Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
About 15 years ago, I was living in the U.S. and noticed my body was changing for the worse. I was commuting 60 - 80 minutes every day by car. And by the end of the day, I was barely able to keep my eyes open. I definitely couldn’t bring myself to exercise, so it wasn’t long before I looked down for the first time in my life and felt something, let’s say, a little squishier above the belt.
This is how it happens. This is how an otherwise healthy 20-something can blink and find themselves dealing with an array of weight and health issues by the time they hit their late 30s and early 40s.
But it’s not their fault this is happening. They’re doing the best they can in a poorly designed system. Because this country simply isn’t designed to keep you healthy and active, like I’ve found in Europe during my 10 years of living year and traveling across the continent.
Europe, I’ve found, is designed to keep you moving. America is designed to make you sick.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro
01:05 - Not Enough Steps
04:12 - Designed to Drive
06:08 - A Sedentary Problem
SOURCES: withoutapath.substack.com
--
Trail running tours and planning: burningriverrunningcompany.com
Sign up to my newsletter so you never miss a video: withoutapath.substack.com
Get 25% off your first three months with Vert.Run using code Joe25 at: https://vert.run/joe-baur/
Tailwind Nutrition: alnk.to/7McmXyf
FOLLOW ME HERE:
Instagram: instagram.com/baurjoe
Facebook: facebook.com/baurjoe
Strava: strava.com/athletes/3879178
Patreon: patreon.com/c/joebaur/membership
Substack: withoutapath.substack.com
#urbanplanning #lifeineurope #lifeinamerica #sustainablecities
About 15 years ago, I was living in the U.S. and noticed my body was changing for the worse. I was commuting 60 - 80 minutes every day by car. And by the end of the day, I was barely able to keep my eyes open. I definitely couldn’t bring myself to exercise, so it wasn’t long before I looked down for the first time in my life and felt something, let’s say, a little squishier above the belt.
This is how it happens. This is how an otherwise healthy 20-something can blink and find themselves dealing with an array of weight and health issues by the time they hit their late 30s and early 40s.
But it’s not their fault this is happening. They’re doing the best they can in a poorly designed system. Because this country simply isn’t designed to keep you healthy and active, like I’ve found in Europe during my 10 years of living year and traveling across the continent.
Europe, I’ve found, is designed to keep you moving. America is designed to make you sick.
--
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro
01:05 - Not Enough Steps
04:12 - Designed to Drive
06:08 - A Sedentary Problem
SOURCES: withoutapath.substack.com
--
Trail running tours and planning: burningriverrunningcompany.com
Sign up to my newsletter so you never miss a video: withoutapath.substack.com
Get 25% off your first three months with Vert.Run using code Joe25 at: https://vert.run/joe-baur/
Tailwind Nutrition: alnk.to/7McmXyf
FOLLOW ME HERE:
Instagram: instagram.com/baurjoe
Facebook: facebook.com/baurjoe
Strava: strava.com/athletes/3879178
Patreon: patreon.com/c/joebaur/membership
Substack: withoutapath.substack.com
#urbanplanning #lifeineurope #lifeinamerica #sustainablecities
