As being out of shape is a common complaint amongst expats in the big city, RT looked at the trials and tribulations of keeping fit in the capital.
Staying in shape is tough – especially in Moscow, city of all-night bars and clubs.
The first the most obvious option is fitness clubs. In recent years the Russian capital has built up a whole network of different centers of various types.
Although it might be easy to go and buy an entry ticket, the actual training will no doubt prove much more difficult than it seems. This is where different kinds of sport activities pop up.
Many westerners are familiar with marathons and running groups that unite people keen on running and winning. Vladimir Vaselov, who organizes such a running group, says that in Moscow there is room for such marathons to take off.
“It’s done in NYC and in London and Berlin and Tokyo, and Moscow is ready for this type of thing,” Vaselov told RT.
Another fitness fan, Aleksandra Boyarskaya-Waitt, admits it can still be tough in Moscow, especially for women.
“Our women’s magazines say that if you wear running shoes, you will never get married,” Boyarskaya-Waitt told RT. “So you need to have a sort of motivation.”
Aleksandra’s motivation was her marathon blog with 3,000 followers who got inspired by running, thanks to her.
“The bigger thing is the responsibility because all these people who write, ‘I’ve started running because of you. Keep going because if you will stop I will stop.’ So now I feel under pressure,” Alexandra laughs.