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This doesn't mean I want to stay here... but Minneapolis was an awesome place to raise a family 🙂
Where in America should you go if you want to be "healthy, wealthy and wise"? TODAY's special series looks at top places in the US in each category – and you may be surprised at the winners.
Which city is considered the healthiest, fittest in America? It's not a sunny, bikini-weather spot like Miami Beach or Malibu. It's a city famous for its frequent sub-zero temperatures, where residents need snow coats and ear muffs for months of the year: Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minn., according to the American College of Sports Medicine's most recent American Fitness Index.
Minneapolis, St. Paul has more parks per square mile than any major city in the U.S. and is second only to Portland, Ore. for the number of bicyclists per capita. The Twin Cities also get high marks for access to fresh food.
"There are twice as many farmer's markets in that area than in the top 10 percent of [U.S.] cities," says ACSM's Walter Thompson, Ph.D.
I don't agree with their judging criteria - access to or number of Farmer's Markets? Most are only open during our 4 or 5 weeks of summer and only on Sunday's.
Residents here are fit because we don't have a choice... it's all about survival during our Godforsaken winters. We're thin due to the amount of calories we expend keeping warm. Shoveling snow was the original full-body workout. Move fast enough between passes down & back up the driveway and you add a cardio component + you get the added bonus of staying warm and not freezing to death.
John is a member on the AFS (Association of Fitness Studios) Advisory Council.
Holding certifications from; Schwinn, Heart Zones, Team ICG and Life Time Fitness, John's held regularly scheduled cycling classes between 1998 and 2015 when he moved to Florida.
When the weather permits, you'll find him riding and leading outdoor groups by himself or with his Tandem partner (wife) Amy.
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