Yahoo Lifestyle Healthy Living
America’s 10 Best Cities for Fitness 2014
1/11-
Photo by: ThinkstockHow Active Is Your City?
Whether you run, lift weights or do yoga to get in shape, working out has major anti-aging benefits. "Exercise directly reduces the risk of heart disease, probably the risk of cancer and certainly the risk of diabetes and other health problems," says Keith Roach, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Sharecare and co-creator of the RealAge ® Test. In fact, exercising regularly can make your RealAge up to 2.3 years younger if you're a man and 2.8 years younger if you're a woman. Did your city make our best cities for fitness list?![<div class="caption-credit">Photo by: Thinkstock</div><b>1. Denver, CO</b> <br> The Mile High City is miles above the rest when it comes to exercise. Between the incredible hiking in the nearby Rocky Mountains, skiing in Winter Park Resort and the more than 850 miles of paved off-road trails around the city for biking, it's no surprise that Denver tops our best cities for fitness list. Denver also has a citywide bike-sharing program, which is even more of an incentive for residents to be active. <br>]()
2/11-
Photo by: Thinkstock1. Denver, CO
The Mile High City is miles above the rest when it comes to exercise. Between the incredible hiking in the nearby Rocky Mountains, skiing in Winter Park Resort and the more than 850 miles of paved off-road trails around the city for biking, it's no surprise that Denver tops our best cities for fitness list. Denver also has a citywide bike-sharing program, which is even more of an incentive for residents to be active.![<div class="caption-credit">Photo by: Thinkstock</div><b>2. San Francisco, CA</b> <br> The City by the Bay is a mecca for exercise. San Francisco offers kayaking and windsurfing for water lovers, plenty of places for running or skating throughout Golden Gate Park and more than 200 miles of bike paths and lanes for those who prefer exercise to driving or riding the trolley. San Francisco is also home to the Bay to Breakers footrace, the San Francisco Marathon, the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon and the Olympic Club, the oldest athletic club in the U.S. <br>]()
3/11-
Photo by: Thinkstock2. San Francisco, CA
The City by the Bay is a mecca for exercise. San Francisco offers kayaking and windsurfing for water lovers, plenty of places for running or skating throughout Golden Gate Park and more than 200 miles of bike paths and lanes for those who prefer exercise to driving or riding the trolley. San Francisco is also home to the Bay to Breakers footrace, the San Francisco Marathon, the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon and the Olympic Club, the oldest athletic club in the U.S.![<div class="caption-credit">Photo by: Thinkstock</div><b>3. San Diego, CA</b> <br> San Diego's ideal climate, 70 miles of coastline and diverse terrain encourages year-round fitness opportunities. It's the perfect place for outdoor recreation, from surfing and paddle boarding to hiking and biking. <br>]()
4/11-
Photo by: Thinkstock3. San Diego, CA
San Diego's ideal climate, 70 miles of coastline and diverse terrain encourages year-round fitness opportunities. It's the perfect place for outdoor recreation, from surfing and paddle boarding to hiking and biking.![<div class="caption-credit">Photo by: Thinkstock</div><b>4. Boston, MA</b> <br> Boston, which has more pedestrian commuters than most comparably populated cities, is known as The Walking City. The capital of Massachusetts also has some of the highest rates of bicycle commuting, in part because of the Boston Hubway, a bike-sharing program throughout Metro Boston. When Bostonians aren't rooting for their favorite sports teams, they're likely walking the Freedom Trail or jogging around the Charles River. <br>]()
5/11-
Photo by: Thinkstock4. Boston, MA
Boston, which has more pedestrian commuters than most comparably populated cities, is known as The Walking City. The capital of Massachusetts also has some of the highest rates of bicycle commuting, in part because of the Boston Hubway, a bike-sharing program throughout Metro Boston. When Bostonians aren't rooting for their favorite sports teams, they're likely walking the Freedom Trail or jogging around the Charles River.![<div class="caption-credit">Photo by: Thinkstock</div><b>5. Sacramento, CA</b> <br> Nicknamed the River City, because it's where the Sacramento River and the American River meet, Sacramento attracts a ton of white water rafters and kayakers. For land-lovers, California's state capital features over 5,000 acres of parks, giving residents plenty of opportunities for outdoor sports, hiking, walking and biking. <br>]()
6/11-
Photo by: Thinkstock5. Sacramento, CA
Nicknamed the River City, because it's where the Sacramento River and the American River meet, Sacramento attracts a ton of white water rafters and kayakers. For land-lovers, California's state capital features over 5,000 acres of parks, giving residents plenty of opportunities for outdoor sports, hiking, walking and biking.![<div class="caption-credit">Photo by: Thinkstock</div><p> <b>6. Seattle, WA</b> <br> Seattle's nearly year-round drizzly weather doesn't stop residents from staying active. Seattleites ski and snowboard in the nearby Cascade and Olympic Mountains, kayak and sail in Puget Sound, rock climb at Discovery Park and walk around Green Lake. There are also plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, camping and swimming. </p>]()
7/11-
Photo by: Thinkstock6. Seattle, WA
Seattle's nearly year-round drizzly weather doesn't stop residents from staying active. Seattleites ski and snowboard in the nearby Cascade and Olympic Mountains, kayak and sail in Puget Sound, rock climb at Discovery Park and walk around Green Lake. There are also plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, camping and swimming.![<div class="caption-credit">Photo by: Thinkstock</div><p> <b>7. Portland, OR</b> <br> With highs around the 80s and lows in the upper 30s, Portland's temperate climate makes it easy to stay active. Residents can hike Forest Park's 70 miles of trails, bike or jog the Springwater Corridor or even skateboard around one of the city's many designated skate routes. Portland also has one of the most active bicycle racing scenes in the U.S. </p>]()
8/11-
Photo by: Thinkstock7. Portland, OR
With highs around the 80s and lows in the upper 30s, Portland's temperate climate makes it easy to stay active. Residents can hike Forest Park's 70 miles of trails, bike or jog the Springwater Corridor or even skateboard around one of the city's many designated skate routes. Portland also has one of the most active bicycle racing scenes in the U.S.![<div class="caption-credit">Photo by: Thinkstock</div><b>8. Salt Lake City, UT</b> <br> It's no surprise The Crossroads of the West is the eighth-best city for fitness. Salt Lake City offers year-round outdoor adventure, from snowshoeing, snowboarding, snowmobiling and skiing, to hiking and biking around Bonneville Shoreline Trail. <br>]()
9/11-
Photo by: Thinkstock8. Salt Lake City, UT
It's no surprise The Crossroads of the West is the eighth-best city for fitness. Salt Lake City offers year-round outdoor adventure, from snowshoeing, snowboarding, snowmobiling and skiing, to hiking and biking around Bonneville Shoreline Trail.![<div class="caption-credit">Photo by: Thinkstock</div><b>9. Los Angeles, CA</b> <br> Los Angeles is the fourth California city to make it on our best cities for fitness list. Residents here put a premium on staying in shape. They love the latest workout crazes, including SoulCycle, Pure Barre, HIIT, INSANITY and more. Plus L.A.'s 75 miles of coastline offer plenty of opportunities for beach running, surfing, kayaking and one of the latest trends, stand-up paddleboard yoga. <br>]()
10/11-
Photo by: Thinkstock9. Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles is the fourth California city to make it on our best cities for fitness list. Residents here put a premium on staying in shape. They love the latest workout crazes, including SoulCycle, Pure Barre, HIIT, INSANITY and more. Plus L.A.'s 75 miles of coastline offer plenty of opportunities for beach running, surfing, kayaking and one of the latest trends, stand-up paddleboard yoga.![<div class="caption-credit">Photo by: Thinkstock</div><b>10. Austin, TX</b> <br> Austin rounds out our best cities for fitness list. This Texas town is home to Hippie Hollow Park on Lake Travis, a clothing-optional public park where residents can swim, kayak and hike, adding fuel to the unofficial city slogan "Keep Austin Weird." Austin also has more than 50 public pools as well as plenty of opportunities for rock climbing, swimming and exploring along the greenbelt. <p> <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fitness-exercise/article/best-cities-2014-for-fitness-12?cbr=YSHN1100011" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Find out if your town is one of the worst for exercise.;elm:context_link;itc:0" class="link "><b>Find out if your town is one of the worst for exercise.</b></a> </p>]()
11/11-
Photo by: Thinkstock10. Austin, TX
Austin rounds out our best cities for fitness list. This Texas town is home to Hippie Hollow Park on Lake Travis, a clothing-optional public park where residents can swim, kayak and hike, adding fuel to the unofficial city slogan "Keep Austin Weird." Austin also has more than 50 public pools as well as plenty of opportunities for rock climbing, swimming and exploring along the greenbelt.
