4:55 am

Yep, that is what time I got up this morning, all so I could get into the kick-butt spinning class at my gym. There are only 30 spots and they fill up FAST! Even when I am training for a 1/2 marathon, I like to incorporate spinning because its a great way to burn a lot of calories and keep your heart rate up. Today I burned 756 calories in 60 minutes. Here are a few other reasons spinning is a good running substituation when you need a break...

Benefits of Spinning

Weight Loss
In order to lose weight, you must create a caloric deficit where you are burning more calories than you taking in. Cardiovascular exercise is efficient at burning calories which can lead to weight loss. This can be done on the spin bike by riding for 45 to 60 minutes at a steady pace, or alternating between high and low intensities.

Muscle Endurance
Muscle endurance is characterized by doing consecutive muscle contractions for a long period of time. When you use a spin bike at a moderate intensity, you can increase the muscle endurance in your legs

Posture
Having bad posture can lead to muscle imbalances and slouching. When you work out on the spin bike, you need to engage muscles in the hips, trunk and shoulders to stabilize your body. This will improve your posture and your balance at the same time.

Strength
Working out on a spin bike utilizes a lot of muscles. The glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves and even abs are all targeted. Working out on the bike can help tone and strengthen these areas, especially if you turn the resistance up high so you have to stand to pedal.

...and did I mention 756 calories! I had to call on my "inner Jillian" to get through some pieces of the class. The whole class was one big hill, but I feel back on track again after my "guilt" day earlier this week.

I also made a Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe in the Crock Pot yesterday so we will be eating that for a few days. Its my favorite. Its so easy and is really good. Hopefully it will keep me on track for the rest of the week!