The Drive Thru Drawback

The drive thru....what a wonderfully awful concept. Who actually invented this convenience is unclear, but it is as big a part of American culture as....oh, I don't know, obesity? It was one thing for banks to offer this service in the late 1920s for customers to make quick deposits. And I am sure the innovation of the drive thru car wash in the 1930s was a marvel of sorts. However, the concept has gone from a convenience for busy people to an enabler of the indolent.

As the American obesity epidemic continues to rage on, I see the drive thru as not a convenience but a contributor to unwellness.

We all know that we can add steps to our day by taking the stairs instead of elevators and parking a little further away from the building. However, when it comes to simple errands, we aren't parking at all. We can just sit in our vehicles and drive thru banks, car washes, pharmacies, dry cleaners, mail boxes, liquor stores, restaurants and coffee shops. These are all wasted opportunities to burn those extra calories that could actually add up to make a difference in our overall health and wellness.

Now if you are one of the many who sit behind a desk all day, all the more reason to get out of your vehicle whenever you can. Dropping off dry cleaning and stopping by Starbucks for that cup of ambition on the way to the office? Going to the bank at lunch? Take these opportunities to move your body. Sitting only burns a third of the calories that walking does. So opt out when convenience means calories.

I'm not sure where the term "running" errands originated, but walking errands is most assuredly better than driving them.

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About the Author:

Lynne Strasser is our contributing blogger for Health & Wellness issues. She is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer who possesses both a Masters Degree in Philosophy and a Masters Degree in Humanities, and has extensive business management experience. All of that combines to give her a strong sense of mind/body unity, and how good health and fitness impact business operations and the employers bottom line. Her articles are part of our "2013: The Year of Prevention, Health & Wellness" campaign.

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