As much as I love running with my dog, my legs thought otherwise.
Even though I stretched before and afterwards, there would be times when I felt weakness in my legs. Usually I'd feel this while sitting at my job. I thought long and hard about other alternatives to getting a good exercise.
The bike has been a wonderful thing (and still is), but I considered options with working my upper body when I wasn't on my bike. Joining a gym is still not an option for me. (Nothing like making an evening out of an hour workout with the time spent going there, changing, working out, showering, changing again, going home, and heading to bed.)
Luckily something literally came into my life as I helped Diana move into her parents' house: a HealthRider Elliptical.
Diana's mother no longer had a use for hers (and it was taking up space in their house), so she offered it to me. I gladly accepted and found a place for it in my TV room. Just a few days in, the thing was a pure joy to work with and I've kept up with it.
But something I intentionally do not want this to turn into: something you hang laundry on but never use to actual exercise. I've been in enough houses where a treadmill collects dust in a corner and doubles as a laundry aid. Not in my house!
Not even a silly nickname Matt has given it will deter me. Jokingly calling it the Thrustmaster 5000, there's some funny innuendo thrown around, but I can't argue with how good of a workout it is combined with a three-mile bike ride.
The way I see it: I can work out and watch a movie, a live DVD, or a TV show while doing something far away from a sedentary lifestyle. And while the dog gets plenty of chances to run around outside and do her business, I have time to take care of my exercise regime. This is a win-win-win situation.
Even though I stretched before and afterwards, there would be times when I felt weakness in my legs. Usually I'd feel this while sitting at my job. I thought long and hard about other alternatives to getting a good exercise.
The bike has been a wonderful thing (and still is), but I considered options with working my upper body when I wasn't on my bike. Joining a gym is still not an option for me. (Nothing like making an evening out of an hour workout with the time spent going there, changing, working out, showering, changing again, going home, and heading to bed.)
Luckily something literally came into my life as I helped Diana move into her parents' house: a HealthRider Elliptical.
Diana's mother no longer had a use for hers (and it was taking up space in their house), so she offered it to me. I gladly accepted and found a place for it in my TV room. Just a few days in, the thing was a pure joy to work with and I've kept up with it.
But something I intentionally do not want this to turn into: something you hang laundry on but never use to actual exercise. I've been in enough houses where a treadmill collects dust in a corner and doubles as a laundry aid. Not in my house!
Not even a silly nickname Matt has given it will deter me. Jokingly calling it the Thrustmaster 5000, there's some funny innuendo thrown around, but I can't argue with how good of a workout it is combined with a three-mile bike ride.
The way I see it: I can work out and watch a movie, a live DVD, or a TV show while doing something far away from a sedentary lifestyle. And while the dog gets plenty of chances to run around outside and do her business, I have time to take care of my exercise regime. This is a win-win-win situation.
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