Survey: Half of Central Jerseyans Can’t Do This Seemingly Simple Thing

It's already well known that, as a nation, we're pretty out of shape, but you might not think things are this bad. According to a new survey, half of Americans can't touch their toes without straining.

We conducted our own survey. We asked every listener, every caller, and every winner, “Can you touch your toes?” Keep in mind that we told them they needed to be standing up with their legs together and they weren’t allowed to bend their knees. The findings were surprising. Some of the answers were interesting: Kelly in Piscataway said, “No way!” Carlie in East Brunswick proudly said, “Not only can I touch my toes, I can do a back bend.” A back bend is when you bend your spine backward and catch yourself with your hands.

Colleen from Bridgewater said, “There is no way in hell I could ever do that,” and Kara works in Manalapan and claims she can touch her toes, but “would rather not.” Out of the 47 listeners we spoke with only 25 said they could touch their toes. That’s about 50% and supports the survey of 2,000 Americans commissioned by the arthritis pain gel Voltaren. Their study also revealed that while 73% of Americans want to be more active, they're not.  In fact, the average adult gets in just 3,800 steps a day, that’s 6,200 less than the recommendation of at least 10,000 for good health.

Their data shows that forty-two percent admit they "struggle" to fit activity into their daily lives.

However, we're apparently trying to change our sedentary ways: Forty-three say they've started stretching routines, and 38% are doing at-home workouts. Thirty-one percent say they've started taking walks for their mental health.

Sixty-seven percent say they want to get moving again to improve their physical health; fifty-one percent want to boost their mental health, and forty-two want to be more active so they could be a good influence on their kids. In fact, fifty-four percent are making it a goal to exercise more with their family.

And most people aren't moving as much as they should be, they know they should be: Eighty-one say exercising puts them in a better mood. I can attest to that, I run every day and I always feel great afterward. Maryann and I also learned that neither of us can stretch our foot behind our head, but we had fun trying!

No matter who you are or how old you are, anyone and everyone can name their favorite classic movie, but does your choice match the thoughts of the rest of New Jersey? Or maybe you weren’t born here, does your fave align with those from your home state?

From Breakfast at Tiffany’s to It’s a Wonderful Life, the folks at Coventry Direct set out to explore many classic films. The study is based on Google Trends data from searches conducted between February 10, 2021, and February 10, 2022, and it determined the most popular classic movie in every state. They compiled a meticulously formed list of over 50 of the best classics, then the analysis began.

Here’s what they found:

The most popular classic movie in New Jersey is the Francis Ford Coppola directed film starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino: The Godfather.

Musicals were hits throughout the country. Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz tied for the #1 spot, winning 7 states each. West Side Story also won in 3 states.

The popularity of classic movies has strong regional ties. The Wizard of Oz was the most popular classic movie in the midwest, while The Godfather was the overall winner in the northeast. Gone With the Wind ranked as the #1 most popular movie in the South.

Connecticut prefers An American in Paris, 12 Angry Men won out in New Hampshire, Mary Poppins leads in Utah, and Californians love Sunset Boulevard.

For the full results and breakdowns go HERE.