Fitness classes are little societies unto themselves, and there are some basic guidelines you should follow so you don’t become “that guy/lady.” Most people seem to know how to behave, but everything on this list has happened in my classes, so…. If you’re new to fitness classes, these tips might help you adapt to your new […]
7 Surefire Ways to Make Yourself Hate Exercise
A lot of people say they hate exercise, and that’s their whole excuse for not doing it. Lame. First of all, I’m pretty sure my mom taught me that sometimes we have to do things we don’t like. Two, you can learn to love it. Three, actually, you don’t hate exercise at all. Movement is […]
Why I Don’t Listen to Music When I Run
When I got my first portable cassette player (purple and Barbie-themed), I was excited to use it to play my mix tapes on my runs. I had heard that people do that. It clipped so conveniently to my shorts! As long as my shorts were tight enough not to get pulled down by the weight […]
5 Healthy Habits I’ve Adopted This Year
Like I’ve mentioned, I like resolutions, whether they come at the beginning, middle, or end of the year. This year, January 1st happened to coincide with a lot of little ideas I’ve been having, and for Christmas my awesome friend Cat gave me a list of some healthy habits to start doing this year, several of […]
Super Bowl Snacks Done Better
Despite consuming a generally healthy diet, I don’t usually make a great effort to avoid special-occasion treats. Christmas, birthdays, and, yes, the Super Bowl will bring out foods you don’t normally (and definitely shouldn’t normally) eat. But, life is about balance, and I do enjoy a good birthday cake. So I’m not going to […]
How to Lift Out of an Exercise Rut
If you follow an exercise program for long enough, this is going to happen to you: you’re going to dig yourself a sweaty ditch and get stuck in it. And you will hate it. You’ll know you’re there because you’re going to dread your workouts — not just occasionally, but every day. You’ll get mad […]
Things You Do Not Need to Be Fit
There are a lot (a LOT) of excuses when it comes to why you’re not exercising: no time, can’t afford it, blah blah blah. This seems to stem from an idea that there are certain things you NEED to be fit, things you NEED in order to move your body. Actually, the only thing you really […]
Everyday Fitness Opportunities You’re Not Taking Advantage Of
Living an active lifestyle isn’t just about going to the gym for an hour a day. That’s a nice habit, but if you sit the rest of the time, it’s kind of pointless. What are you even getting in shape for? Putting movement in your day takes practice, especially if you’re passing up the many […]
Why You Might Enjoy a Busy Gym
This is a funny thought I had, because I usually avoid the busy gym hours like athlete’s foot. I love going in there when it’s quiet, when I have free access to all my favorite equipment, and I don’t have to get annoyed by watching people exercise with their smartphones. That said, there might be a […]
How to Learn to Love Running (or Anything)
It’s easier than you think. In high school track, I was a jumper and an on-the-slower-side sprinter, which meant the majority of my workouts involved fast(ish) speeds and short distances. Our “long run” maxed out at four miles (while the distance runners went on and on–suckers!). I remember saying then that I never wanted to […]