Fit or Fat

Dallas makes strides among America's fittest cities — but finish line is still far

Keep at it, Dallas.

Photo by Corey Jenkins/Getty Images

If your goal for 2019 is to develop a consistent fitness regimen and maintain a healthy lifestyle, Dallas might be the city for you, despite its flabby first impression.

According to personal finance website WalletHub, Dallas ranks 53 out of 100 in its annual list of the best and worst cities in America for an active lifestyle.

Although scoring smack in the middle might not seem that great, Dallas has made outstanding improvements compared to three years ago. In 2016, WalletHub ranked us an embarrassing 84 out of 100. This jump in numbers is an encouraging nod to Dallas' potential.

To get its list, WalletHub evaluated 38 key indicators of an active lifestyle through two main categories: budget and participation, and sports and outdoors. Some of the 38 factors included monthly fitness club fees, average cost of sports apparel, number of basketball hoops, and — curiously — the cost of bowling.

Among major Texas cities, Austin nabbed the highest rank at No. 18. Houston followed at No. 42, then Lubbock (No. 57), San Antonio (No. 61), Plano (No. 68), Laredo (No. 71), El Paso (No. 80), Fort Worth (No. 84), and Corpus Christi (No. 89).

Making a particularly bad showing were the three Texas cities in the bottom 10: Garland (No. 92), Arlington (No. 95), and Irving (No. 97).

Notably, El Paso ranked second for having the lowest monthly fitness club fees, but No. 77 for the highest percentage of physically inactive residents. Fort Worth scored a dismal 94th for the fewest swimming pools per capita, while Irving is No. 97 in fewest basketball hoops per capita.

So where should the fit-minded be calling home? Honolulu is tops, followed by Chicago, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle.

fitness health rankings reports wallethub

Weed News

Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Dallas over decriminalization of marijuana

Photo courtesy of US Fish & Wildlife

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The City of Dallas has been sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for its efforts to decriminalize marijuana.

According to a release, Paxton has sued the city for adopting a city charter amendment that would decriminalize marijuana-related offenses and prohibit police from enforcing Texas law.

That amendment was Proposition R, or Dallas Freedom Act, which decriminalizes possession of four ounces of marijuana or less. Voters passed the amendment in the November 5 election, with 67 percent voting in favor.

The lawsuit, filed against the Dallas City Council, alleges that Proposition R is unconstitutional and violates Texas drug laws criminalizing any amount of marijuana.

Paxton says that cities can't "pick and choose which state laws to follow." He's proposing a permanent injunction to stop Proposition R from going into effect.

"The City of Dallas has no authority to override Texas drug laws or prohibit the police from enforcing them," says Paxton in a statement. "This is a backdoor attempt to violate the Texas Constitution, and any city that tries to constrain police in this fashion will be met swiftly with a lawsuit by my office.”

Before the recent election, possession of two to four ounces of marijuana could result in a punishment of 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Ground Game Texas, the activist nonprofit that has also helped get marijuana decriminalization on the ballot in elections across Texas, first got the issue on the ballot in July with the necessary 50,000 signatures.

Dallas is not the only city to be sued; Paxton also filed lawsuits against five other cities in Austin, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and San Marcos in January for their ballots and policies decriminalizing marijuana.

Both Austin and San Marcos had a judge overturn their cases, according to a FOX 4 report.

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