Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Is it just me or is everyone skinny as hell in this city? Maybe it's just where I am... I live around Adams Morgan/DuPont/U Street and I work on Capitol Hill. It seems like everyone is so fit and still somehow manages to have the energy/time to go to the gym, despite working 12-hour days. Where I come from, I was pretty normal-sized. But here, I am like a Fatty McFatalot. If I see any obese people, I can usually determine they are out-of-town tourists. And then on top of it, back home my gym membership was $9 a month. That's right, $9. Here, I suspect it's about $100 a month. No way I can afford that. What do you all think? Is D.C. more fit than other places? And how the hell do you stay in shape when you work ridiculous Capitol Hill hours and can't afford a gym membership?
I wouldn't say everyone is "skinny as hell", but I do see a lot more runners and bicyclists here. I'd say most people I see are a semi-healthy weight given their body type.
Have you looked into Gold's Gym? My membership there was $33-40/month. However, if you need a pool that'll jack up the price. I'm not sure how much the Y is, but I have friends who love it there.
As far as how to stay fit on a budget and time constraints, a lot of people I know run/bike/walk either to/from work or during their lunch. The walking must work because I've somehow dropped about 20lbs since last year and haven't been doing much exercise-wise besides walking more. You can also look into gym memberships or group exercise classes (yoga, etc) through work. My old office had access to the BLS's gym and had a yoga instructor come in twice a week for about $10 a class. My current agency offers gym memberships for about $30/month, which includes any classes, or you can pay $5/class for various things. There's also free yoga on the Mall today (or tomorrow...I think). Or, move to an apartment building that has a gym. Or, do your own exercises at home. After I walk home, I like to do some yoga poses and stretches to relax while watching TV...doesn't take long. I also took a bellydance class which was a really good workout.
I think a combination of a middle / upper middle class population that's mostly childless in an urban environment (where people don't drive much) creates a culture where people move a lot throughout the day and focus on their personal well-being.
I don't know where you get this idea that people work 12 hours a day. We still have rush hour between 8-9 and 4-6, so obviously most people have normal hours.
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
26,700 posts, read 41,748,461 times
Reputation: 41381
Quote:
Originally Posted by muffincake
Is it just me or is everyone skinny as hell in this city? Maybe it's just where I am... I live around Adams Morgan/DuPont/U Street and I work on Capitol Hill. It seems like everyone is so fit and still somehow manages to have the energy/time to go to the gym, despite working 12-hour days. Where I come from, I was pretty normal-sized. But here, I am like a Fatty McFatalot. If I see any obese people, I can usually determine they are out-of-town tourists. And then on top of it, back home my gym membership was $9 a month. That's right, $9. Here, I suspect it's about $100 a month. No way I can afford that. What do you all think? Is D.C. more fit than other places? And how the hell do you stay in shape when you work ridiculous Capitol Hill hours and can't afford a gym membership?
It's probably where you are. There are plenty of beer bellies in Alexandria especially down Rt. 1.
I don't know where you get this idea that people work 12 hours a day. We still have rush hour between 8-9 and 4-6, so obviously most people have normal hours.
Where'd you move here from?
Well I work 10 hours a day and the commute is roughly an hour each way. And I thought I heard that on Capitol Hill people can expect to work long hours. However, my work is tied to the mid-term elections so I can expect my work days to get longer as the year goes on, I am sure.
I came from "upstate" NY. Normal suburban area with plenty of fat, old people -- something I never, ever see where I live now.
Is it just me or is everyone skinny as hell in this city?
To be quite frank, Americans as a whole are ridiculously fat. I think the national obesity level was approaching something like 60% up until it started leveling off a couple of years back. A few Southern states like Texas may have obesity levels as high as 70% or 80%.
DC, like a few other large U.S. cities, tends to represent a more health-conscious, cosmopolitan demographic whose three major food groups don't unanimously include McDonalds, KFC, and Burger King. This and the fact that many city-dwellers are more physically active by mere virtue of the fact that they tend to use their feet more often simply to get around, as opposed to suburban residents whose daily workout often consists of walking from the couch to the garage and from the parking lot to the office.
Whole Paycheck? I went after hearing so much about it. It really isn't that much different than any other grocery store. Not sure about the liberal label as I am a liberal and Whole Foods didn't impress me.
The only thing is it's hard NOT to go out to eat. There is food everywhere and grocery shopping without a car is a total pain in the ass. Although my walking is definitely greater than at "home" where I had a car and metro didn't exist, my takeout vs. home cooking ratio is way out of skew. I will probably get fatter here unless I figure out the best way to grocery shop without a car and for one person. Ch-ch-changes.
Location: Far Northeast, D.C. and Montgomery County, MD
220 posts, read 704,096 times
Reputation: 79
I'm no where near skinny or normal sized lol.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
