What America can learn from New York City: Health and fitness tips from the Big Apple

November 9, 7:11 PMExtreme Weight Loss ExaminerMark Rubi

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Public Domain photo of Lady Liberty courtesy of Wikipedia

What America can learn from New York City: Health and fitness tips from the Big Apple.

While America finds itself in the midst of a growing overweight and obesity crisis and an equally concerning fitness  crisis, New York City stands in stark contrast.

The typical New Yorker, at least those that are moving themselves in, out, or around Manhattan on a daily basis primarily use their feet to move themselves around the city. Contrast this with the most of the rest of the country, where people tend to use their seat (their car seat) to get themselves around. Indeed, Americans have gotton so lazy around much of the country that parking lots at malls and shopping centers are congested with people driving around in circles looking for closer places to park. They'll spend half an hour looking for a closer spot rather than be forced to walk an additional 30 seconds!

Many people who have never  been to the Big Apple mistakenly believe that there is a subway stop at every corner. By and large, each subway line has a stop every mile or so, so taking the subway usually involves quite a bit of walking. Indeed, some of the subway stations are very large and changing trains may involve walking several blocks and going up or down several sets of stairs.

Besides walking to get around to work, play, eat, or shop, New Yorkers also enjoy one of the great city parks to be found anywhere in the world. Central Park in Manhattan  takes up an astonishing 843 acres, which is more than 6% of the size of the borough. You would have to walk  six miles to go around the perimeter of Central Park, and the park itself contains 58 miles of walks and trails, according to centralpark.com. The amazing amount of walking that New Yorkers do in Manhattan is emphasized by the fact that when the New York City Marathon is being contested, there seems to no more people running around on the streets and sidewalks of the city than normal.

Another health perk that New York City offers is neighborhood markets and fruit vendors set up on the streets and sidewalks. This gives New Yorkers access to truly fresh fruits and vegetables that have not been sitting around in refrigerators for days or weeks at a time. Better still, people walk to the markets and vendors, and do not use a car. They buy what they need for a day or two, and when they run out they go back. Compare this with the rest of the country where people load up on groceries one or two times per month, most of which are processed food that have had most of their vital nutrients drained.

The rest of America could do itself a favor by getting out of their cars, trucks, and SUV's and do a little pounding of the pavement with their feet, and not their seat. Also, stear clear of processed food and try to focus on fresh and home made. The health of your body and the health of your country will both thank you for it.

Photo thanks to Wikipedia, USA.gov, and Kosher Camembert.

For more info:  It's your body. It's your life. It's your health