Pound the Pavement!

According to a recent study from San Diego State University, urban dwellers like myself are fitter than country folk for one reason: We're surrounded by an even, walkable surface called pavement. Why? Being near sidewalks means that "people are likely to use them for walking, jogging and inline skating," says James Sallis, lead author of the study.

Is there pavement where you live? Do you use it? Some have no choice -- driving everywhere just isn't practical in a place like, say, New York City -- but for the many of us, it's up to us to get moving. Here are some numbers to get you started:

• 22 minutes of walking can burn 100 calories
• 15 minutes of jogging can burn 150 calories
• 20 minutes of cycling can burn 100 calories
• 30 minutes of inline skating can burn 400 calories

So what are you waiting for? There's a whole concrete jungle out there waiting for you -- use it.