Move it!

Yes, I command you to move it!!!  That is, get some exercise, please...pretty please?

If you really need yet another reason to exercise, check out the latest research as discussed on USA TODAY:

Intense Exercise Burns Calories Long after a Workout, Study Says
Men who got 45 minutes of intense exercise on a stationary bike burned an extra 190 calories over the 14 hours after their workout, Appalachian State University researchers reported in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. They said the findings should hold true for women, and also may apply to other activities, such as running or high-intensity basketball or soccer.

Click the link below for the full article:
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/exercise/story/2011-09-01/Bonus-for-exercisers-Calories-burn-long-after-workout/50224116/1


True, 190 calories may not sound like a lot, but if you think about it.....

1) You aren't even exercising during that time to burn those calories.
2) You just burned off that Tall 2% Latte that you enjoyed this morning from Starbucks.
3) That's 190 calories you wouldn't have burned had you not exercised.
4) If weight loss isn't your goal, than burning those 190 calories makes it easier for you to enjoy that little chocolate treat at the end of the day.
5) In about 18 days you will have lost about 1 pound just from those extra calories!  (Fun fact - it takes about 3500 calories to gain/lose 1 pound...keep that one in your back pocket for the next time you are on Jeopardy!)

Go on now...exercise!

Running for Fun

One thing you may not know about me at this point is that I am an athlete.  No, not the professional kind that gets paid, but the kind that grew up playing sports and continues to be active in adulthood. 

It started in gradeschool with volleyball.  I was never the best, but I sure did try hard and always made the team.  In highschool I continued to play volleyball, but also took up tennis.  When I went to college, I decided to become a cyclist and joined the university's club team. 

I love sports.  I love to sweat (yes, indeed and I am quite good at it), I love the adrenaline and I love the sense of accomplishment. 

When I moved to Chicago, I found that it was way too hard to get on a bike and actually get anywhere.  No open roads around here.  So, I decided to take up a sport that I didn't love at first, but was virtually free and I could do it anywhere.  That sport was running.

Ok, so when I say running, I guess I mean "fast jogging," as I am no Jackie Joyner-Kersee.  Don't get me wrong, when challenged and well-trained I can do pretty well, but these days I am running for fun.  (Ha, running for fun, I never thought I would be the one saying that!)

In fact, running has become a great outlet for dealing with stress in my life.  Not only that, it's a hobby that I share with my wonderful husband.  When long work days are done, I actually look forward to our 4 milers in the evening because I know that we'll have time to talk and laugh and de-stress.  A total win-win as far as I am concerned.

I know that running isn't for everyone.  In fact, most of my family thinks it's crazy that I have done marathons and triathlons, but I run for me.  I run for the pure joy of being outside, for the amazement at what a miracle machine my body is, for the feeling of freedom and for the special time I get with my husband.

Thank you running for giving me an outlet like nothing else can.