Another tool for a cardio slacker

by Melanie J.

Uh-oh....it's one of those mornings. I'm tired because I didn't sleep enough, I have an extra kid at home since school's out, I put on a pound over the weekend, and I really need to work out. Chances are my normal kickboxing class at the gym is out of the question because the babysitting room will be extra full, so there's going to be no one barking at me and telling me what to do.

So now what?

I do best with group exercise classes when it comes to cardio because I get less bored and being around other people forces me to step up my exercise game. But if it's not possible to make one of the classes, then I've learned to have a variety of other options lined up so that I get my cardio done anyway. I have several different exercise DVDs from tae bo to cardio dance on hand and can always check more out from the library for a dollar. I know which cable channels have exercise programs in the morning that I can follow along. These are good options for me, but the best one, the one I have the most chance of sticking out...is walking.

But that's because I have a secret weapon: my iPod.

You've all figured this out already, right? But if yours is full of high energy music chosen to keep you moving, then....we use our iPods differently. I've found something else that works even better to keep me going longer: podcasts. There are dozens, probably hundreds, of these little gems available for free from iTunes on every subject you can imagine. I just load my iPod up with ones that sound interesting, load the baby into the stroller, and hit the pavement with my heart monitor ticking off the calories I've burned. Learning about something new or getting caught up in a story while I'm doing my super cool power walk makes it easier to go just a little farther because then it's not about burning just a few more calories; it's about finding out what happens next in the podcast. And I burn a few more calories anyway.

Perfect for a slacker like me that can't always get out the door just because I should. It's that little extra bonus that makes lacing up my sneakers slightly more likely and every small victory counts. Especially this week!