SquawkRadio

I bet when you saw that pic you thought this was going to be another one of my legendary “Hot Guy” blogs, didn’t you?  But if we’re going to be honest with each other around Squawk Radio, I thought it was time to introduce you to the guy who REALLY makes my heart pound faster.  That’s right--Richard Simmons! Richard first saved my life several years ago when I suffered a severe back injury after being body-slammed across the footboard of a hospital bed by a psychotic patient in a mental hospital.  (Hush, Liz.  I was a nurse, not a patient.) I was too afraid to move to go back to the free dancing that I had always loved and it was Richard’s original SWEATIN’ TO THE OLDIES that got me moving again and rebuilt my confidence.

I now own close to a dozen of his workout tapes and DVD’s and have been fairly consistent over the years in doing them at least 3 times a week.  (Hush, Xtina.  I am NOT exaggerating.) You should know that I’m not a big believer in doing anything I don’t enjoy.  (Eloisa will tell you that I love to race walk but I won’t run unless a bear is chasing me.) I was overjoyed when I read a recent study that said people who only do what they love tend to be more fulfilled and successful.  I hate treadmills. I hate ellipticals. I hate indoor bikes. But I love to dance! And Richard’s workouts are essentially dancing to some really cool music.  Plus he uses real people in the videos instead of buffed-out size zero scary women in thong leotards so you can’t help but feel like, “Hey, if that 300-pound man can do the twist, then so can I!” I adore his new 80’s music DVD: SUPER SWEATIN: PARTY OFF THE POUNDS because doing aerobics to Toni Basil’s MICKEY is every bit as much fun as you always dreamed it would be!

I’ve been struggling with my weight recently as women of a certain age tend to do. (I only know because Connie told me.) I couldn’t figure out why my bras were getting tighter in all of the wrong places. Then suddenly the missing ingredient of my exercise plan came to me! It was Richard!  I’d quit doing the workouts when I was on a particularly crazy writing schedule and had never gotten back to them. And all of the biking and weight lifting in the world wasn’t going to loosen up those bras. So I dragged out SWEATIN’ TO THE OLDIES on Monday afternoon. By Tuesday morning (I kid you not), I had lost 4 pounds.

As I was dancing that afternoon, a couple of other miraculous things began to happen--my cloud of PMS began to lift and I started having new ideas for my book. I also had a really corny thought--When I do this, I feel like the person I’m supposed to be.

I know. It’s hard to believe a fey little fellow like Richard, whose voice sends my cats (and my husband) racing madly for the screen door, could have such a profound effect on a life. But when I’m sweating to the oldies and Richard shouts, “You were born to be a star!”, I almost believe him.

So what about YOU?  Will YOU share your most fun and effective exercise tips, tapes or programs with us? 

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