OKC Fat & Lazy!

[earlywinegareth]

P.S. Does doing an unnecessary "power walk" in 100+ degree weather say something about a person's MENTAL fitness?
Just askin' . . .

Well I suppose it's unnecessary unless you're middle-aged and want your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol to be normal - which mine are! Exercising in the heat also makes doing yardwork easier in summer. Look, I just want to be able to keep my active lifestyle as I get older. You'll never see me in one of those motorized tricycles for adults, if I can help it!

[rcjunkie]

Did my powerwalk yesterday afternoon at South Lakes Park in 100+ heat. Actually wasn't too bad since there was some breeze and I kept sipping gatorade. Did 2.5 miles and I had the entire park to myself.

I love S. Lakes, this was the last OKC Park I helped develop before retiring. The only thing S. Lakes needs is more trees, especially along the walking trail.

[Jzyehoshua]

I was very surprised coming to Oklahoma City. Back in Illinois, there are sports fields and basketball courts all over the place. Lots of gyms, YMCAs, local sports leagues, etc. Here in OKC, there seem to be far fewer sports areas and fewer leagues for actual participation (as opposed to watching the Thunder or Barons). And for having so much public transit, there doesn't seem to be all that much walking done by the general public, apart from the homeless.

So here are some solutions I would recommend:

* Stop being so scared about getting sun exposure or skin cancer.
* Emphasize P.E. in schools. There's been too much short-changing of it in the U.S. in favor of health classes, or driver's ed, or CPR, or sex education.
* We need more city emphasis of sports, more available areas for actual participation, not just watching.
* The city needs to stop some of the excessive ordinances clamping down on outside activities. I mean come on, a permit required for "Participant Recreation and Entertainment: Outdoor"? An extra excise tax on baseball parks that don't meet AAA standards, or hockey/basketball facilities not up to par with the NHL/NBA standards? Required permits for fishing and strict requirements on type of fishing allowed (no-rod fishing is illegal in most areas)? Making basketball hoops in front of houses illegal? Outlawing sports play near streets, avenues, and alleys? I think the city ordinances are getting excessive and may be directly prohibiting active sports participation by the citizenry.
* Start making the tobacco/nicotine companies in the area pay a percentage of the city's healthcare costs. With so many addicts near the city, we need to start being preventive. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? Heavier fines and jail time for those selling drugs, and maybe a ban on cigarettes and other drugs altogether. We've allowed them to market without penalty - just taxing the products does little, since it just gets passed onto the consumers, who, addicted, will pay any price. Lets get serious, and get to the companies and drug sellers themselves.

[BayAreaOkie]

Y'all need to get off your fat rears: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...75Q3T120110627

Personally, I exercise 3-4X a week. I do a mix of power walking, yoga, swimming, and weights. I have a family membership at the Y and own a Total Gym. I am amazed at the people who do nothing then complain about health problems - blood pressure, overweight, back pain, etc. Just make healthy eating choices and get moderate exercise.

Thanks, Jillian Michaels. I was really concerned that at least one of our citizens wasn't acting like the physique poster child.

- Signed

6' and 175lbs.

[Snowman]

I don't recall any questions on the last census form about obesity . . .
Or are they taking pictures of the population from the black helicopters?

The census bureau has some time to kill between the 10 year surveys, so one of the things they do is randomly chooses a small (but enough to be statistically meaningful) fraction of the population and asks them more in depth questions.

[ljbab728]

Required permits for fishing and strict requirements on type of fishing allowed (no-rod fishing is illegal in most areas)?

That may be something you don't like but it has little to do with OKC being fat and lazy. Fishing, as much fun as it may be for many, is one of the ultimate fat and lazy recreational activities.

[RadicalModerate]

Now hold on just a minute . . .
Noodling seems to be a fairly active activity (the noodling involving fish, not lifting pasta).

Of course, I have to question the mental fitness of noodlers as well (although some of my best friends in the distant past were noodlers . . . Most of them were also involved with the sport of cockfighting before it was criminalized.)

"Okay . . . Stick your hand in this hole and see if it comes back not snakebit and with all five fingers. If there's a fish in there, let him think your arm is a giant worm then grab him."

"Sounds like a good idea t' me! Not t' mention fun! An' good exercise t' boot!"

It always cracks me up when golfers are referred to as "athletes" . . .
Along with bowlers, pool players, shuffleboarders and skeet shooters.

[ck76]

I work my butt of in the oklahoma sun 5 days a week sometimes six and I still have a beer belly,that's really the only fat I have on my body, and I'm fine with it because I sure as heck aint giving up my beer......you should just keep worrying about your perfect self and I will be just fine with my beer gut.....

[RadicalModerate]

So, do you think that maybe some of The Tobacco Settlement Money (and The Tax on Fat that will replace tobacco tax revenues when everyone quits smoking) might be re-directed to a series of PSA's featuring Obese Juan Kenobi, the unintentionally nutritionally abused child of a Kenyan father and a Hispanic mother?

There could even be a little, Yoda-esque character--resembling, perhaps, Mayor Mick in his later years?--who pops up to remind Obese Juan to make wise nutritional and exercise choices. Beginning with putting down those Toaster Strudels and laying aside the video game console.

[Bunty]

Did my powerwalk yesterday afternoon at South Lakes Park in 100+ heat. Actually wasn't too bad since there was some breeze and I kept sipping gatorade. Did 2.5 miles and I had the entire park to myself.

2.5 miles, though, is a modest distance. Maybe you should make it a point to walk around it two times or more.

[Bunty]

Y'all need to get off your fat rears: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...75Q3T120110627

Personally, I exercise 3-4X a week. I do a mix of power walking, yoga, swimming, and weights. I have a family membership at the Y and own a Total Gym. I am amazed at the people who do nothing then complain about health problems - blood pressure, overweight, back pain, etc. Just make healthy eating choices and get moderate exercise.

I don't know where you get the motivation to do all that stuff, especially if you don't need to look for a mate.

[progressiveboy]

It really is a "mindset". When I am exercising such as swimming, weights, power walking I just feel more alive, alert and have lots of energy. Each individual has the "free will" and choice to either be active or live a sedentary life style and eventually pay the price. I also find when I exercise on a regular basis, I have the motivation to want to continue because I see the benefits and rewards in exercising! The only problem I have is when individuals do not take personal responsibility and continually blame someone or something on their weight problem due to their poor diet and lack of exercise. There is "no excuse" or "justification" !!

[BBatesokc]

My wife and I's schedule for the last 2 years each week has roughly been to go to the downtown YMCA and do two Body Pump morning classes & one evening class (1hr each), cardio step class three days a week (2hrs each), and elliptical work twice a week for an hour each time. Plus we have pretty active lifestyles. And we use the Lose It! app and website (loseit.com) and I limit myself to 1,500-1,800 calories per day right now and my wife is at 1,200. Mostly accomplished by sharing meals.

I hate to see people obese, but my doctor told me I was medically obese before I got 'on the program' and lost about 52 pounds. It isn't easy and 'diets' will never get you there long term IMO. I love to watch people show up at the gym, stick it out and then see their transformation as the weeks and months go by.

[Thunder]

I don't exercise....not regularly, but I'm considered "fit" even though the only extra weight that I have is the....tummy. The problem I have is dealing with headaches and dizziness. :-( I really wish to be really slim....don't care about packs and muscles....just get the tummy back down.

[ljbab728]

I'm certainly not an expert on fitness and how our city matches up but I regurlarly drive near the Lake Hefner recreation area. This morning there were so many bicyclers, joggers, and walkers out on the paths that they were almost running over each other. I just don't understand how the people who make up these lists can be so certain about their statistics. Much of it is strictly based on previous conceptions and conjecture. As this article mentions, fitness centers are certainly on the upswing:

http://www.newsok.com/article/3583937

Does OKC need to shape? Of course. Do we need to go into convulsions worrying about how we are failing? Of course not.

[BBatesokc]

Problem is, you have to go by a specific area known for people working out to see so many health conscious people - when on the flip side, go to any other public place like a WalMart, 7-11, or any of the millions of fast food places and you see hoards of the exact opposite.

I know a couple of the studies I've seen in the past often factored in the excessive number of fastfood joints we have.

[kevinpate]

Brian has a point. I've never been hipchecked by some spandex clad cutie diving power walking her way to the salad bar at a Golden Corral.

[earlywinegareth]

"All u can eat" doesn't mean you should..

I love to eat good food and hate diets. Diets make me cranky and miserable and angry. SO, the deal I have made with myself is I can eat anything I want, as long as I exercise regularly. The odd thing is when I exercise regularly, I want to eat healthy and choose the right portions. One behavior reinforces the other.

[JayhawkTransplant]

For some reason, once you get, say, 35, all that yoga and swimming and - god forbid - power walking drops way down the list of priorities for most of us. I'm not saying that's a good idea, but I AM saying it is a lot easier when you are younger and interested in actually moving.

This might be exactly the reason we are getting fatter and fatter. Fitness and health should not move down the priority list because you have kids. In fact, it should move up, because we need to be teaching our kids the importance of eating right and exercise.

My grandma is 86 years old and still runs marathons. She and I did one in March, and, as usual, people stopped us along the way to take pictures with her. They ask her what her secret is. She just winks at them and says 'move it or lose it.' She didn't start running until she was in her 50s and thought she was getting a bit hefty.

It is a stark contrast to my other grandmother, who is 8 years younger and hasn't been able to walk or care for herself for 5 years. I know there are a lot of variables in play, but it makes you think.

And Jzyehoshua, you are right--this city is modeled for people who don't like to exercise. It is getting much better, and I can't wait to see the progress in the years ahead. The park space is dismal. Trails are limited. There's virtually no way to bicycle to or from anywhere. And, nothing to do with the city, but gyms here are lackluster as well. Granted, I know I came here from a college town, but I toured 6 gyms before signing a membership and saw nothing comparable to my old gym. I really wanted to join the Y, but the weekend hours--7AM to 5PM Saturday, and 1PM to 5PM Sunday--were a major dealbreaker to me. But it's all about supply and demand, so I understand...

[progressiveboy]

This might be exactly the reason we are getting fatter and fatter. Fitness and health should not move down the priority list because you have kids. In fact, it should move up, because we need to be teaching our kids the importance of eating right and exercise.

My grandma is 86 years old and still runs marathons. She and I did one in March, and, as usual, people stopped us along the way to take pictures with her. They ask her what her secret is. She just winks at them and says 'move it or lose it.' She didn't start running until she was in her 50s and thought she was getting a bit hefty.

It is a stark contrast to my other grandmother, who is 8 years younger and hasn't been able to walk or care for herself for 5 years. I know there are a lot of variables in play, but it makes you think.

And Jzyehoshua, you are right--this city is modeled for people who don't like to exercise. It is getting much better, and I can't wait to see the progress in the years ahead. The park space is dismal. Trails are limited. There's virtually no way to bicycle to or from anywhere. And, nothing to do with the city, but gyms here are lackluster as well. Granted, I know I came here from a college town, but I toured 6 gyms before signing a membership and saw nothing comparable to my old gym. I really wanted to join the Y, but the weekend hours--7AM to 5PM Saturday, and 1PM to 5PM Sunday--were a major dealbreaker to me. But it's all about supply and demand, so I understand...

This should change for OKC residents with LA Fitness and Planet Fitness entering the market. Also keep in mind, Gold's Gym has entered the OKC market so it appears there is a vast improvement already in gyms represented! The problem lies in even if they had trails going throughout the city and a gym on every corner, many people in OKC would still find fault with OKC. When I lived in OKC constant complainers but they could not offer solutions to make the city better.

[JayhawkTransplant]

Ooooh, great! I hope they have extended hours.

I hate to be one of those complainers; I was just trying to mention some things that I think would help encourage people (apparently those under 25) to get out and be active without feeling like they were exercising. It's normally my policy to say something positive with my critiques, so I will say that I LOVE running downtown. It's easy to keep change paths and maintain your speed when a light is red, and I feel safe. It's pretty well-lit, and there's dog poop bags in key locations...

[RadicalModerate]

Brian has a point. I've never been hipchecked by some spandex clad cutie diving power walking her way to the salad bar at a Golden Corral.

Brian had another good point:
"Problem is, you have to go by a specific area known for people working out to see so many health conscious people - when on the flip side, go to any other public place like a WalMart, 7-11, or any of the millions of fast food places and you see hoards of the exact opposite."

Here's the rub: Without the combination of Obesity and Spandex the "People of Walmart" site would be only half as big as it is.

(Remember that entire section in Orwell's "1984" that had to do with Winston Smith not doing his exercises properly in front of the "Interactive Telescreen"? I guess it IS all just a mindset . . . (Or is it--insert Theremin arpeggio--the wave of The Future. The End? =)

[lake hefner breeze]

It's foods fault.

It shouldn't taste so good.

[RadicalModerate]

LOL! "Personal Responsibility" IS the Key . . .
"If thy tongue offend thee . . .
Scrape off the tastebuds
and/or drink scalding coffee."

[ljbab728]

Problem is, you have to go by a specific area known for people working out to see so many health conscious people - when on the flip side, go to any other public place like a WalMart, 7-11, or any of the millions of fast food places and you see hoards of the exact opposite.

I know a couple of the studies I've seen in the past often factored in the excessive number of fastfood joints we have.

Go to those places in any city and you would see exactly the same thing. OKC has no corner on that market. I still think the people compiling those lists start with OKC at the bottom unless they can find some way to move them up.