If you’re still commuting to work by private car, squeezing onto crowded buses every day, or riding a bicycle, then you’re behind the times. Nowadays, more and more office workers in Cangzhou City prefer to walk to and from their homes and workplaces. Unknowingly, the “walking commuters” in Lion City have been growing steadily and becoming increasingly popular.
Losing 30 pounds of flab in half a year by “walking to work”
Mr. Wang, 33, works at an administrative office on Jiefang Middle Road in Cangzhou City. He used to drive to and from work every day. After being diagnosed with “three highs” (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol) six months ago, his doctor advised him to exercise more. With no time to hit the gym, Mr. Wang came up with the idea of walking to and from work. In addition, he reduced or even skipped dinner. “At first, I just couldn’t stick with it. Just two days in, my calves were aching unbearably, and not eating dinner left me starving,” Mr. Wang told reporters. He almost gave up, but thinking about how poor his physical condition was despite his young age, he decided to push through. So, he stuck to walking from his home on Xinhua East Road to his workplace for over half an hour every morning. In the evening, to resist the temptation of food, he would take a long detour and walk for over an hour before heading home, timing it to avoid the family dinner hour.
Unexpectedly, after sticking to “walking to work” for half a year, Mr. Wang shed his potbelly and lost over 30 pounds overall. His various health indicators also returned to normal. “I now feel refreshed and light all over. The saying that life lies in movement is absolutely true!” Mr. Wang said with a satisfied smile. “Now, not only do I keep walking to and from work, but I also encourage overweight acquaintances and friends to quickly join the ‘walking commuters.’”
Maintaining good physique through long-term walking
Love of beauty is inherent in every woman, and Ms. Tian is no exception. Wearing a pair of white sneakers and simple, clean sportswear, with light and graceful steps—this is Ms. Tian, a “walking commuter” in her 40s. Ms. Tian is a civil servant who spends most of her day in the office. By chance, she decided to walk to work to get some exercise. She thought it would be exhausting, but instead, she found it wasn’t tiring at all—in fact, she felt energetic all day.
Despite being in her 40s, Ms. Tian still maintains a slim figure. She revealed that the secret is walking to and from work. Every morning, she wakes up early and walks from her residential community, Yihe Home on Yong’an Avenue, to her workplace on Huanghe East Road—a journey of over an hour. After years of persistence, Ms. Tian has gone from sweating profusely at the start to now striding with ease. “Every day when I get home, sweaty and fresh from a shower, I feel incredibly uplifted.” “My colleagues all say I have an air of elegance. I think it comes from walking. I’ve saved money on gyms and beauty salons while improving my health—why not?” A youthful and athletic vibe radiates from Ms. Tian. “‘Walking to work’ has really made me more confident. I’ve fallen in love with this activity, and I believe it’s an eco-friendly, low-carbon form of exercise that deserves to be promoted.”
“Walking to work” is low-carbon, eco-friendly, and healthy
Xiao Wang, who works at a media outlet, is also a “walking commuter.” His home is only about a 20-minute walk from work, and waking up half an hour earlier allows him to walk to the office. “I’m an impatient person. The No. 226 bus I usually take is hard to catch and always crowded. Sometimes, the walk to the office takes less time than waiting for the bus,” Xiao Wang said. “The holiday season messed up my biological clock. Right after returning to work, I didn’t want to wake up early or walk, but as the weather warmed up, I gradually overcame my laziness and started walking to and from work again.”
Xiao Wang found that besides skipping the bus wait, avoiding traffic jams, and steering clear of road rage, walking to work every day also let him control his pace freely and stroll through tree-lined streets, filling him with boundless joy. “I used to catch colds often, but since I started walking to work, my health has improved, and my mood has become more relaxed. As young people, we should strive to be environmental guardians. ‘Walking to work’ is a low-carbon lifestyle, and I hope more people will join in.” Xiao Wang said proudly.