Here’s another advantage of living in Boston. We were named the second fittest city in the country in the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) American Fitness Index™ (AFI).
The AFI data report looks at preventive health behaviors, levels of chronic disease conditions, health care access, and community resources and policies that support physical activity.
“The ACSM American Fitness Index not only measures the state of health and fitness in our nation’s largest communities, but evaluates the infrastructure, community assets, policies and opportunities which encourage residents to live a healthy and fit lifestyle,” said AFI Advisory Board Chair Walt Thompson, Ph.D., FACSM.
Looking for some great ways to stay fit in the Boston area? Here are some fun things to do in and around Boston:
- Learn to row.
- Kayak on the Charles River.
- Hike in the Blue Hills Reservation.
- Bike along the Minuteman Bikeway in Lexington.
- Go rock climbing at Hammond Pond Reservation in Newton.
- Swim at one of the 3,000 lakes/ponds across Massachusetts.
- Play tennis at one of the area’s many lighted courts.
Visit your town’s recreation department to learn more about local programs available to residents. For example, Wellesley residents have access to adult programs for basketball, guided trail walks, tennis, cycling, yoga, dance, fitness, and more and youth sports programs in t-ball, soccer, gymnastics, dance, skating, baseball, basketball, dodgeball, archery, tennis, hockey, golf, and more while Sherborn residents can participate in tennis lessons, soccer camp, lacrosse, basketball, hockey, arts & crafts, and more–plus access to Farm Pond for swimming & sailing.
[Photo courtesy of David Paul Ohmer. You can also see more beautiful Boston scenery on David’s Flickr page.]