Goooodddd morning friends! Being able to work out the past few days (upper body and bike only) has REALLY put me in a better mood. Those that say they don’t workout because they don’t want to have their energy zapped…PEOPLE, it’s the exact opposite. You will have so much more energy, it’s awesome. Anyway, I was doing some research last night and found an article talking about the ten healthiest cities for women. I knew that mine would not be on there, but I did want to share them with you:
1. Greenest: Des Moines, IA
2. Healthiest overall: Cambridge, Mass.
3. Healthiest eaters: Santa Barbara, Calif.
4. Safest: San Jose, Calif.
5. Happiest: Raleigh, N.C.
6. Longest lives: Honolulu, Hawaii
7. Most active: Denver, Colo.
8. Healthiest love lives: Seattle, Wash.
9. Best breasts: Bethesda, Md. Get your mine out of the gutter! This is in terms of health/mammograms, etc.
10. Best skin: Miami, Fla.
(source)
If you agree, disagree, live in one of these areas, I would love your input. This brings me to my next point…sadly, not only is my city on here, but my state, Mississippi, is regularly the most overweight in the country. Check out this article about one woman who is trying to change that. I wish there were more people like that! I would LOVE to be a part of a movement to get the gulf coast more healthy. I have no idea how to even START. If anyone has any experience or ideas, throw them my way! Unfortunately money doesn’t grow on trees down here on the coast, so it would have to be something with little to no overhead. Any ideas or suggestions? Help a sister out so we can get Mississippi off the bottom of that list and into the top ten!
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In other totally random news, I FINALLY, I’m talking seven months overdo got a haircut yesterday. I got bangs and some layers and I really like how it came out!
Luckily I have a ton of headbands because I think the bangs are going to drive me ca-RAY-zy. But it’s so nice to have a nice little change right before the holidays and new year. I am keeping up with my upper body weights and riding the stationary bike. hopefully only 6 days to go!
QOTD: Any ideas for helping my community get on the right track with health and fitness?
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I can relate to a state that isn’t the healthiest — Detroit almost always makes those ‘bad’ lists as well! I hope that we are able to lead by example and get more people to become active and eat healthy! So many are caught up in fad diets, they can’t maintain that lifestyle. I keep telling people things are fine in moderation! Add more fruits and veggies to your meals – and be more active! (I’m seeing another potential vlog on this in the future…) 🙂
Your new cut looks beautiful!!!
thank you!!!
I live in SC and I doubt we’re much better than Mississippi.
I think it’s a cultural thing… it’s gonna be really hard for places in the South to be healthy just because of how people here are- it would involve generation changes. The culture is just different. Not just that people eat unhealthy foods like “Soul food”, but we pretty much have to have cars to get places, so less walking, and honestly, a lot of people don’t really value health.
For example, a lot of bloggers I read are pregnant and are running, at slower speeds but are still running. None of them live in rural SC, because honestly in my hometown there are not many runners so ANY runner gets crazy looks but a pregnant one would probably have lots of people “talking to” her about how she’s harming the baby. Even with women here, so many don’t exercise and say “Oh, I don’t like to sweat”.
It’s almost like a southern belle thing. As for me, I’m proud to run 5Ks while wearing pearl stud earrings :).
I hear ya. I dread being told things like that one day!
I live near Cambridge and it definitely is pretty heathy. Cambridge is home to many universities, so there are lots of “fitness minded” students who love to run along the Charles River and there are a lot of healthy restaurant options as well. You are able to walk to most places in Cambridge so people are very active and healthy.
sounds like a fun place!
Hm, Seattle has the healthiest love lives? Not sure I buy that.
Super cute cut!!
thanks!
I lived in Bethesda for a year and a half. I can’t speak specifically to the healthiness of breasts there, but it’s generally a pretty trendy, hip, and healthy place. Lots of gyms, yoga studios, etc.; and LOTS of runners.
As for getting people healthy in the South, I think Amy Lauren is right – it’s a cultural thing and a generational thing. This is true for long-time residents of more blue collar urban centers, as well. Still, all is not lost. You might consider something like this program in DC – http://www.teensrundc.org/ It’s a mentoring program. You could take or leave the mentoring part, but it definitely has its benefits. I think youth would be the place to start. Just my two cents. 🙂
thanks for the link!
Aww love the new hair! It looks great on you! 🙂
thank you!
I don’t live in any of those cities either but it’s a very interesting list. Actually I find it most shocking that Seattle is top for healthiest love lives. I wonder why that is?! I would assume living in a gray place that rains a lot and has horrible traffic would maybe do the opposite. Interesting.
I know right? I found that strange too.
I live in the healthiest love life city. That’s interesting. I love your hairstyle! But i’m with ya on the bangs. My hairdresser straightened my hair when she cut it (it has lots of layers now) and I was constantly flipping my hair out of my eyes. I may have given myself whiplash 😛
haha too funny! luckily I have a lot of headbands!
I also live near Cambridge. I definitely think it’s part of the culture. Cambridge and the surrounding area is home to some of the best universities and hospitals in the country. It is also rather wealthy. I do think that both education level and wealth are connected to overall health, which has something to do with Cambridge being the overall healthiest.
interesting observation! thanks!