The Best Way to Commute: 5 km or Less
By Madison De Silva
January, 2023
Do you live within five kilometres of your school or workplace? If you do, we recommend that you give walking to work a chance!
Walking can be enjoyed any time of year, whether you're savouring the warm weather summer has to offer, enjoying the fall colours or admiring the snowy wonderland York Region experiences in winter. Click here to learn more about walking trails in York Region. If long walks in the winter aren't for you, you may choose to shorten the journey by walking to a close bus stop or to a friend and commuting together. Walking is a way to contribute to the ecological health of your community while saving yourself money. As if that wasn't rewarding enough, there are numerous health benefits that are derived from a walk to work! Many health organizations recommend adults take 10,000 steps daily.
A 5km walk is approximately 6,250 steps. Therefore, by walking to and from work every day, you will achieve the recommended number of steps! If 5 km seems too daunting or your workplace is less than a 5 km walk away, remember that any amount of additional walking that otherwise would not have been scheduled into your daily routine is progress! There are many benefits to walking, you may experience weight loss; improved endurance and stronger muscles and bones. Walking is also known to boost energy levels preparing you to be the most productive version of yourself.
Not familiar with going on walks? There's no need to overwhelm yourself, if you don't feel ready to walk to work every day, just start with once a week! You can also use the SmartCommute.ca app to plan your walking route. You can download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. In the following months, we will provide information on how to prepare for your walk, how to plan your route, as well as tips on how to make your walk fun!
Challenge:
Begin by going on a short 500-step walk. Add 500 additional steps to your walk every week until you hit the 1,000-step mark!