Rebounding

Remember those new school year goals I wrote way back in August? Yeah, me neither, clearly, which is why the combination of stress and medical issues means I have ballooned up another 35 pounds. Sooo not cool. So in an attempt to get my body under control here, I'm going to try going old school. Like old, when I was in elementary school. I'm talking mini trampolines, people.

I don't have a problem going to dance class and working out hard. I love the social aspect, I love dancing, the whole experience is awesome. But that's only one day a week for a couple hours and my body is stubborn. If I really want it to maintain or even (gasp!) reduce its size, that requires at least 30 minutes of cardio a day. That's if I'm eating a healthy, balanced diet. If I get all sugar-crazy, then it's more like 60 minutes a day. Like I said, my body is stubborn. Anyhow, 3 - 6 hours of exercise outside of dance class per week gets a little time consuming when you factor in driving to the gym, working out, driving home and showering before getting on with the day. And let's be honest, when I get home after a long day of wrassling children, the last thing I want to do is go to the gym. Sometimes I practice dance at home, but our hard subflooring (another joy of apartment living) isn't all that great for my knees and ankles. So what's a girl to do? Bring the workout home, make it fun and make it easy. Easier said that done, I know.

I used to LOVE my mini trampoline growing up! This was in the days before the massive outdoor variety, so 3' across seemed like more than enough space to bounce to my heart's content. Did you know that many health experts also tout the mini trampoline (or "rebounder") as a great form of exercise? One of the greatest health benefits seems to be stimulating the lymphastic system into greater efficiency in clearing out the waste materials in the body. This in turn boosts the immune system. Rebounding is said to be 68% more oxygen efficient than other forms of exercise, which means that you can exercise harder without it feeling harder. Rebounding is also gentler on the joints that running or walking on pavement or a treadmill. Dr. Morton Walker, in his book Jumping for Health (Avery Publishing Group Inc.) states that rebounding can help combat depression and stress. Yes, PLEASE!

Okay, so there's all my pre-new routine hype. I've found a brand new mini trampoline being offered on Craig's List for $20, which I feel is a decent price for trying something new. I'll keep y'all posted on my progress. In the meantime, what are you doing these days to increase your health and manage stress?