Where We Live

Something I love about being in Seoul and Osaka is how natural it is to walk everywhere. Both cities are beautifully set up for people to live without a vehicle.

Living in the suburbs of Toronto, unless I intentionally make time to go for a walk, it's natural to use a car to run daily errands.

I don't wear a fitness tracker to capture all of my steps, but I do have my phone with me whenever I am out and about. Here are my average daily steps from 2023:

Suburbs of Toronto: 3,770

Seoul: 17,382

Osaka: 15,211

Considering this data and how much I enjoy living without a car, I've realized that there are significant benefits to being in a place that encourages more walking.

From what I've observed, people who live in Korea and Japan eat plenty of food, including those made with flour and sugar, and yet, it's rare to see people who are significantly overweight. The amount of walking that naturally occurs in highly livable cities is likely a primary reason for this.

Just something to consider for those who may not realize the impact that where we live has on how active we are.