Rocky Mountain High

There have been a lot of murmurs and mumbles about Iowa, as a state, working on it's health and physical well-being.  Iowa is not categorized, yet, as one of the fattest states.  We are next-to-fattest!  Lately, I've been hearing about "Start Something Walks," "Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Zone Cities," and a state-wide effort to make Iowa the fittest state in in the nation.

Look out Colorado.


I know I wasn't the only candidate in the Mayoral Challenge to hear this article on "Morning Edition."  Even Colorado, land of the Boulder fitsters, mountaineers, and those wack-jobs that do anything with Leadville in the title, is seeing more and more of its population plump up like a fat little marmot in a blackberry bramble.

This week I've been thinking about strategic advantages.  The Mayor has the advantage of being a man, with a metabolism that is by nature, much swifter.  Of course, I have the advantage of more heft, which burns more calories per workout.

(There are, of course, strategic disadvantages.  The Mayor faces the temptation of all that delicious, high calorie beer.  I face the challenge of the cupcake conspiracy in my office.)

Colorado seemed like a strategic advantage.  The Mayor once described himself as "the slowest guy in Boulder County," which makes him faster than most cyclists by a long shot.  Colorado, what with it's high altitude, that burns more calories, and it's culture of fitness makes it seem like an ideal place to lose weight and get fit.  Of course, New Orleans is the perfect place to hear live music every night of the week, and, when I lived there, I rarely did that.

My point is not to gloat over Colorado's "bloat."  My point is that I am heartened by Iowa's sincere attempts to reverse our obesity epidemic.  As a state, as a community, we are taking steps off the path to heart attack lane and onto the path of carrots and exercise.  I am not just working out for me.  I am working out as part of my civic duty, to make the world a better place.

Lots of people, especially moms, tell me that they feel guilty exercising because they should be spending that time with their kids.  I know my mom felt that way.  Exercise has long been maligned as selfish and vain.  But it's not, at least, it's not always. 

Tracy, the heart and soul of Beav-X-90, wrote an email to the group yesterday that made me think.  She writes: "What I meant to say was - I know we are all a little crazy, the 4:30 am risers- but we do it because its the one time of the day that is for us, about us, and it just feels good.  I know an extra hour of sleep might be nice too, but every morning, when my alarm goes off, I think - just stick one foot out of the covers, and think how good you are going to feel for the rest of the day.  No matter what other crazy stuff happens - or doesn't get done during the day, this one thing did get done, and its a good thing for not only my body, but my soul. 

Now....see you all in the morning."

We need to make ourselves as strong and happy as possible so that we have the power to turn our attention to the world around us, give our friends a hand-up, and makes our states even more awesome.

P.S. Of course, I also found this article this morning.  Perhaps another strategic advantage for the Mayor?  I know that Smitty is lean as a Texas hitchin' post.