Ridin' in the Rain

Since moving here, the girls and I ride our bikes to/from school every day.  When it rains, we generally walk so that we can use the big umbrella.  Today the rain was really coming down.  My youngest wanted me to drive them.  2 problems with this.  1) The car line at this school is utterly ridiculous!  2) We live a block away!  I am not driving them a block away!  So we sucked it up and rode our bikes because that's faster than walking and they have rain jackets so great.  Yeah...except I don't have a rain jacket.  I got back totally soaked through.  Clothes are in the dryer and am working so I lived but I will buying a rain jacket pronto!

My knee is feeling a bit better today.  Keeping the brace on for today but may try for a short, easy walk this evening.  I didn't walk last night to give it an opportunity to rest but don't want to go 2 days in a row.  Speaking of exercise, found this tidbit on CNN.

Excuse-proof your Workout

The point of this article to bust through the top 5 excuses for not working out.  Full article is linked to the title but I'll give you tidbits and my opinion in blue.  (Ah...I forgot how much I missed "In The News" posts...)


The excuse: I'm too pooped.

The reality: It's the number-one reason you blow off workouts. Know this, though: Studies have shown that regular physical activity can improve energy. If you don't believe it, commit to a week of exercise and see if you notice a difference.  Being too tired is one that I've used often enough.  And I know I feel more energy when I'm working out.  They give a suggestion about a special kind of alarm clock to get you up to go in the morning or enlisting a workout buddy if you prefer evenings.  Truth is... even if it's a walk, gotta just make yourself bust through the tired thing.

The excuse: There aren't enough hours in the day.  I'm not even going to bother putting in the reality piece of the article here.  There IS time...you just have to find it.

The excuse: I don't want to redo my hair and makeup.  I'm not justifying this one with the reality either. Seriously???  This is an excuse people use?  I've never been an overly girly type but come on!  Suck it up buttercup!


The excuse: Exercise makes me eat more.

The reality: Actually, if you work out at a moderate-to-vigorous level (think a brisk walk), a shift in hormones may help suppress your appetite immediately post-workout. In a recent study, researchers at Brigham Young University showed images of food to women who had just finished a 45-minute morning workout. Their neural response to the food was less than it was on non-exercise days. The researchers also found that women did not eat more on the workout day to make up for calories burned.
I've argued this point before.  I actually DO think exercise makes you eat more.  For this one study, there are others that show people DO eat more on days they work out vs days they don't.  That being said, I think a lot of that is mental and thinking you're allowed more calories just because you worked out.  But then again I wouldn't classify a "brisk walk" as moderate to vigorous either.

As you can see, I basically think this article is crap.  None of these tips actually help you stop making excuses.  I suppose it helps if you don't think you're making excuses.  If you use any of these excuses but think they're legitimate reasons as to why you aren't working out, then you're in denial and this article may help you see the light.  I, personally, am under no delusions regarding why I haven't been exercising.  I'm simply lazy.  

Happy Thursday everyone!