High Intensity Interval Training

My favorite type of cardio exercise by far is high intensity interval training or HIIT. This is when you get on the treadmill, start at a fairly good speed, and then increase that speed each minute for 4 minutes, then back down to the original fairly good speed. Do this 4 times, then, at the end of the 4th time, you top out at a full speed run and hold it for one minute. Then you pretty much collapse. At the end, you're completely exhausted yet exhilarated at the same time.

Spending your day with two 1-year old twins is much like a high intensity interval training run. We start out at a good pace, then it gets a bit wild, then nap time where you don't exactly fully rest, but you get back down to a fairly good speed until they wake up and you hit it all over again. Then, when the 5:00 hour comes, you begin kicking it into that final, high gear. For the next 3 hours, it goes something like this: Mealtime, worship, bathtime, pajama time, milk time, then bedtime. Then, collapse. Kindof like this:

At the end of the day, once they are down for bedtime, my world gets quiet, really quiet for the first time all day. But as exhausting as the moment feels, it is equally exhilarating knowing that we made it through another great day with two little beings that are entrusted to my care. That's when the moment is exhausting yet exhilarating. And the rewards are even better than the health rewards of a good HIIT workout.

By the way, Savannah stood today completely by herself for a very long time. Way to go Savannah!