location, location, location. When I moved last year, I knew exactly where I wanted to live. My goal was to find a place within a five-minute walk to my office. I succeeded, and I can now make the one-and-a-half-block walk from my front door to my office in about 100 seconds.
What did I sacrifice for this ultimate convenience? Space, lots of it.
In my new home, I have only one bathroom. I don’t have central air and heat. But my office is right around the corner, and I’m just three blocks from a great park where I take my dog every day. My favorite grocery store is just two blocks away, too, so I don’t even have to get in the car when I run out of milk. The result: I am happier and more peaceful, and I feel connected to the people in my community. I fre-quently go for days without getting in my car.
My own experience has taught me that living in a walkable neighborhood as close to work as possible is one of the best things you can do to think and feel better, although relocating from your current residence is obviously not an option for most people. But if you’re planning to move anyway, consider a home that lends itself to a real walking lifestyle. (There’s a website, walkscore.com, that lets you enter any address in the country and it gives you the location’s walk score on a scale of 1 to 100, based on the place’s proximity to restaurants, services, and public transportation options.)
If a change of address isn’t on the horizon for you, you can still make some significant tweaks to your routine. Are there restaurants within walking distance of your house? Try them. Instead of ordering Chinese food delivery, get takeout and pick it up yourself, even if it adds half an hour to your evening—I promise it’ll be pleasurable, and you’ll probably sleep better afterward. What about that gym that’s
110 THE BRAIN FOG FIX
not quite as big or fancy as the one you belong to now but just a quick ten-minute jog away? Consider switching your membership from the one that’s a half hour in the car from your house if it means you’ll get there more often.
When you set up your life to make walking a daily priority, you might be amazed by how quickly the changes take place in your body and brain.
AC TION PL AN
I really can’t emphasize it enough: incorporating a moving lifestyle is vital to your health. That’s why in the 7-Day Energy Revolution, you will commit to just 44 minutes of exercise a day, in one or two sessions. So if you’re a busy working mom who hasn’t had time to exercise in the three years since you gave birth, you’ll take a brisk 22-minute walk at lunch and then jog for 22 minutes when you get home. It’s something you can do for the rest of your life without feel-ing overwhelmed. (And for those of you who are up for it, feel free to make those 44 minutes an intense boot camp or spin class—I’m certainly not stopping you. Whatever your fitness goals, you should focus on challenging yourself without getting burned out.)
There are lots of other simple ways to ratchet up your daily dose of physical activity. Here are some easy suggestions to help you to avoid the sedentary lifestyle:
• Take stairs rather than the elevator or escalator whenever you can.
• After lunch and dinner, walk around the block.
• When you find yourself talking to a friend on your cell, put in an earpiece and walk around your neighborhood.
• Get a long-corded or wireless headset if you use a landline in your office. (Or take calls on your cell.) When you’re on calls, just stand or pace.
Our Way Too Sedentary Lives
• When you’re watching TV, walk around during
commercials. You could even hula hoop, hold the plank position, or do crunches!
• Consider a standing-height desk, or an exercise ball to sit on at your office, and alternate sitting on a chair and the ball. Sitting on a ball engages core muscles and burns more energy.
• Park far away from your office or grocery store. Make a habit of choosing the least convenient spot in the lot.
• If you take public transportation, get off a stop early and make up the difference on foot.
• Rescue an animal. Owning a dog makes frequent walks nonnegotiable! (The companionship and unconditional love are big bonuses, too.)
Once you start moving more, you will quickly find that your whole life has improved, including your sleep habits, another essen-tial element of thinking and feeling better.
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