The #1 question I get asked is some iteration of "how do you eat all that food and not weigh 800 lbs?" It is a very good question because I love food and can indeed pack it away. Sometimes it's astounding. The truth is if I am eating a lot, then I need to be working out a lot. I never will be stick skinny but I do what I can to stay healthy.
When I lived in NYC and was high on indulging, I worked out 4-5 times a week. Either running or going to the gym and I had an amazing personal trainer who kept me motivated. She really was the key to me staying healthy and keeping the weight off. This tiny little perky cheerleader of a trainer who could kick my ass. She was awesome. The best thing was that she actually taught me how to use the gym and equipment rather than me just going and bopping around, spending the money on a gym but not knowing how to get results on my own.
Now in Chicago, I lack proximity to a good gym but have found an alternative workout. Last year I was putting on a lot of holiday weight and started going to The Dailey Method. It's an hour workout of a "unique combination of ballet barre work, core conditioning, muscle strengthening, yoga, and orthopedic exercises." I've heard barre classes are intense, so I was a bit scared before I went but I love it. It's an exercise class that I actually look forward to going to and feels great when I leave. The happy baby at the end of class is often the best part of my afternoon.
I see many different ways to work out popping up all over the city (Barre Method, Shred, Soul Cycle, etc) so there's much to chose from but I highly recommend The Dailey Method. Give it a try if there's one in your area. I enjoy it so much that I woke up early on Saturday to hit class before going to brunch. Choosing a workout over sleep, now that is saying a lot for me. I don't know if I've been this excited about a exercising since Mousercise in the mornings.
