Making My Workouts Work

Years ago, I fell in love with Spinning when I joined a new gym to get in shape.

Spinning (real Spinning classes are harder to find than you think and are only offered in Spinning certified studios.  Some gyms use this program, but most don't as paying for the Spinning brand and educating instructors is pricey) is NOT cycling or biking or anything else it may be called at most gyms.

The gym I joined just happened to have the real thing and I quickly became obsessed.   In less than a year, my body looked the best it ever has and I was down 30 plus pounds.

Then, I moved in with Awful, got depressed, changed gyms because my old one was a bit harder to get to (especially in city traffic) and tried the biking (not real Spinning) classes there....I was less than impressed.

The same story can be repeated 5 times.  NOTHING has ever come close to the AMAZING classes I took at the gym I loved and even some of the Spinning certified studios (I always try multiple classes at each location I try to see if I can find an instructor I click with if the overall offerings are not what I expected) I have tried are blah....BUT, there is a Spinning certified studio in the new city I am moving to and I have tried several of their classes and THEY ARE EXCEPTIONAL.  I actually cried during one because I felt like I was transported back in time 5 years when I first fell in love with Spinning...everyone, but the instructor, thought I was insane.

It really is very fitting that the only Spinning classes I love are in my new city....because it is truly my favorite place in the world.

So, for the last 4 years, I have made excuses to not workout as I should because I love Spinning, but cannot find classes that even compare to my first experience with it.  I was trying to generalize that the past success I accomplished was ONLY because of Spinning and NOT because I was working out hard on a daily basis.  DUH.

2 weeks ago, I walked out of a cycling class at my current gym.  This is the first time I have EVER done this....BUT, the instructor was talking all about her vacation and playing such songs as "Purple People Eater" and "Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" and I was about to throw my water bottle at her because I am intense when I work out.  I don't talk, I focus, I want to sweat.  I take a class, so I don't have to think about anything, but the way my body is feeling.  I don't want to hear about the crab legs at the all you can eat buffet and play any music you like, but at least play something with a beat....

I reason that leaving was better than going to jail for assault for throwing an object at a stranger.....

And then it hit me....

I can play my own music and ride a Spinning bike on the cardio floor of my gym (my gym has Spinning bikes that you can clip into in common areas and not just the studio...I wear bike shoes during class) which happens to be open 24 hours a day.  No more excuses.

Since then, I have been making my own play lists and I have been riding daily.   I have been looking forward to the time I get to spend on the bike, sweating the day out, and listening to all of my favorite music.  I have been to the gym 10 times in the last 14 days.  I know the scale will be down this Monday as it was last, I can feel my jeans getting looser already!  When the weather finally agrees to be Spring, I will bike outside, too (which I love), but there has only been 2 nice days around here and I worked both of them, so inside will have to do for now.

Recently, I decided that I am ready to commit to a goal on my bucket list that I have been wanting to accomplish for 5 years.....da da dah......

I will be riding a Century, an 100 mile bike ride, in October.  The race is close to my new city.

I started in on training program and accomplished 30 miles in 95 minutes today, so I am right on track according to my guide.

I work well with a goal in mind and I think 100 miles may just be that!

HAPPY FRIDAY!