If you’ve been following the rise and fall of gas prices, you might be wondering how much to cut back on your driving.

You may have bought a transit pass (I have one!) and pulled out your old bike (got the bike too!).

Because the weather is good right now, it is easy for some people to decide to walk the couple of blocks to the bus stop or park farther away and walk. Most have taken their workouts outside (which helps you burn more calories that way).

But most have not taken the “logical” next step — ditching the car altogether.

Now, I’m not telling anyone to sell their car (unless you just can’t afford it).

But, often the car itself isn’t the problem. It’s our habitual use of the car to justify quick, gas-guzzling trips to the mall or a big box store to spend even more money.

Why go buy more stuff to cram into your house or apartment when there are plenty of free activities you can find in your local area while getting some much needed exercise at the same time?

Forgive the duality of this post, but there are two things going on.

1. We rely too much on personal vehicles for even the simplest of tasks.

2. 2/3 of this country’s adult population (and an increasing number of youth) need to get regular exercise to lose weight.

Although these two things don’t seem to be related, they are.

When we rely too much on personal vehicles, we lose the ability to plan ahead and make use of resources which may be just around the corner.

When we rely too much on personal vehicles, our activity levels drop and then people wonder why they have gained so much weight.

So, what am I really saying?

1. Figure out how you can get to places without the car (walking, public transit, etc).

2. Add in exercise to your day anyway because excess weight is doing you more harm than good.

3. Go for a walk around your neighborhood and see what you’ve been missing when you’ve been zooming by in your car.

Thursday morning I say a tremendous number of people on bikes on their way to work. It was a great site to see.

I hope some of you will consider that higher gas prices may be the “excuse” you need to finally ditch the car for a little and lose weight.

Want more information on living well without a car?

Check out “How to Live Well Without Owning a Car” by Chris Ballish.

Until next time….