DC is the fittest city! (Washington: health insurance, home, high school)

[terrence81]

America's Fittest Cities on Yahoo! Health


Hey y'all they say DC is pretty darn fit. DC is the healthiest metropolitan area in the country. That would include this skinny Virginia boy (who loves fast food, liquor and never exercises) since it's not just the city proper.

I'm not surprised though. Here people obsesss about the gym and folks here are just plain thinner than they are down south. So anyone else not surprised that DC is super fit? Or totally shocked DC isn't at the bottom of the list?

[JimGriffith]

I find it pretty shocking.

I've lived in Denver and San Diego on one end, and also Philly on the other, and I always thought DC fell right into the middle.

[Weekend Traveler]

I do not think they were talking about the poor side of Washington DC specially but the whole metro area which is very professional and educated which usually means people are health and fitness conscious. Washington DC is only 1/6 of the metro area.

[JimGriffith]

Ok I actually just looked at the study and it's not what I thought.

It has little to do with people's wastelines, cholesterol levels or how often people are running and pumping iron.

There are items like "access to farmer's markets" and "percentage of people with health insurance."

Those things are wonderful but they don't say anything about which cities are really fit and slim.

Sorry, but my cousin has health insurance and he RUNS a booth at a farmer's market, and he's a freaking house.

[Hephaestion]

Ha. I really don't think anyone knows who is truly "fit," let alone where the most fit people live. I have noticed that in DC and NYC, where people walk a lot and ride the subway, you see a lot of people with very fit-looking legs. Since I moved from Atlanta to DC, I have walked more each day than I'd walk in a month in Atlanta. That's what happens when you get rid of your car and live an urban existence.

[MuscogeeButterfly]

Originally Posted by Weekend Traveler

I do not think they were talking about the poor side of Washington DC specially but the whole metro area which is very professional and educated which usually means people are health and fitness conscious. Washington DC is only 1/6 of the metro area.

Wrong. "Very professional and educated" does not equal "health and fitness conscious" There are plenty of educated fat a----'s who don't give a care about fitness. It's like another poster mentioned, getting out of the car, using transit, and walking everywhere.

[terrence81]

Originally Posted by MuscogeeButterfly

Wrong. "Very professional and educated" does not equal "health and fitness conscious" There are plenty of educated fat a----'s who don't give a care about fitness. It's like another poster mentioned, getting out of the car, using transit, and walking everywhere.

One I love your name because I'm from Muscogee county, Georgia aka Columbus, GA.

Funny enough when I got a real office job was when I started gaining weight when I moved up here. My last job was substitute teaching which allowed me to at least walk around the classroom (I'm a big pacer which works out well for subbing) on top of that I had a second job at the mall. When I moved here last summer had only one job and sat at a desk all day and I gained 10 pounds (much to my delight because I've been trying to bulk up since high school). Who knew all I had to do was get older and move to Nothern VA?

Only 5% of DC folks drive to work so I'm sure that helps with the fitness factor. Like I said for me I've noticed how many people go to the gym. Back home the gym is not used as much a lot of people start a membership in January but only a few actually use it. So I do think the culture here is a little more fitness oriented than down south.

[terrence81]

Originally Posted by terrence81

One I love your name because I'm from Muscogee county, Georgia aka Columbus, GA.

Funny enough when I got a real office job was when I started gaining weight when I moved up here. My last job was substitute teaching which allowed me to at least walk around the classroom (I'm a big pacer which works out well for subbing) on top of that I had a second job at the mall. When I moved here last summer had only one job and sat at a desk all day and I gained 10 pounds (much to my delight because I've been trying to bulk up since high school). Who knew all I had to do was get older and move to Nothern VA?

Only 5% of DC folks drive to work so I'm sure that helps with the fitness factor. Like I said for me I've noticed how many people go to the gym. Back home the gym is not used as much a lot of people start a membership in January but only a few actually use it. So I do think the culture here is a little more fitness oriented than down south.

Correction 50% of DC folks drive/carpool according to a statistic I saw somewhere.

[juniperbleu]

Originally Posted by terrence81

Like I said for me I've noticed how many people go to the gym. Back home the gym is not used as much a lot of people start a membership in January but only a few actually use it. So I do think the culture here is a little more fitness oriented than down south.

I've noticed that, too. I feel like most people I know are training for at least one marathon, exercise regularly, and basically pay attention to nutrition and eat well. I've even noticed that I started to eat healthier here than I did at home.