SPARK!

I dig the title of the book I'm reading right now, "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain". It just makes me want to hop right on my treadmill and get moving.

I have gotten so out of shape since we left Florida that I can't say I'm capable of doing much hopping right now, but I am very focused on changing that. I may not be headed for the 6 mile runs I used to do during soccer season in high school, but I sure can set aside the time and energy to walk 3 miles, or bike 12, right?

I look forward to the cool temperatures and low humidity of Fall when I can vary my routine a little and enjoy some fresh air. Right now, however, I'm stuck inside where I have my favorite tools all set up to make heart-pumping activities that much more inviting.

My first favorite is my treadmill. It's nothing special; no t.v. screen, no iPod hook-up, and it only goes up to an incline of 10, rather than the 15 I've seen on some models. But, it has a few different programmed walk/runs, and I am happy to change the incline and speed as I interval my way through my workout.

My next favorite gadget is my iPod. It's a Nano, so it doesn't have a fancy screen, but it stores all my groovy tunes, and I have a special play list with peppy music that makes me want to boogie (or do the walking equivalent, at least!).

After my babies were born, I used a heart rate monitor that used both a chest strap transmitter along with the wrist-strap receiver. I hated fiddling with the bulky chest portion, so when I saw a monitor that did away with the chest strap altogether, I was elated! The one I use now is a watch with two sensors that I press two fingers on in order to get a bpm reading. I don't need a device that records my heart rate throughout my workout. Spot checking is just fine with me.

Finally, I have a fan set up next to my treadmill to keep the air moving around. There's also one on my treadmill that is supposed to blow on my face, but when I increase the incline, it actually keeps my belly cool instead :)

Add a water bottle and a cordless phone, and I'm all set!

As I read through Spark, I am more encouraged than ever to include a good cardio workout in my daily routine along with one for my husband and kids. As I build muscle, cardio endurance, and brain matter, I figure my old figure will emerge eventually.