There seems to be no question that exercise is something we all need to be doing. So, many of us do-but with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm and joy. And then there are those unique women who really seem to enjoy their workouts. Is it possible to enjoy it, you may wonder? What's their secret? Two local women share what works for them.

Pilates Power
Gina Kennedy, a 35-year-old mother of three and co-owner of Water Street Dance Company in downtown Peoria, keeps fit by teaching tap, jazz, hip-hop, and Pilates. She enjoys dancing for exercise so much that she made it her business. "I've exercised my whole life-mostly through dance. I've also done weight training, power walking, Jazzercise, yoga, Tae Bo, step, and other forms of aerobic classes," she said.

Then, a couple of years ago, the national craze of Pilates caught her attention. "At the location where I was taking some yoga classes, I noticed a sign for a Pilates training clinic. I decided to register for the clinic because I thought it would be a good class for me to be able to offer and teach at the studio. In 2003, I took a Pilates two-day clinic with the National Dance Exercise Instructor's Training Association (NDEITA) held at Franciscan Recreation Center in West Peoria," Kennedy said.

She brought her knowledge of Pilates to her studio, where she teaches it in the form of a "Body Shape" class from 7 to 8 p.m. on Mondays. While she admits Pilates isn't the cardiovascular workout most women think of as "exercise," she said it has many benefits. "It tones and strengthens muscles. The best part of my routine is that you zero in on your abdominals and strengthen your back. The goal of Pilates is to create more power from the inside out; stand taller; and develop a longer, leaner shape. The most challenging part of my routine is something I recently added to the already challenging workout: the ab-ripper, 100-sometimes 200-more abdominal sculpting moves."

Kennedy is so impressed by its benefits that she added Pilates movements to her youth jazz classes. "The kids probably have no idea that during the extensive warm-up and stretch before each class they, too, are doing Pilates," she said.

Kennedy said exercise played an important role in her pregnancies. "During and after my three pregnancies, I continued to teach dance and did other forms of exercise. I think it helped me lose the extra weight gained from pregnancy, and, mentally, it gave me an outlet from the demands of motherhood."

She encouraged other women to find an exercise program they're comfortable doing. "I've attempted to run, and it just didn't feel natural to me. I didn't like the jarring motion or the feeling of not really wanting to do it. Do what makes you happy; for me, that's Pilates."

A Runner's High
For those seeking a faster pace, running remains a popular form of exercise. Susan Galloway, a 40-year-old mother of two, spends her days as an artist/graphic designer at Fine Line Studio, the company she owns on the Peoria riverfront. But she spends much of her free time training for races. Although she was an active child, Galloway didn't begin to run until college. "I continued to run just enough to keep me from gaining too much weight-about a mile and a half to two miles. After my second child was born, I started running with a neighbor, and he talked me into trying a 5K. It was in Ohio, and the course was hilly, but I made it, and I felt good about setting a goal and achieving it," she said.

In 1997, Galloway and her sister, who lives in Chicago, decided to set a goal to do races in the Peoria area, each time setting the distance a little longer. "We started with the Shamrock Shuffle (five miles), then the Bloomington Lake Run (seven miles), then the Steamboat 15K, and a half marathon in Chicago (13 miles). My sister went on to do the Chicago Marathon that year. After the half marathon, I felt that was far enough for me for the moment," she said.

What started with just the two of them soon turned into a true family affair. "I have two brothers and two sisters, and we try and have a family vacation together once a year. In September of 2002, my mother passed away from colon cancer, and we all took a look at our health habits and wanted to make a change. The next summer, I found an Olympic-distance triathlon in Denver and asked if anyone would be interested in training for it. I thought we could plan our family vacation around race day. My oldest brother and two sisters stepped up, and my two brothers-in-law and sister-in-law did a relay. None of us had ever done a triathlon, but we trained for the 900-yard swim, 26-mile bike, and five-mile run from about March to July."

Galloway followed an 18-week training schedule she found online. "It worked well for me; it helped to talk to each other about how our training was going. We each did research on training, and we shared that with each other. The course was difficult, but we all finished and have video, pictures, and stories that will last a lifetime. The next year, my other brother quit smoking, and he joined us for a sprint-distance triathlon in Arizona for our family vacation. This year, we're going to North Carolina and doing the Kure Beach Double Sprint Tri. None of us will break any records, but we enjoy the sibling competition and bragging rights that come with finishing first."

She said at least for her, exercise isn't about aspiring to model proportions. "You'd probably think I'm a size 4 with an athletic build. Wrong. I'm average size, and you'll never see me in a tri-suit or a bikini. I love pizza, beer, chocolate, and all the other foods that aren't necessarily healthy. When I set a goal to do a triathlon, I enjoy the diversity that comes with triathlons; some days I swim, others I run or bike. I'm working different muscles and don't get stuck in the same old routine. I like the freedom of running or cycling when I can fit it into my schedule. Working out just makes me feel better. I have a chance to think through anything that might be bothering me while I swim laps or go for a run. It really does relieve stress and makes me feel stronger and more relaxed."

Many women's biggest obstacle on the road to fitness is consistency, and Galloway admitted she's faced that too. "I have times when I don't feel like working out. I'm just like everyone else; it isn't always easy to get up a little earlier to get in a workout-or even after work when you just want to relax on a comfy couch. But once you make it a part of your life, you couldn't imagine your life without it."

When she does take breaks from exercise, Galloway said she can feel a difference almost immediately. "It doesn't take long for me to start feeling sluggish, and I know it will be that much harder when I start to train again. It's easier to maintain your fitness than to stop for a few months and then pick it back up again. I did stop working out over the winter, and I'm feeling the effects now; it was much harder to get back to a level of endurance that I needed. I had to start at a slower pace and shorter distance and gradually build back up. I think setting goals has been the most important aspect to my exercise habits. I have something I'm working toward, and when it's an event that family or friends might be there to support, I know I'll have to do my best."

Her advice for those wanting to get in shape is to vary your routine. "Find things that you like to do and mix it up," she said. "Pilates classes, walking, rollerblading, cycling, weight training, swimming-there are so many opportunities, and the main thing is to get moving. Start out slow, and add a little every week. It also helps to work out with someone-or at least set goals together so you can create a buddy system to help each other reach and exceed your goals. Don't make excuses. After meeting some of the people from the Tri-Peoria triathlon club, there wasn't room for excuses. There are women in their 40s in the club with children and full-time jobs doing Ironman Triathlons, Adventure Races, and Century Rides. They're truly inspiring and made me realize how much time I waste. Not that I'm signing up for an Ironman triathlon, but when you cut down on TV watching, it's amazing how much time you have to fit in a workout. They've also taught me to set my goals high."

For more information about Galloway and her company, visit www.finelinestudio.net. For more information about Kennedy and her company, call 636-8872. TPW