Spinning Again

I would say my love hate affair with working out and regular exercise started my senior year of college. Before then I never really had to worry about trying to keep my weight down or trying to stay thin because (knock on wood) I was one of those lucky people who could pretty much eat whatever she wanted and my weight never really fluctuated all that much. I know I know I'm shutting up now..

Back then my roommate Lisa and I joined a gym together so we could motivate each other to work out before/after class. We joined a really nice gym between campus and our house and started going together. Each time I went to work out I noticed people wandering upstairs to the aerobic studio while I was running on the treadmill. After a few weeks I got curious and walked up there to check it out. Indeed they had a huge aerobic studio but next to that they had another studio filled with bikes. Now that perked my interest. I remembered some references to spinning on Sex and the City but I never knew anyone that tried it. I immediately found out when their next beginner class was and signed up.

I was HOOKED! From that day on I was spinning for an hour long class at least three times a week. I loved the rush it gave you. The push of climbing out of the saddle, climbing up the biggest mountainous hill my imagination could cook up. I loved it. 

When I moved to California I completely fell off the wagon and didn't join a gym until almost a year later. After I got a deal at the 24-hour fitness near my house I started up again working out; but they didn't have spinning at their gym. Then running took over my life. Once I started training for the half marathon I needed to incorporate cross training into my routine. EUREKA! I joined the YMCA near my apartment, specifically because they have a HUGE spinning gym there.

They have brand new keiser magnetic spinning bikes which are really fun to ride on. 

These bikes give such a smooth ride!

This is the computer on the front of the bike the little push knob on the bottom of the image sets the gear from 1-24. The digital readout shows RPMs, Watts & time elapsed, much more technical than my last spinning bike. 

What I really love about spinning though are the instructors, they push me further than I would ever push myself if I was just biking alone. I love leaving that classed drenched in sweat and all gross because I leave feeling like I really accomplished A LOT. 

Like they say "sweat is just your fat cells crying" :-)

Do any of you spin? Do you cycle outside? I am thinking that eventually I would like to get a road bike, but I want be biking more regularly before I drop $800 plus on another bike.