Who Knew That Spin Shoes Wear Out?

A change in focus can give you the answer you've been seeking. This statement applies to my recent foot pain troubles, but it also applies to your weight-loss efforts. I've been blaming the pain on running, but maybe I should have been looking at the thing I do more than running: spinning. I've my original spinning shoes for more than five years. I only wear them for spinning class, and I figured they never wear out. But I've been to the bike shop twice in the last few weeks to get the cleats realigned, since one foot or another has been getting stuck in the bike pedals and practically requires a crowbar to release it.

Today, lo and behold: Michael Angelo (yes, his real name) at the bike shop told me my shoes were kaput, which could be causing my foot problems. When spinning shoes get old, they don't support the foot well during heavy resistance and climbing; instead, they dig into the foot and wreak all kinds of havoc. The new shoes have a hard plastic base on the bottom that prevents these problems. So all the spinning I've been doing to compensate for the lack of running may have only exacerbated the pain and not allowed the injury to heal.

Time will tell if this is the true cause of my injury or not, but I'm glad I stumbled on this information. If you've been trying to lose weight but aren't reaching your goal fast enough (or at all), try focusing on a piece of the puzzle. Are you getting enough movement into your day? Are you REALLY watching portion control, intake of starchy refined carbs, intake of fruits, veggies and fiber? Are you telling yourself that late-night snacking in front of the fridge doesn't count? It might take a bit of sleuthing, but eventually you'll figure out what's preventing you from reaching your goals. Just don't stop!

An Injury Can Be an Opportunity

Several years ago, I was totally into various exercise tapes and weight-training classes. Then, one day my left heel began to hurt really bad. I went to our friend the podiatrist and was told I had plantar fasciitis, an injury to the bottom of my foot, and that I would have to lay off any weight-bearing exercise for several months while it healed.

Great! I thought. What am I going to do for exercise now? The doctor suggested cycling and swimming as two alternatives. Well, I wasn't much for swimming and I didn't own a bike. But I had been eyeing those spin classes at the YMCA for awhile. I had just been too intimidated to figure out how they worked--in particular, how the bike itself worked. But I had no choice--I had to do something. So I pushed through my fears and went to my first spin class. The instructor was really nice and showed me how to set up my bike, explained the basics of the class to me (which were pretty simple, it turned out) and I gave it a whirl. Over five years later, I'm still taking spin classes and loving the way they make me feel. I'm even participating next Saturday in the YMCA's annual Bike-a-Thon to raise money to send underprivileged kids to camp (check it out at http://ecke.ymca.org/bike-a-thon.html). And I didn't realize it until yesterday, but it was the spin classes that gave me the cardiovascular strength and stamina to run the half marathon yesterday (after training, of course!).

My point is, if I hadn't gotten injured and been forced to try a new activity, I would have never discovered how much I love spinning, and I probably would have never tried running either. But my commitment to exercise was so strong that I moved past my feelings of inadequacy and just did it.

You can do the same thing. What is that "thing" you've always been curious about but have been afraid to try because you think you'll look "silly" or uncoordinated or whatever your excuse is? Would it be so horrible to try it just once, to see if it might just be your thing? I hope you don't need to get injured in order to overcome your fears and try something new. But if you should find yourself sidelined from your favorite activity, figure out what else you can do instead and give it a try. Hey, you never know. You could discover a new love, and it could change your life.