City Living in the Suburbs

I just got back from a short trip to Washington, DC. My husband was there on business, so I decided to bring my babies and tag along because we needed a change of scenery. This first night there, we set out on foot to look for some dinner and Mike made this observation:

"No wonder people in cities are skinnier; they walk everywhere."

I came away from my trip wishing I lived in a place where I could walk to the grocery store, to a friends house, or to work. I don't really want to live in a city, however, but in a place more like Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls. If I did, I would surely walk more for the purpose of transit. In the meantime, I must find ways to live like a city girl in my suburban neighborhood.

While I can't walk everywhere, I certainly can walk more while I am out and about. Park and walk is a good practice--not merely parking farther from the store, but walking from store to store in a shopping center instead of driving.
There is no such thing as a big grocery shopping trip in cities. You often don't have a car to load up your loot, and often times you have to go up multiple flights of stairs to get home. Grocery stores are crowded and the shopping carts are small...there is just not enough space. Buying what you need daily or for only a couple days at a time allows for and encourages fresh foods to be used more.
People seem to be more health-conscious in cities. I could speculate many reasons why this may be true, but for now I will just say that healthy living is a mindset and a lifestyle. We need to train our brains to naturally think about health when making decisions. It doesn't always need to be hard work to live healthfully, it just needs to be a part of every day life.

When we live healthy lifestyles, it makes special occasions like a trip to Georgetown Cupcake more enjoyable. This little boy doesn't get a cupcake every day, which is why it's ok to have one for life's little celebrations.