Ellipticals are Boring

So, I'm pretty much a gym mouse. No, not a gym rat because I'm not THAT into working out there. My favorite exercise would have to be running which I prefer to do outside since it is more exciting than running in place and having to stare at the same blank wall for 30 minutes. Running makes me feel fantastic even when it feels like my lungs have shriveled up because, in the end (even when I'm about to black out), my body is in much better shape than it was 30 minutes ago. Do you get what I'm sayin'?

I resort to the sweat-infested gym only when the outside world has become a threat to my little 'ole body. For example, I live in Illinois, so the winter chill has been extraordinarily BITTER. I'd rather do my business in a room that feels like sauna than risk having my legs shatter after becoming two, long icicles. Running in the cold is absolutely exhilarating, however. Your legs go numb, your sinuses burn, and your chest stings, but you start to develop this strong determination to get out of that weather. Thus, making your run a bigger success than the end result of a run on a 90 degree day with 99.9% humidity.

A word of warning: Do not take a hot shower immediately after a cold run: You will feel like you are being seared in a fire and you will probably become very very sick. Just snuggle up in a ton of blankets, eat soup or drink tea, and wait until you are warm again.

It has been way too cold to run outside here on campus because it's been in the negatives. If you want to be that crazy chick or dude to run in any temperature, then be my guest because you will surely be a guest on the emergency room admission list. I usually try to stay away from the hospital because, for one thing, the hospital around here sucks and they take forever. I'd rather not amputate parts of my own body by myself. I might get an infection! Just kidding! I'd probably DIE. No Thanks!

Getting my jog on at the gym has definitely saved my limbs as well as my physical capabilities. College focuses more on exercising the brain than the body, so when it comes to that, you are really on your own. We are SUPPOSED to use our brains, but our bodies? Those are used to store cookies and stress. So, make your way outside or inside soon before you start hearing the ramen yell your name in the night. To make the food stop talking to me, I wake up around 7 or 8am, stretch while eating a little something with peanut butter, and speed to the gym or the sidewalk where I force myself to get the job done in about 30 minutes. Then, I come back to relax and thank myself for being such a "Jillian Michaels."

When I trot into the gym, I usually hit up the treadmill and some dumbbells afterward. Before I went today, I told myself that I would use a different machine to mix my routine up a little bit. After staring at all of the machines, trying to make up my groggy mind, I picked the elliptical  My roommate (as well as the internet) told me that the elliptical burns more calories and is not as tough on your joints as the other machines are. I picked the best looking elliptical for me and almost fell off because of how it rotates at the feet, but I managed to keep myself up there. I pressed "quick start" and I was on my way to a new cardio experience! However, this experience felt quite uncomfortable.

 As I was striding, I felt as if I looked like The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I noticed that it was because the thing was elevated up to 10! After getting everything set to a 1, I got back on a roll, my arms pumping in rhythm with my swishing feet. Then, I figured out that I couldn't move my hands. This was absolutely horrible not only because I looked like an idiot trying to grab the moving handles after letting go, but because I have to move my hands when I exercise or else I will go crazy. I knew that this was something that I had to learn to deal with, but I still couldn't. Maybe if I watch the news on the little T.V. screen in front of me, then I will forget about my hands, I thought. Yeah, it didn't help. After a few more rotations, I realized how BORING the elliptical was. Your body stays in the same movement the whole time!  It's so uncomfortable. With this, I give that machine half a star! However, it does work your body extremely well.

So, moral of the story -- Don't use boring gym equipment.

BORING>>>>

With the words of Jillian, "GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE!"
NO!
;)

-Tiffany

*Pictures from Bing.com*