Social Workout

SW Labs

Add Some Caffeine To Your Morning Ride

I would bike to work, you say, but then when would I drink my coffee? Social Workout's esteemed engineer Micah has that problem all worked out. Behold: The bike coffee holder, or as it's properly called, "The Morning Rush Coffee Holder Kit." $39.99 and you too could be sipping and riding. Micah gives it a big thumbs up. Though, after risking death one morning with an improper mug, he vigorously recommends heading the kit's warning that "mug holder ring only to be used with accompanying commuter mug. Using other devices or cups will lead to spillage and possible serious accidents."

Challenges

Annals of Caffeine Withdrawl: Day 6

Thanks to some pushups, some water, and some very good moral support, I made it through Monday morning without breaking my caffeine-free vow. I miss my coffee cart guy — I know he calls everyone "sweetie" and "beautiful," but I think he says it with a special twinkle when he says it to me — but I've stayed strong. Until this morning. When I got a headache and took an Excedrin.

Caffeine Free

Social Workout 2.0 Wrecks My Morning

Last Thursday I got all cocky. Tooling around Social Workout 2.0, I enthusiastically whipped up the "28 Days to Caffeine Freedom Challenge. No sodas, no coffee, no tea, no yerba mate, and no tears!" and without much thought about the consequences of my rash action, I set the start date for that very day. Today marks my first caffeine-free Monday morning. And I'm not crying, but I am drooling on my keyboard. I just picked up my wallet and told Oliver I was caving, for the sake of the blog. He recited a bunch of Wake Up Call quotes and suggested I try some pushups. I complied. Image above: What I'm dreaming of right now. After the jump: Video of a peppy person who has given up coffee in a much more reasonable fashion. Apparently the secret is "determination" and "sports drinks."

SW Labs

Motivation Through Technology

If I could have sex with anything in my gym bag it would be a little doohicky I attach to my sneaker. I have never in my life before owned anything by Nike (because I apparently live under a rock) but the Nike+iPod gizmo is by far the most motivating fitness fad I've succumbed to. Best $30 I have ever spent and here's why:

Online & Video

SW Labs

Spinning Solo In The Cardio Section

Saturday morning I dragged my tired ass to the YMCA resolved to peddle through on an elliptical instead of my normal Saturday morning spin class, stupid holiday gym schedule. Then, like a beacon of light in an otherwise boring cardio section, I saw it: The Star Trac eSpinner Spin Bike. In laymen’s terms: a spin bike with a TV.

Dudes, if there is one form of exercise I know it is spinning. Once upon a time I was a spin instructor; I stopped when I realized I wasn’t very good at it. Teaching, not my forte. Spinning on the other hand is my happy place. So, how does an electronic spin experience stack up?

Libation Report

Skinny Water: Are All Other Waters Fat?

I really like flavored waters. They're a guilty pleasure for a girl who otherwise exists on a primarily natural diet. We all have our weaknesses, mine is water that's not really water. Which is why I pretty much hit pay dirt when a box of Skinny Water arrived at my doorstep.  Thank you libation gods! Skinny Water has big labels on the outside that say: "All natural flavors and colors with no preservatives."  Does that mean Skinny Water is made of juice and H2O?  Well not exactly...

Other Places

SW Labs

As Seen on TV Fitness From the Belly Burner to P90X

If there's one thing I love, it's a good ole fashioned infomercial.  How else would I know I could cook six whole trout in a rotating oven?  Having succumbed to the call of the late night shopping gods one too many times, I have to confess to owning a fair bit of As Seen on TV fitness paraphernalia. Here's what's crap and what isn't: 

SW Labs

Coconut Water is the O.N.E.

I like to drink, anything really: Water, juice, milk, whisky, Kool-Aid. Chances are if it’s liquid, I’ll drink it. I'm thirsty.

The one thing I dislike drinking is coconut water. Generally, I think it tastes like a dirty sock. I want to like it, and I keep trying it over, and over again to prove to myself that I'm one of the cool coconut-water-loving kids, but to no avail. But it turns out that publicly declaring my hate of the stuff landed me with a lifetime supply of ONE Coconut Water.

SW Labs

Protein Blitz or Bust

I am slow to the recovery drink revolution. But I am now officially dabbling. This change of heart has come with my new mission to become seriously buff, as opposed to merely healthy and reasonably fit. Becoming seriously buff, everyone tells me, takes a lot of time, dedication, and the repetitive lifting of heavy objects. Oh, and recovery drinks. Who knew?

SW Labs

My Experiments With Mid-Workout Chews, Goos, and Gummy Bears

I am one of those lucky folk who cannot even think about running, jumping, spinning, swimming, lifting, lunging, or squatting if I have eaten within approximately four hours of activity time. The combo of food and exercise has me yacking like a Catholic school girl let loose in Cancun. Lately I've upped my huffing and puffing time to 2+ hours, six days a week. (What can I say — I needed an after work project, and I ran out of Bones reruns). But thanks to the four hour food rule, I've been hitting a pretty regular wall about an 75 minutes in. I decided it was time for a caloric intervention.

I am not a marathon runner, but a friend who is suggested I start testing out mid-workout energy aids.  Here's the rundown of my experiments: