Benefits of Cinnamon and Cycling

As with any mode of exercise, cycling can benefit your heart and longevity.  As an intense cardio effort, you can burn hundreds of calories, tone your legs, keep your heart and mind strong.  Here are my top five reasons to pick up a cycle class:

1.  Your average cycle class can help you burn at least 500 calories.  That can change based off of how hard you work, age, and weight.  But a fun cycle class sure beats a boring elliptical any day--and you burn more!
2.  Your heart and quality of life will thank you later.  Not only can you lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and other obesity related diseases, but you will feel better.  Your body will be strong and able to do things you may not have ever thought possible.  Run a road race?  Keep up with your kids?  Climb a 14er in Colorado?  No problem!  I take spin classes ;)
3.  It is fun.  This should probably be at the top of the list because you always want to have fun while working out.  It makes you produce MUCH more energy output when you actually enjoy what you are doing (you may not enjoy the feeling of hard work and pain in the moment, but you will enjoy the feeling of confidence in your body's ability to work and use your muscles properly).  I LOVE picking songs that boost energy, mood, and confidence.  Feel free to shoot a song title my way for more ideas!
4.  Cycling, along with many forms of interval workouts, can keep you burning calories AFTER your workout.  This is what we like to call EPOC.  Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption.  Huh?  Basically, your body has burned so much during a cycle class, which makes your recovery consume more calories than your recovery of another type of workout.  Burn more by hard interval efforts.
5.  I teach it :)  Come to my class!  Its more fun when you know the instructor and the instructor knows you!

On to cinnamon...
I LOVE cinnamon.  Today, I put it in my cottage cheese and strawberries.  Cinnamon is good for you, just like many spices and herbs we take for granted.  This special spice has studies finding that it can help regulate your blood sugar, as with diabetes.  It may also help with stomach issues, circulation issues (hello cold feet!), colds, and nausea, to name a few.  Check out the link at the bottom of the page for more info.  So add cinnamon to your daily brew, oatmeal, and smoothies!  This is my favorite cinnamon from Savory Spice Shop:

*Ceylon cinnamon cannot be found in regular stores, but its worth the extra trip!

I taught another boot camp/cycle combo and am EXHAUSTED.   Follow me Tuesdays at Highlands Ranch (24 hr) at noon and Wednesdays at Belleview at 6:30 pm to try out your first cycle class :)

On another note, I will be adding a Wednesday 1pm At the Park boot camp as well as Saturday.  Stay posted!

Cinnamon: http://thyroid.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=thyroid&cdn=health&tm=23&f=10&su=p284.13.342.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.thyroid-info.com/articles/cinnamon.htm