More Favorite Fitness Things!

I can't believe I left 2 critical things off my list!  Here they are, making the list an even 10:

9. The mall.  Any mall will do, but of course my favorite is the King of Prussia Mall, which is enormous and contains lots of lovely stores.  The reason the mall is so critical to my fitness program is that it allows me to get activity over and above my normal workouts (or even instead of a workout if I'm taking a rest day).  Although it doesn't burn calories at the rate of a cardio workout (unless you're sprinting to get the last Zhu Zhu at a Black Friday sale), a few hours of walking around the mall will burn a few hundred calories, especially if you make a point of taking the stairs frequently.  And of course I love to window-shop so perusing the mall feels like self-indulgence rather than a chore.  It's not weather dependent, either!  Try it sometime - especially if you feel like eating when you're not really hungry - redirecting your attention to something fun can often head off a binge at the pass.  And the mall will definitely be in my arsenal of tools this holiday season - to counteract extra calories from Christmas lunches, holiday parties and the inevitable office full of baked goods, I'm going to go Christmas shopping for hours on end!

Please note, however, that you need to make sure you don't replace the urge to binge on food with an urge to shop til you drop (even though carrying packages around the mall might burn a few extra calories) - or you'll just be trading one unhealthy habit for another.  I almost fell into that trap on a Very Active Day and had to make a hasty exit! 

10. The Biggest Loser.  When this show first came on the air it was really more like guilty pleasure TV, but over the years this show has turned into so much more.  I'm always amazed each season by just how much the contestants are capable of.  At 400+ pounds, it seems an insurmountable challenge to lose a significant amount of weight, but these folks dig deep within and learn to love themselves and take care of their health.  Seeing someone succeed who started with the cards stacked so steeply against them is just about one of the most motivational things I can imagine.  It reminds me that anything is possible if you're willing to work for it.   And when the show is between seasons I even watch episodes from prior seasons (if you're wondering how I get the old episodes, whenever I see a Biggest Loser Marathon on a cable channel I DVR them to use for emergencies - but I think you can also get them on Netflix).

And speaking of Netflix - I put Yoga: Just My Size with Megan Garcia in my queue and it came in the mail today.  Yippee!  I mentioned this DVD a couple days ago as I heard it was a good choice for overweight people who want to start a yoga practice.  I'm going to try it out and post a review this weekend so make sure you check back here in a couple days to get the scoop!