I thought I’d share my thoughts about fitness in Manhattan.
Things that keep New Yorkers fit:
Walking: Despite a
truly amazing subway system, one we took advantage of daily, there are still
miles and miles of walking. My friend
Donna Walker told me she walks in New York if it’s less than 20 blocks. That’s probably a good rule of thumb although
there were long days when we probably took the last train home for less than
twenty blocks. My aching feet reminded me that I had hours and hours under my
belt.
Stair Climbing: Even
if you take the subway, there are still dozens of stairs and the escalators are
broken more often than not. So taking
the subway often trades a long walk for short bursts of stairs, both up and
down. We often found ourselves on the 7
train in particular, and I can assure you that it is 75 stairs down or up to
that particular track, the deepest one in the system.
Calorie Counting: At
many of the restaurants you’ll find calories clearly listed on the menu. (Mayor Giuliani at work.) At the movies last
night I noticed that nachos and cheese are a staggering 1600 calories. My son’s favorite burrito at Chipotle is more
than 1200. It definitely makes you think
about what you are eating and consider swapping your first choice for something
healthier.
Delis: There’s a deli
and a Starbucks on every block, but the delis are not what you think. They offer huge variety, from steam tables of
Chinese food, to salad and fruit bars by the pound. You can grab quick snacks like nuts, protein
bars, and dried fruit and there is always fresh fruit right near the
register. You can actually have a
sandwich made as well. It’s quick and
easy, reasonably priced, and offers lots of healthy choices. Interestingly,
candy bars are mostly sold at the magazine and cigarette stands.
Things that keep Manhattanites chubby:
Food carts: There’s
one on every corner of the downtown areas and the choices are not at all
healthy.
Lack of open spaces:
Running in New York is nearly impossible. Even Central Park is pretty crowded. Cycling is a death wish. I only saw one health club, although I am
sure there are more. I would be hard-pressed
to be a triathlete in Manhattan.
Grocery Stores: I
never saw one.
Cream Cheese: Bagels
are truly delicious and there are a million bagel shops. Every single one had 20 flavors of delicious
cream cheese, and unless you ask for it on the side, you’ll get about a quarter
cup on any bagel you order. Delicious,
yes. Artery hardening as well.
Pizza: It’s just so
good and by the slice. It’s easy to eat
it every day. I reluctantly admit this is a bad thing.
I am so grateful that I am home writing this from my
recliner. I am so looking forward to
falling into my own bed and sleeping long and deep. I can already feel the humidity opening up my
sore nasal passages. The high was 50
degrees in New York. Tomorrow I will enjoy the beautiful sunshine in a tank top
as I walk around campus. I bet it will
feel easy after this week. Tuesday I
will swim outdoors and head to my gym to lift some weights. I will go for a ride on Wednesday on our
magnificent bike trails and am reasonably confident that I will not encounter a
taxi.
The lessons from this trip are clear. I should walk more. I should cook more. I should spend more time outside. I had a spectacular trip, but I am reminded,
there’s no place like home.
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