Is Your House Making You Fat?

[Sequoia]

Everyone knows that ordering 64-ounce sodas and always driving instead of walking contribute to tightening waistbands. But your house can harbor other, less obvious diet enemies: the wrong size juice glasses pack on an extra 8 pounds a year; lined curtains in your bedroom may contribute to that "I'm too tired to exercise" feeling. And the type of TV stand you have could affect both your eating and exercising habits. In short, your house may be making you fat.

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http://www.prevention.com/cda/feature2002/0,4780,s1-6269,00.html

22 tips to help.

[trotsky]

1. Great article.

Thanks for the link!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. They forgot the most important point of all

in an otherwise fine article: be sure your house is located in a neighborhood where you can walk or bike to the grocery store and other commonly-used stores and services, and where your children can walk or bike to school.

This afternoon, I walked half an hour each way to the drugstore and the bank. It's easier to exercise if you have a destination in mind, and if you're used to walking, you can walk indefinitely. Realistically speaking, half an hour each way is my limit, though, since I do have other things to do during the day.

[Catfish]

3. True

I think the lack of sidewalks and the design (or lack of it) in many suburban areas has contributed to the level of obesity in this country. If the only way you can walk is on a track or at a mall, you're less likely to do it. I also agree that walking to take care of simple errands is a good way to get some exercise. There's also something to be said for getting out and seeing neighbors as you walk. The constant use of cars to go anywhere contributes to a sense of isolation in many communities. The political angle is that if you're ever going to go door to door for a candidate, you'll at least be a familiar face to some people.