Commuting for Weight Loss

Many studies have looked into the impact of our morning commute and identified detriments to both our mental and physical health, such as:

• Increased stress. Stress management is important after weight loss surgery, as too much stress can lead to issues like overeating.
• Reduced social interaction. Spending long hours in the car diminishes your time for everything, including your friends and family. Commutes can make people feel depressed and lonely.
• Less time for healthy habits. If you’re focused on rushing out for a 45-minute car ride to the office, your chances of getting a morning workout or balanced breakfast are diminished. Some studies even demonstrate higher blood pressure, BMI and cholesterol levels in commuters who take a car or train instead of biking or walking.

The potential problems of a long commute are very real, but most of us don’t have much of a choice. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to make your commute more enjoyable. Here are some ways to keep daily travel from driving you crazy:

• Relax. Though you may think that cranking up 80’s dance radio on the way to work is the perfect way to wake yourself up, one survey actually showed that loud, up-tempo music can add stress to your trip. To avoid increasing anxiety, try playing some relaxing music or doing some deep breathing.
• Carpool. A lot of commuting woes can be eliminated by simply sharing your trip with someone else. In addition to easing the financial burden of the gas bill, carpooling can make an otherwise boring and lonely journey much more sociable. If public transportation is an option, this may make you feel less isolated, but can have drawbacks of its own.
• Work out on the way to work. If you live close enough, you might not need a car, bus or train to get to work—try riding your bike or walking there. This will kill two birds with one stone by giving you the workouts you need after weight loss surgery and a reliable, gas-free way to get to your job. If you work too far, try arranging a meeting place to carpool with friends and biking there, or going by bike or foot to a public transportation center.

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