my new workout partner

I have changed my workout regimen from a cardiovascular program to a fat burning program. I used to get on the elliptical machine, warm up for two minutes, and then switch the resistance all the way up to the point where I almost run out of breath for the next twenty minutes, followed by a five minute cool down period. This short workout is more than enough to help me stay in shape, but it isn't much help in getting rid of the spare tire around my waist. So I went online to find a program more suitable for fat burning.

It turns out that the secret to getting rid of excess body fat is to increase the duration of the workout. You body starts to metabolize fat after it is finished using up the glycogen stored in your liver, but only if there's adequate amount of oxygen in your blood. So, the key to burning fat is to lower the intensity while increasing the duration of your workout. I had to stay on the machine for a whole hour.

Back when I was training really hard for the 5k or 10k I had no problem exercising for an hour. Time tends to fly by when you're almost out of breath, but when you're strolling on a treadmill at a leisurely pace ten minutes can feel like an eternity.

First, I tried to read a magazine, but that doesn't work as the magazine does not stay on top of the machine very well. I can't just watch the television in the gym since I have no control over the channel. I also can't listen to music for an entire hour, so the only option left are podcasts of radio shows. The one that I find works the best with my workout routine is This American Life. Each episode of the show is composed of segments made up of essays, interviews, and the rare soliloquy organized by a theme. They are usually well balanced between the serious and the comedic, the grand and the petty, and the quirky and the introspective. At an hour long program, it's just the right length. I just got into the show but I'm hooked. Sometimes I find myself wanting to go to the gym just to listen to another episode.