Friday, March 16, 2012

Single White Female Seeking Soulmate

Source: bing.com via Whitney on Pinterest



I have a secret. I am not a big fan of spinning. Usually if you find me in a spinning class it's because I'm injured and am forced to resort to low-impact exercises to keep my stamina up. It's actually growing on me; I don't dislike it as much as I used to, but it most definitely doesn't make my list of top five fave workouts (or let's be honest: top 15 fave workouts!).


For the longest time I was in denial. I would try to force myself to like it. I felt guilty for some crazy reason. After all, I'm known for being bananas for fitness and loving everything about it. And I do. I'm just not bananas about spinning!! I felt such a sense of relief when I finally let myself off the hook and acknowledged that I can still love fitness, but I don't have to adore every fitness program out there. And I don't have to make myself do them because I "should", because some magazine is telling me that it's good for me.
What's the point I'm trying to make? Just simply that you should do what makes you happy!! If you don't like running, DON'T RUN!! If you don't like step aerobics, DO SOMETHING ELSE!! Usually with people it's hard enough to muster up the motivation to work out in the first place, so why spend that time doing something that you loathe? The key is to find your "soulmate" workout, something that you can lose yourself in that makes you forget you're breaking a sweat. It may take some dabbling to identify your own personal soulmate, but it's so worth it in the end.


HOWEVER: Please keep in mind that balance is key as well. If you're a cardio junkie, I STRONGLY encourage you to find a strength training workout that you can dig (only if you like results, that is!). Stay tuned for my post on the wonderful world of strength training and its importance. In order for you to get maximum benefits, you must try to find balance. That doesn't mean that you have to start pumping iron. There are bajillions of ways to work those guns, many of them that don't require the use of equipment.


So forget about which exercise burns the most calories. If you love getting outside and hiking, then blaze those trails!! I mean, think about it: say you choose kickboxing over hiking because you think it burns more calories, but you would rather be hiking. Which workout do you think you'll: A) Give more effort, and B) Consistently do? When you're doing a workout you love, time seems to melt away, and you don't mind giving it your all. Plus, you usually look forward to those workouts you love, which means you end up logging more hours exercising, which means you come out better than if you had forced yourself to do kickboxing once or twice a week (or month!). Remember that one of the major points/benefits of exercising is that rush of endorphins you feel upon completion, resulting in that "high" feeling. You should feel recharged. If you're not doing something you love, then you're not as apt to experience that lovely, addictive sensation.




Also, as with any relationship, it's important to not get complacent and stuck in a rut. It's critical to change up your routine. This doesn't mean that you have to break up with your soulmate workout and post a singles ad on soulmateworkout.com. It just means that you need to keep things fresh with you and your soulmate. If you love Zumba, make sure you're doing new dances and learning new moves. If you love running, make sure you shake things up by incorporating new routes and different distances and speeds into your runs. Gotta keep that body guessing; otherwise, if you keep doing the same ol' thing, not only is that super boring, your body will become accustomed to it and will stop burning as many calories. Not kidding. So every month or so, spice up your life.
Your time you spend exercising is YOUR time. It's a treat for yourself, so treat it as such. HAVE FUN WITH IT!!!!

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