EXERCISE: You Don't Have Time NOT To!

For the most part I've always been pretty active and healthy. Though I haven't always been a gym rat, or the queen of the treadmill, I've always enjoyed at least getting out and going for a nice walk or a bike ride.

During the winter months it's so hard for me to be motivated to do much of anything.  It's too cold to venture outdoors for exercise and I won't drive if I think that there is any chance that the roads could be rough.  I have a treadmill, an elliptical machine and a big ol' library of workout dvd's but those grow wearisome after a while.  Motivation is hard for me to find when it's cold and dark out.

Spring and Summer's though, now that's a different story.  Tanner and I have been getting out and walking 3-5 miles daily. Usually on the weekends we fall behind on our long walks and resort to little walks with Brandon and the dogs.  Lately I've been venturing to the gym to take hour long spin classes.

For those of you who don't know what spin class is it's a low impact cardio endurance class using a stationary bike and routines that are designed to simulate terrain and situations similar to riding a bike outdoors.  Some of the movents and positions include warm-ups, hill climbs, sprints and interval training, cool-downs.  Motivating music plays and an instructor guides you through the class with visualizations like "You're going up a long hill now, you can't see the top!" or" "More tension! Stand up! Down! Up! Hold it, hold IT!" Spinning is a major calorie torcher and leaves me feeling totally energized.  I love it!

:: This past Saturday my friend Verna and I did a 2 hour Cinco de Mayo spin class!  Two hours on a bike was INTENSE but fun!  Verna happened to have her iPhone handy so I had her snap a few pics!  Good times!

Before class started

The instructors

Verna still going strong at the halfway point.

I have dreams of being a runner.  I can get on my treadmill and run a few miles, but I want to just be able to lace up my shoes, head out the door and run for miles and miles.  I'll get there!