Easy cardio

For those who want to burn some calories, but hate running, oh, do I have the answer for you...

Stationary bike.

I love the stationary bike for about 50 reasons but I'll highlight the top 30. First of all, it is a great cardio workout. The bike I use says I burn about 350-400 calories per half hour; I have worked up to being on it for around an hour and a half. Another positive, let's face it, riding on a bike is easier than jogging - it just is. So it is easier to put more time in on it.

Now here is the beauty. Your upper body is still and your hands are free! You can do ANYTHING you can do on the bike that you do on the couch. Seriously! When I go to hop on the bike, I am sitting in front of a TV so I put it on TBS or ESPN; I bring my Ipod that is fully stocked with music, stand up comedy, and podcasts; I bring a book; I have my phone which I make/receive calls on and can watch YouTube videos on; I have a huge water bottle; and I also have a towel for apparent reasons.

I get bored just like everyone else. I bring plenty of stimuli so I can stay entertained and ultimately stay on the bike longer. It's remarkable how fast an hour goes by when I am listening to T-Pain and reading articles on CNN.com on my phone. Basically, it is a good work out where I trick myself into doing it for a long time.


~Side note - If no one has told you about Podcasts on Itunes, I am right now. There are tons of free Podcasts you can subscribe to and have them update on Itunes on ton of topics. Currently, I have the Pardon the Interruption ESPN television show as well as Around the Horn on ESPN. During the NBA season, I have a few shows discussing the highlights of the week. I also have a few others including an LSAT helper and a comedy Podcast that a buddy, Evan O'Donnell produces "Playing in Peoria". They have tons of topics and are great for occupying your mind during cardio.