Look Good Naked - Part 2

CARDIO. Cardio, cardio, cardio... Sorry guys. It's a MUST. Have to do it to burn fat. People always ask what cardio is best. "Whatever you will do" is the answer. It doesn't matter what you do, it's that you do it. Nike says it best--"Just do it!". Ideally, weight bearing exercises would be best because it engages your body more. Anyone that knows me knows that I don't run--except to the bathroom. Well, there was that one time at the beach... The morning after I turned 42. I was on my morning walk on the beach and I saw some storm clouds in the distance but I thought I could beat it. I was FAR from the condo and it started pouring. POURING. So, I decided to run back. OMG! When I finally got back to the room, my brother asked what had happened to me. I told him he almost lost me. I swear to God, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. Right there, on my birthday trip at the beach...I thought my heart was going to explode only hours after my 42nd birthday. It was then that I decided that I would NEVER do that again. So, I walk... Getting ready for shows, I do two hours of cardio every day. Yes--TWO HOURS, EVERY DAY. No exceptions. I realize that most people don't have that kind of time. (Remember what I said about bodybuilding being all about you and sacrifice? It is not real world...) Anyway, you need to start out slow if you haven't been doing anything at all. Twenty minutes a day and build up. You might need to try it three days a week at first and increase your time and number of days as you go. People again seem to have the all or nothing mentality with cardio too. If you have been sitting on the couch watching the tube--don't think you are going to run out the door every day next week and do cardio. You are setting yourself up for failure. Make a commitment to do it and start slow--twenty minutes, three days a week. Just like changing your diet, adding cardio to your life is a lifestyle change. Take it one day at a time...

You need some good shoes--walking shoes or running shoes. You need the support they provide. And you need some good socks too. I recommend Thorlos. They are more expensive but they definitely help in the blister department. I walk outside whenever possible. I prefer being alone with my thoughts and nature and sometimes--most of the time--with my music. I listen to techno because it has a good beat and keeps me moving. At the gym, I either do the treadmill or ride the bike. I have tried the elliptical but I'm a spaze. I can't do the arms when I'm doing it and my feet go to sleep so I have to stop and reverse. They have this thing called a StairMaster. It is a product from hell so I never do that one...

Here's the thing about cardio. Besides having to do it, you need to change it up. If you always go to the gym and get on the bike for 20 minutes at level three, it won't keep working for you. You need to change up the time, the speed, the incline, the course, the method... Change is good. Movement is good. So, get up off your butt and just do it!