Fitness

We've all heard of the concept of hitting bottom. Generally it's associated with alcoholism or other forms of addiction. But there are other areas of life in which we can hit bottom. How do we recognize when we've reached the valley and are ready to start climbing back toward the mountain top? Are there some areas for which we have to hit bottom, or is it possible to recognize that we are going in the wrong direction and pull up instead? I suspect that our popular culture conception of hitting bottom might be a myth. The idea that there is one spectacularly awful moment at which an epiphany of crystal clarity occurs and change becomes inevitable seems to me to be a kind of made-for-the-movies fantasy. I've known addicts who have had to move through repeated cycles of seriously bad stuff in their lives and lather-rinse-repeat the experience of rehab before attaining a substance-free life that remains that way only as long as they do the hard work of making the choice every day when they wake up.

I was thinking that since we're still in New Years resolution season, it might be a good idea to write about How To Get Started With Strength Training. But then I remembered: Whoops, I wrote that post already. So instead I thought: how about discussing circuit training? Circuit training is a clever and efficient way to do cardio and strength training all at the same time!

For the first time in my life, with the start of 2010, I actually made a resolution to make fitness a priority. I realize I'm a little late to the party, but what can I say? I'm a late bloomer. And really, really lazy. Nonetheless, with the support and ridicule of four like-minded friends, I'm now firmly ensconced in a challenge to lose ten pounds in ten weeks. (Shameless plug: If you care to follow our journey, all five of us are blogging it over at Five Full Plates.)

How's your balance?I thought mine was pretty good. Then a while back Mizfit alerted me to a balance test that tells you how "old" you are based on how long you can stand on one foot, without swaying, with your eyes closed. I don't remember my exact score, but I think I came out somewhere around 113 years old. According to that test, it's a wonder I can get out of bed in the morning without falling flat on my face.

Pretty much everyone agrees that for good health, you need to do some sort of exercise.  But does that mean everyone has to do aerobic exercise?  The kind where you get all sweaty, breathe hard, and struggle to keep your heartrate in its picky little "target zone?"Well, I'm not prepared to do an exhaustive research review, but I do know a couple things: