Here's a Blog I wrote.

I wrote this on Janaina's blog a few months ago. I'm writing another entry now - I'll put a link here when it's done.

Thursday, February 12, 2009
GUEST BLOGGER...Slow and Steady...
Guest Blogger: Laura Kingstorf

I have a new found respect for fitness classes. On Tuesday, it will officially be a month that I have faithfully attended not one but two classes a week. I realize that is only 4 classes each, but I usually have a lot of one-night-stands with classes (ie. that time I tried yoga last summer). But this year I've been sticking to a plan, and finding the routine to be extremely comforting.

I'm a part-time triathlete in the summer months and biking is my weakest event. I realized that I need to start building a base early in the year, but with a constant 6 inches of snow/ice on the ground and 4 foot snow banks around every turn, I thought I'd try a spinning class at the Y. My initial plan, actually, was to go swimming at least 3 mornings per week, and spin or run 2-3 times per week after work. Then I stepped back and realized that is how I usually proceed when the fitness bug bites. I get into an elaborate plan with work-out logs, diet journals, and double sessions for a week or two. The next two weeks are a recovery period, usually involuntary due to an exhaustion-induced illness, and by that point the fitness bug has since flown away and I'm eating a Guinness ice cream float. This time I went to one spinning class on Tuesday after work about a month ago. I took it slow and got to talk to the instructor, Geno, afterwards. Since that day, I've been going back every week. Admittedly, I haven't run on the treadmill in a few weeks, and haven't gone swimming since 2008, but I'm also not completely worn out. I plan on adding one swim or run a week starting next week and then building up my aerobic activities slowly (ZUMBA?!).

The second class I've been faithful to is a combination of Yoga and Pilates and it takes place 3 floors down from my desk as I type this. I've been working in the same office building for 2 years and never set foot in the practically complementary fitness center that we have on the first floor. I finally responded to the mass e-mail begging people to join and was greeted with such a warm response. There are 4 fitness classes offered each week as well as unlimited use of the treadmills and freeweights, said the fitness coordinator, and she invited me to try a class out for free. What?! It's not Bally's by any means, but the membership level I chose breaks down to $2 per week. Not too shabby. I've been attending yoga-lates class every Friday at noon for the past month. It's an amazing stress reducer and since I had to pay for all of the classes ahead of time I always have incentive to stick with it. Seeing naked ladies that I work with in the locker room will take some getting used to.

**4/8 Update (that rhymes):
Still Spinning
Still Yoga-ing
Bi-Monthly Zumba-ing (when my schedule permits)
I joined a swimming club at the Y - it's awesome but pricey, so I think only one 3 month session is in the cards for right now. I learned a lot of new workouts though.
Starting a food diary... stay tuned.