Finding a good Book is like finding a good Exercise

I always find it sad whenever I hear someone say they don't like reading; My first thought is they just haven't found the right book, or the right genre.   Not everyone likes Shakespeare or Hemingway.  As I've stated in past blog posts, it was the Star Wars expanded Universe books that got me into reading, and from there I started getting into other series.  There's something for everyone.

And I always find it sad when I hear someone say they don't like to exercise; My immediate thought whenever I hear that is they haven't found the right exercise.  Crazy as it sounds, exercising doesn't have to be a chore!  It can be enjoyable and fun.

On the Shape magazine's website they have an article 20 Super-Fit Chicks Who Don't Run.  Worth poking through, because it's refreshing!  I once thought that in order to get really fit I needed to be good at running.  All the celebrities seem to be doing it: Marathons here, 5k's there, the occasional triathlon.  It's inspiring, but there's a little something that stops me from running: I hate it!

I started training for a 5k last year.  I was motivated!  I had one of those 2 months to a 5k calender keeping me on track, and I actually got through the first month.  Plus I'm competitive and like earning awards and getting free shirts.  The world of 5k's seemed like a perfect fit for me.  The chance at a medal and an expanding wardrobe.  But I just couldn't like running.  

Hiking, on the other hand, is great fun.  Not the right season for it, but I love getting into nature and smelling the woodsy air.  And I love Zumba and Spinning.  Love it so much that it doesn't feel like exercise, even when I feel like I'm about to die.

There are so many great ways to get exercise, and it doesn't have to be the torture chamber we see on The Biggest Loser.  A fun bike ride, a game of tennis, basketball, a walk around the mall, etc.  So many possibilities!  Like finding a good book, there's a perfect exercise for everyone.

. . . and who knows, maybe one day I'll give the 5k another try and end up liking it.

Exercises for the Snowed In

It snowed last night, and I've found that when it comes to sticking to an exercise routine and going to the gym, snow is one of the first things that stop me, especially at 6 a.m.  Some people don't mind driving in snow and ice, but I'll avoid it if I can.  So I workout at home on days I can't make it to the gym.  Here are some great, free online resources I've found:

For the Family:

Sparks People, at sparkspeople.com, is overall an amazing website for all things health and motivation.  There's a great, friendly community, but also recipes and articles on a variety of subjects.  And of course there is a video section with cardio, pilates, yoga, and ab workouts.  The site itself is a little overwhelming at first, but once you figure out where everything is, the website really is amazing.  It's worth checking out.   

For Guys (though there's good stuff for everyone)

Nerd Fitness: Level up your Life is a blog, but Steve shares some great health information, and he has a Free Resource section where he's put together workouts that have links to YouTube.  A really fun blog, and I love the Lego pics.  Here's a link to the videos.

For the Gals

A lot of Women Health magazines have workouts with videos and articles avaliable for free on their websites. 

Fitness Magazine has a nice variety of videos, and this is one of my favorite places to go.  They even have a short workout video called Cold Play: Your Winter Workout Plan.

Self is probably one of the more well known health magazines.  Here's a link to their workout section.  BTW, they have a lot of prizes and drawings, and it's never a bad idea to enter.  A couple months ago I randomly got a package through FedEx, and inside was a free workout DVD for a contest I forgot I entered.  That was pretty awesome.      

Shape Magazine has some great workouts.  I need to try the Fat-Blasting Rebounding Routine.  I love my mini trampoline, and Rebounding workouts are really good for you.  I know it looks silly, but it really is a great workout.

Youtube

I discovered the Mahalo channel when I was searching for Tap dance videos, where they have a great series.  Honestly, they have series for just about anything you want to learn.  They have a couple Fitness playlists, and here is one of their videos: 

And if you want to dance here's a Tap video (link to all):

There's Hip-Hop as well, if you want to check that out.

Have fun!

Sarah