We Must Have Ginormous Lungs

Remember how I was in Montreal, y'all?

While I was there, I made an observation in my outloud voice to one of my companions about how Montreal loved their curvy women.

Curvy women were everywhere!

Not that I think that's a bad thing.

I mean, I'm a curvy woman myself.

But it did seem odd to me that so many women were curvy.

Jump forward then to this morning when I was re-reading an older article about the obesity rates by state in the U.S.

Colorado is the fittest state in the nation. Only 18.9% of the adult population of Colorado is obese...that's quite a bit lower than most other states - 31 states have obesity rates exceeding 25% of their population. In 4 states, the rate exceeds 30%.

OK, so that's all interesting and everything but what is my point?

Remember how I blogged about drinking at sea level and how hard it is to get a buzz on in a place that's teaming with oxygen?

It struck me today...how is it that a state that's pretty much all high altitude - where it is difficult to walk up 3 flights of stairs without sucking wind - is also the fittest?

I'd think those states where it was easier to breathe would be much more likely to have a lower rate of obesity and a higher rate of physical activity than here.

And yet, go out in my neighborhood on a pleasant Sunday afternoon and you'll not be able to throw a stone without hitting a walker, jogger, cyclist, inline skater...even if you're a bad aim like me. And because we're nestled at the base of the Rockies, the mountain roads are clogged on the weekends with people anxious to hike, mountain bike, kayak, climb, and ski.

The fact is that many people move here - to altitude - to take advantage of the wide range of outdoor activities Colorado offers. And it's not just mountain activities. We've got some of the best parks and urban walking/running/bike trails in the country. But still. People move her to exercise!

It's almost as though it's an obligation, as a Coloradoan, to partake in some kind of something something physically active like here.

Even if you suck wind the entire time you're doing it.

So I say, if Coloradoans can do it, what's the problem with the rest of y'all?