Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sporty Sunday: Beat Boredom with an Audiobook

Like most women, I’ve been hearing, for years, “It’s so important for women to strength train.” But I didn’t do it. Even though I’m fitness conscious. Even though I have low bone density. Even though I have access to all the necessary equipment. I have avoided strength training. The reason: it’s so boring.

For me a weights circuit is the most boring fitness activity ever. For you, time on a stationary bicycle might be impossibly dull. (I’ll admit, that’s really boring, too!) A stretching session might put you to sleep. My solution is an audiobook.


Audiobooks are expensive, so I check them out from the library. The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County has a wonderful online system that allows me to select, deliver, and hold my chosen audiobooks at the branch most convenient to me. I copy the book to my iPod and approach the weight room with pleasure.

I’ve slung iron while listening to The Lovely Bones, The Night Circus, Dreamsongs, Life As We Knew It, Rules of Engagement, The Help, and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. (I also listened to a really bad paranormal romance that I won’t name here.) I like working out to my stories so much that I now plug in when I row and run. Sometimes I listen on the bus or while cleaning the house. In all honesty, audiobooks have changed my life. There are few “boring” activities that I can’t enliven with a good story, now. Who knew that books were good for your body, as well as your brain?

If there’s a fitness activity you’ve been avoiding because of the boredom factor, try an audiobook. I’m listening to The Paris Wife, now!

Sporty Sunday is a recurring feature in which I share my fitness routine and offer and solicit advice. While this content might seem a little out of place in an outfit diary, a healthy, strong body is the foundation of my wardrobe. I hope to inspire my readers to be fit as well as stylish!

9 comments:

Clothes Karma said...

Finally, someone else who admits to being bored with lifting weights! I HATE it - to the point where I extended my personal training sessions so that I could have someone to keep me company! I'd rather run, bike, walk or elliptical anyday.

As public librarian I love that you listen to audio books from the library! Thanks for promoting the service. I personally cannot listen to them; I feel it slows me down because I get too into the plot :)

Lindsey said...

I do the same thing! I also use NPR's weekly Wait Wait Don't Tell Me podcast, and a few others, but only if they're entertaining enough to keep my mind off of what I'm doing. I subscribe and it updates automatically when new episodes are uploaded. Sometimes I start laughing out loud while I'm running and now I'm that crazy girl from the neighborhood that runs and giggles to herself.

Catherine R. Staat - The Practical Housewife said...

I am passing on The Versatile Blogger Award to you! :) Thank you for being an inspiration to us all. Please do not feel you have to respond but just wanted to let you know and hope it brings people your way!

Anonymous said...

Thats a great idea!!! I'm going to take up walking this spring (if my fibro goes into remission) and this will be a way to exercise my brain at the same time!

C Lo said...

do you listen to any podcasts? I've been doing the same thing on my runs but with podcasts. I'm partial to "Heres the Thing" by Alec Baldwin, "This American Life" and "Radiolab".

Kasmira said...

I'm going to have to try podcasts. Sounds perfect for when I'm between books it just need some variety.

Kate @ With Little Lights said...

I do this too! I wa just so bored with music while running, but since I switched to podcasts I've never looked back! My favorites are This American Life and the howstuffworks podcasts. Definitely makes workouts go by faster!

Jean at www.drossintogold.com said...

I am a voice talent who has recently started voicing audio books!! Glad to know you're a fan! I'm also a new blogger, focusing on thrifted and upcycled creations as I muse on life etc. Glad I found you!!

Love, Jean
www.drossintogold.com

Raquel said...

Kasmira, I would suggest the New Yorker fiction podcast. Shorter than audiobooks, but long enough to entertain. Awesome stuff there.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/podcasts/fiction/