We're not the fattest state, but we're not the skinniest either.

And not only is weight an issue here, but Texas has some of the cities near the top of the list for high cholesterol and inactivity too.  Uh oh.

The fattest city in America is Jackson, Mississippi, according to Wallethub.  McAllen, TX ranks fourth, with Memphis and Little Rock coming in ahead of that highest-ranking Texas city.  Oh, and Shreveport-Bossier City is the fifth fattest.  Houston is 17th.

All of those places are sort of in our geographical wheelhouse.  So even though we're going to the gym regularly and eating our veggies here in Tyler, suddenly we're not feeling too light on our feet.

Shreveport is also in the top three in the nation for the highest percentage of adults with high cholesterol.   Youngstown, OH and Lexington, KY come in ahead of us there, according to Wallethub.

Some of the cities that don't tend to struggle with weight include Seattle, Portland, Honolulu, Denver and San Francisco.  We'll admit, we don't usually hear much about the fried foods on a stick in those cities, and it seems like they would probably eat a lot of fish, pineapple, and kale.  How's that for stereotyping...  I bet they sneak a fried Twinkie now and then though.

There are plenty of physically fit folks with ripped abs and nice calves in my little corner of Texas.  My gym is full of active guys and girls who are working toward the bathing suit bod, and the healthy-eating movement seems strong in certain spots of East Texas.

Can we do better?  Probably.  But there's something to be said for enjoying the journey.  And that calls for the occasional chicken fried steak at the Cotton Patch.  We might just have to hit the hiking trails for a little longer afterward.

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