In General, how "fat would you say OKC currently is? - Personal Trainer prospecting cities (Oklahoma City: quality of life)

[AllTimeLow99]

The title pretty much tells the tale. I'm looking to move to a city that doesn't have fitness on it's forefront and is in need of healthy professional experts to help its people get their quality of life back.


What are your thoughts? Would you say OKC is hands-down an "obese" city compared to others you may have been? Thanks!

[#1soonerfan]

Well, this is an interesting question. You are probably going to get lots of responses.

I'll just say this. As a transplant, the first thing I noticed was people here tend to be on the big side. Historically speaking, health was not a high priority for people here for a myriad of reasons (fast food everywhere, sprawling landscape, crazy weather=not very good for active lifestyles, comfort food culture, etc.) It has been something that has bothered me a bit about OKC.

BUT (and you are in luck!) I do believe there is a lot of awareness lately about the need for people here to be healthier. I've definitely noticed the gym I go to has been busier over the past few years. The city is trying to help by adding more bike lanes and sidewalks. Its going to be a loooong uphill battle, but you gotta start somewhere. OKC recently was featured on NBC news about this very thing recently: The Oklahoma City diet - Video on NBCNews.com

So if you are looking to come as a personal trainer, I actually think you would find lots of growth opportunities here.

[AllTimeLow99]

Originally Posted by #1soonerfan

Well, this is an interesting question. You are probably going to get lots of responses.

I'll just say this. As a transplant, the first thing I noticed was people here tend to be on the big side. Historically speaking, health was not a high priority for people here for a myriad of reasons (fast food everywhere, sprawling landscape, crazy weather=not very good for active lifestyles, comfort food culture, etc.) It has been something that has bothered me a bit about OKC.

BUT (and you are in luck!) I do believe there is a lot of awareness lately about the need for people here to be healthier. I've definitely noticed the gym I go to has been busier over the past few years. The city is trying to help by adding more bike lanes and sidewalks. Its going to be a loooong uphill battle, but you gotta start somewhere. OKC recently was featured on NBC news about this very thing recently: The Oklahoma City diet - Video on NBCNews.com

So if you are looking to come as a personal trainer, I actually think you would find lots of growth opportunities here.

You just made my night with this feedback man. Sometimes it's tough to get a quality thought-out response that's actually helpful on a web forum, but it looks like you have so obliged me. Very interesting read, and good intel.

Again thanks man, and big OU fan here as well.

[LeaveWI]

Tulsa as well. I noticed a lot of fitness centers and health clubs popping up all over before I moved. Tulsa has a decent parks system, and the biking/hiking trails on the river are awesome! Definitely a trend there towards the fitness and health movement, and they sure could use qualified folks there as well

[flyingcat2k]

Originally Posted by LeaveWI

Tulsa as well. I noticed a lot of fitness centers and health clubs popping up all over before I moved. Tulsa has a decent parks system, and the biking/hiking trails on the river are awesome! Definitely a trend there towards the fitness and health movement, and they sure could use qualified folks there as well

Fitness has become more and more prevalent in Tulsa lately. When I moved here 3 years ago, it was hard to find any gym other than the Y's, which are very nice here compared to other places I lived in CO and MT. The majority of the other gyms are still outside the Downtown/Midtown areas but I think that is because the land is cheaper and there are more options in mini-malls ect. The Sky Gym in Tulsa Promenade Mall recently expanded their hours so I would think it is growing. Tulsa, traditionally, is the fitter of the two but that's not saying much. I carry a bike tire and am considered slim by my coworkers. In Denver, I was the office "tubbo".

OKC and Tulsa have two different groups "dukeing it out". Large Southerners who feel that eating a salad equates to you planning to vote for Obama for a third term and everyone else who realizes that a diet of chicken fried steak, BBQ, fried okra, cornbread and sweet tea is a one way ticket to the hospital cardiac ward. Outside of those urban areas, the first group wins in a landslide so stay out of the smaller towns which is too bad as some of the bigger ones like Muskogee could use good trainers.

I think it is a good market as there are a lot of smaller gyms/one-man-trainers here. Pick the one you like best and go with it.

[AllTimeLow99]

Originally Posted by flyingcat2k

Fitness has become more and more prevalent in Tulsa lately. When I moved here 3 years ago, it was hard to find any gym other than the Y's, which are very nice here compared to other places I lived in CO and MT. The majority of the other gyms are still outside the Downtown/Midtown areas but I think that is because the land is cheaper and there are more options in mini-malls ect. The Sky Gym in Tulsa Promenade Mall recently expanded their hours so I would think it is growing. Tulsa, traditionally, is the fitter of the two but that's not saying much. I carry a bike tire and am considered slim by my coworkers. In Denver, I was the office "tubbo".

OKC and Tulsa have two different groups "dukeing it out". Large Southerners who feel that eating a salad equates to you planning to vote for Obama for a third term and everyone else who realizes that a diet of chicken fried steak, BBQ, fried okra, cornbread and sweet tea is a one way ticket to the hospital cardiac ward. Outside of those urban areas, the first group wins in a landslide so stay out of the smaller towns which is too bad as some of the bigger ones like Muskogee could use good trainers.

I think it is a good market as there are a lot of smaller gyms/one-man-trainers here. Pick the one you like best and go with it.

Priceless advice man. Enjoyed the colorful way you explained this. Thanks!

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by flyingcat2k

Fitness has become more and more prevalent in Tulsa lately. When I moved here 3 years ago, it was hard to find any gym other than the Y's, which are very nice here compared to other places I lived in CO and MT. The majority of the other gyms are still outside the Downtown/Midtown areas but I think that is because the land is cheaper and there are more options in mini-malls ect. The Sky Gym in Tulsa Promenade Mall recently expanded their hours so I would think it is growing. Tulsa, traditionally, is the fitter of the two but that's not saying much. I carry a bike tire and am considered slim by my coworkers. In Denver, I was the office "tubbo".

OKC and Tulsa have two different groups "dukeing it out". Large Southerners who feel that eating a salad equates to you planning to vote for Obama for a third term and everyone else who realizes that a diet of chicken fried steak, BBQ, fried okra, cornbread and sweet tea is a one way ticket to the hospital cardiac ward. Outside of those urban areas, the first group wins in a landslide so stay out of the smaller towns which is too bad as some of the bigger ones like Muskogee could use good trainers.

I think it is a good market as there are a lot of smaller gyms/one-man-trainers here. Pick the one you like best and go with it.

I can't go through life without good BBQ, okra, and sweet tea though!

As for cornbread, I always joke with the waitress when I'm in another state: "Please take that sugar out of my cornbread and put it in my tea!"