Saturday, June 27, 2009

Finally Found It

I'm sure you've heard the advice that you have to find a physical activity you love to stick with working out. A close friend of mine found running and lost and maintains a large weight loss. Nubian Fitness Goddess found a love of running as well, and Synchronicity added swimming to his love of running. I tried, and well, running and only have a lukewarm chemistry, so I continued to look, wondering if I would ever find that true love (wait--this is starting to sound like my love live, lol).

Recently, I've discovered that I really love step class! I've taken it a couple of times in the past, but lately I have taken it consistently, and once I learned the moves I was hooked. I've been fortunate enough to have good instructors with good musical taste, and that truly makes all of the difference (I went to one step class with a horrible instructor who was constantly forgetting his routine and calling out the steps off beat). With step, I get 45 minutes of a strenuous workout with ab work at the end, but I feel like I am just dancing, and I love to dance. It also keeps me engaged mentally because the instructor is constantly calling out steps, and I have to keep up and remember the steps and calls. The best part is that you can really add your own style and pump up or lower the intensity on your own by moving your arms, adding a bounce, or adding risers. I have yet to leave a class not drenched in sweat.

Step may not be for the rhythmic or choreographically challenged. You also have to have the ability to laugh at yourself. I had to take at least 6 basic classes and about 4 advanced classes until I REALLY got it. Now I find myself scrambling to get to "my" step class. It definitely gets me to the gym.

My next goal is to get involved in some type of sport. I've never played a group sport before, but I am willing to try. Any suggestions? I am considering kickball (childhood favorite), flag football (cute men play...), soccer (foot eye coordination = fear), or tennis (too expensive / too much coordination but lots of locations to play and cute outfits).