Ways To Exercise The Mind And The Body At The Same Time: Indoor Edition

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One of my goals for 2013 was to read 24 books. So far with 9 months left to go I am already well past the half way mark.

I owe most of my success to Crystal of Money Saving Mom and Mandi of Life your Way. Both ladies gave me ideas of how to exercise the mind and the body at the same time that combined have  added 3 hours of reading to my week.

Two Ways To Fit Reading Into Your Indoor Exercising Routine

1.  Read during warm ups and cool downs on the treadmill

I hate the treadmill. In fact I call it the dread tread. Walking on a treadmill during warm up and cool down is even more boring than running on one. Then one day I was reading Money Saving Mom and Crystal admitted she uses her warm up and cool down time to read.

Crystal workouts out at home whereas I workout at my local YMCA, so it occurred to me that others in the gym might see me as a slacker for reading while working out, but I figured why does that matter. I know I am only reading for 2 small parts of my workout and it really does make it more enjoyable for me.

Reading Time Gained: up to 1 hr a week

2. Read away the miles on an incumbent stationary bike.

I developed an injury months ago that has had me changing the whole way I workout. I have to pick what days to push myself and alternate them with days I take it easy or I pay for it. I tend to love to push myself while running more than I do biking. Spinning classes however, which is my winter bike workout, I cannot take it easy in.

While  reading about Mandi’s challenge to bike 1000 miles this year on her stationary bike at home while she reads, a light bulb went off. I switched from spin classes, to an incumbent stationary biking and within a week I noticed my injury was hurting less, thanks to the mix of heavy and light days.

Reading Time Gained: up  to 2 hrs a week

These two tips mean I now have 3 more hours a week to read. For me that is about half an average size novel.

However as I write winter is changing into spring and I am about to head outside and these tips won’t work out on the open road. I  am busy finding new tips that should keep me exercising my mind during outdoor workouts too and plan to share them with you soon.

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