Walking...Great Exercise! Just Not In Front Of A Crowd.

I have a small confession. People sort of scare me. I guess I don't mind singing, speaking, or teaching in front of people--I actually like it. I also really love running races--the spectators are my favorite part. But I HATE walking alone in front of people. I don't like feeling all eyes on me as I walk to the front of a room. I've never been graceful. (I broke my leg on my first real date!) I dropped a food tray in the dorm cafeteria once, and wanted to hide in a corner as everyone cheered. This and other walking moments have scarred me for life.

If I have to, I'll do it. But I'll be thinking and concentrating so hard on every step--trying to appear graceful--that I'll probably trip. I've gotten a little better. Like if I'm carrying a screaming child out of a quiet Church meeting, I'm probably not really thinking about how I'm walking. But if I'm in a movie theater needing to pee, you can be pretty sure I'm going to hold it until the end. I don't like walking in front of people.

Tonight, I was at the airport waiting for my brother and his fiancee in the Park-N-Wait lot. When they were ready and waiting at the curb, I turned the car on to go get them, but suddenly got nervous. I was in a parking lot with a bunch of sitting and waiting cars that I had to drive in front of. Silly, I know. Like they were even watching me. But I felt totally self-conscious as I drove in front of them. Weird.

I have a tiny disclaimer. I got pulled over at the airport last week for going 14 mph in a 10 mph zone. So airports have me a bit jittery. But this doesn't change the fact that I get totally self-conscious walking in front of people. I don't have a solution. I'll just have to keep walking and blushing. But I don't have to like it!

Do you have any weird insecurities? How do you get over them?

Fitness In The Great Outdoors

I'm going to sneak out on a limb here and say that Spring just might possibly FINALLY be here. After a crazy snow storm last week, the temperatures look like they might actually be on the rise...for good. Well, at least for a few months. HALLELUJAH! I, for one, need the mental pick-me-up that warm temperatures bring.

While living in the-land-of-serious-dark-all-day-long-winters-Finland for a year and a half, I realized how much I really really love the sun. Winters were SERIOUSLY depressing. I remember looking at my watch at 2:00 in the afternoon while walking around in the pitch dark, thinking, "how am I going to survive the day in the dark for 7 more hours before we go home?" Summers in Finland, however, were heaven. The sun never slept!

In my life, I've discovered two things that really do keep me going. SUN. and EXERCISE. I've been missing the sun in a bad way!

I came across one study that shows the great benefits for children of combining the outdoors AND exercise. This particular study shows how a walk in the park improves attention in children with ADHD. I don't have ADHD, but I have plenty of moments (more than I'd like to admit), where I am mentally fatigued, easily distracted, and NEED TO GET OUT OF MY DANG HOUSE! A brisk walk outside ALWAYS makes me feel better. And running around in the park changes the temperament of my 2-year-old (in a good way) even more than a good nap...which is saying A LOT. This outside-induced-happiness has an even greater effect on my mood. Monster-Mom becomes Fun-Happy-Relaxed-Mom.

Besides being a better parent, here are a few more benefits of exercising outdoors:

• Running outside instead of on a treadmill increases the caloric burn by about 5 percent (due to wind and changing terrain).
• Changing temperatures increase calorie burn by about 7 percent because your body has to work to keep the internal temp at 98.6 degrees!
• SUN + EXERCISE = MOTHER NATURE'S ZOLOFT! This study, conducted in 2007 by researchers in England, found that outdoor workouts (i.e. A walk in the woods, a brief retreat, and even gardening) are ALL Better than anti-depressants alone! When they compared the mental benefits of a 30-minute walk outside with an indoor stroll, 71 percent who walked outside felt less tense after. 72 percent of the indoor walkers felt even more stressed.

The treadmill is one of my fondest old friends. I love that I can look down at any given second, and know EXACTLY how LONG I've been running, how FAR I've been running, how FAST I'm running, how much LONGER I'll be running, etc. I'm a numbers-kind-of-girl. But lately with my training, I've been running outside a lot more. And I have to say, I think I'm officially converted.

I honestly used to prefer the treadmill. Not anymore. When I'm outside, I don't feel like I'm running because I have to. I'm not yelling at kids to stay away from the treadmill, to share toys, to stop hitting each other. I don't increase my speed to hurry and get the run over with. I enjoy it. If the kids are with me in the jogging stroller, they enjoy it. I feel much more rejuvenated at the end. 10 miles outside feels like 4 miles on a treadmill (time-wise). Don't get me wrong. The treadmill has, and will always be my fall-back workout. But this summer, I'm going to take advantage of mother nature. I need it.

And running isn't all I'm going to do outside! Here are a few more outdoor workout ideas:

• Walking--one of the best lifetime sports!
• Jogging/Running--need I say more?
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Hiking
• Strength Training at the Park! Seriously...parks are FULL of FREE exercise equipment. Maybe I'll do a full post on this one later...I'm envisioning swing lunges using the swing to elevate the back leg, monkey bars for pull-up(s), straddling benches, swing/slide push-ups, stepping up onto benches, running around the playground, etc.
• Beach Yoga (for those vacationing or lucky enough to live in Sunny CA)
• Jumprope!

Are you convinced yet? Are you ready to trade in your gym membership? What gets you moving outside? Or do you still prefer the treadmill?

Workout of the Week--BLAST 300-500 CALORIES in 40-50 Min.

***If you haven't yet, check out our healthy recipe contest and submit your recipes!***

I am a total treadmill junkie! Just thinking about running makes my heart skip a beat. There is nothing like listening to your favorite playlist while blasting calories!

For your enjoyment and workout pleasure, here are a few of my favorite songs and favorite workouts to help you get in shape, hit the pavement (or in my case--the treadmill), and blast some serious calories!!

PLAYLIST
Bye Bye--Mariah Carey
Check On It--Beyonce & Slim
Dance Like There's No Tomorrow--Paula Abdul
Girlfriend--Avril Lavigne
Johnny and June--Heidi Newfield
Love Like This--Natasha Bedingfield
No Air--Chris Brown & Jordin Sparks

CALORIE BLAST WORKOUTS!!
These treadmill workouts are designed to blast 300 to 500+ calories in about 40 to 50 minutes. Choose from one of three levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and pick either a high-impact run or a low-impact speed walk on an incline. Don't have access to a treadmill? Do the same program outside on flat or hilly terrain. Follow your cardio workout with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching for your shoulders, chest, hips, glutes and legs.

Level 1

0:00-5:00: Warm up, 3.5 mph, 0% (RPE: 3)

5:00-7:00: Speed-walk, 4.0 mph, 0% (RPE: 5)

7:00-9:00: Run, jog (5.2-6.0 mph, 0%) or speed-walk (3.8 mph, 6%) (RPE: 6-7)

9:00-33:00: Repeat minutes 5:00-9:00 six more times, alternating 2 minutes of walking with 2 minutes of running or walking on an incline (RPE:7-8)

33:00-38:00: Cool down, 3.5 mph, 0% (RPE: 3)

Level 2

0-5:00: Warm up, 3.5 mph, 0% (RPE: 3)

5:00-7:00: Speed-walk, 4.0 mph, 0% (RPE: 5)

7:00-22:00: Run, jog (5.2-6.0 mph, 0%) or speed-walk (3.8 mph, 6%) (RPE: 6-7)

22:00-39:00: Repeat minutes 5:00-22:00, alternating 2 minutes of walking with 15 minutes of running or walking on an incline (RPE: 7-8)

39:00-45:00: Cool down, 3.5 mph, 0% (RPE: 3)

Level 3

0-5:00: Warm up, 3.5 mph, 0% (RPE: 3)

5:00-10:00: Run, jog (5.2-6-0 mph, 0%) or speed-walk (3.8 mph, 6%) (RPE: 5)

10:00-12:00: Sprint (6.0-7.0 mph, 0%) or speed-walk (3.8 mph, 10%) (RPE: 6-7)

12:00-47:00: Repeat minutes 5:00-12:00 5 more times, alternating 5 minutes of running or walking on an incline (RPE: 7-8)

47:00-52:00: Cool down, 3.5 mph, 0% (RPE: 3)

Have a great workout!

*Note: Always use your own Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) to determine how fast you should go. This rate should be used when gauging your intensity in any cardio workout. Here's what the numbers mean.

• RPE 1-2: VERY EASY; you can talk on the phone, converse with no labored breathing or effort.
• RPE 3: EASY; you can converse with almost no effort. Slightly labored breathing, barely noticeable.
• RPE 4: MODERATELY EASY; you can still converse somewhat comfortably with very little effort.
• RPE 5: MODERATE; you can still talk, but with some effort.
• RPE 6: MODERATELY HARD; now talking requires quite a bit of effort.
• RPE 7: HARD; you can probably still talk a bit, but you don't want to...requires too much effort.
• RPE 8: VERY HARD; you probably can't get out a full sentence without gasping for air. Conversing requires maximum effort.
• RPE 9-10: PEAK EFFORT; you can't talk. You are anaerobic. You can only stay in this zone for a few minutes at most!

What are some of your favorite workouts? What music keeps you motivated? Or do you prefer to let your thoughts/TV/books entertain you?