Fluffy Tuesday

It's Fat Tuesday today so you know what that means. It's our last chance to fluff up for Lent, when our guilty consciences force us to give up all those devilish delights we hold near and dear to our hearts (and waistline).

Hubby reported the other day that McDonald's already has Shamrock Shakes (which, in my book, rate a straw above the Eggnog Shakes I covet). I looked at him with that face that says, "Don't tempt me... but if you show up at home with one, I'd drink it because I have no willpower." In response, because he can read that look, he says, "Why do you always have to be on a diet at this time of year?"

You're right. It would be heckuva lot easier if I just lost weight once and never let it find me. Trust me, no one would rather be in that position than me!

So I find myself thinking (again!) that maybe I don't have to give up everything, just watch what I eat and maybe mix up my exercising a bit to re-ignite (or just ignite) my metabolism. I do try to alternate strength and cardio but there are all kinds of options out there for both.

Have you heard about kettlebells yet? A kettlebell is a traditional Russian cast-iron weight looking somewhat like a cannonball with a handle. For some reason the kettlebell has become a popular exercise tool in the United States due largely to the efforts of some influential strength and flexibility coach. I haven't seen this trend hit central Wisconsin yet, but we're usually a bit behind the times. (Heck, there are still acid-washed jean sightings around here.)

There is another new exercise trend -- in the name of making anything work for cardio -- that has popped up here. Hula hoops! Seriously, how did they come up with this? Let's take a childhood toy that gave us pleasure and turn it into an adult instrument for torture! And idiots like me, who will try anything to justify a Shamrock Shake, are trying it!

And oh do I feel sore today. We threw in a few hoop songs into our Zumba class yesterday to see if we liked it -- or even had the skills necessary to do it, let alone like it.

You wouldn't think hooping is hard work, but I'm here to tell ya, the new hooping is not just standing around gyrating our hips. No. We have to move around, too. Keep that (weighted) hoop going while taking a few steps in any direction and ohmigosh, is that tough! It's akin to that old challenge of patting your head while rubbing your stomach. It takes way too much coordination to be successful. But I gave it a good effort. And boy did we sweat.

So yes, it does have the exertion level to qualify as cardio. And yes, it does have the calorie-burning quotient to erase guilt and justify something chilly and mint green.

Oh, don't look at me that way. It's Fat Tuesday! Today we eat, drink and be merry. For tomorrow we may diet.