Good health requires movement. We see that advice over and over. This weekend, the Seattle Times Magazine featured "functional fitness" - how to incorporate movement into your life without setting aside time for "exercise."
The two movement experts interviewed for the article had numerous practical suggestions to help us move more: walk more! Stretch your feet! Sit on the floor!
All good so far. We're given several examples of people who walk up to three miles for practical reasons, like getting to the grocery store.
But the article fails to explore practical ways to move more while traveling longer distances: public transportation, and my favorite movement amplifier, the bicycle. This article suggests several times that we increase our activity by "parking farther away." But why not consider leaving the car behind altogether?
Granted, when you ride public transit, you spend most of the ride sitting (or standing). But research shows that getting to and from the bus stop or train station allows transit riders to meet or exceed daily recommended activity. Why not put in a plug for transit while promoting active living?
An even more glaring omission: the bicycle. The bicycle shows up over and over as a symbol of "healthy living." More and more urban families are turning to the bicycle as the most efficient and most fun means of everyday transportation. It's even possible to get to the Great Outdoors and go camping by bicycle.
Have these advocates for "functional fitness" never heard about bicycles?
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