I usually roll my eyes when fitness instructors try to get deep and profound and say things like, "Why are you really here today?" My internal answer: We're really here to burn off the mac and cheese we ate off our kids' plates last night even though we promised ourselves that we wouldn't this time ... and to get some endorphins going so we can keep it all together for another 24 hours.

Then the other day, my spinning teacher said something that struck me. Really struck me. All you fellow eye-rollers out there, just hear me out.

She said, "You ride the way you live your life." What she meant was, your workout style and your life "style" are often a mirror, and rarely, if ever, do we make that connection.

One of the oldest stereotypes out there about fitness is that you've gotta be sweating buckets in order to accomplish anything at the gym. It's the reason so many of us fall into the same trap over and over again of hopping on the elliptical and thinking we're going to see a miraculous change in our shape from doing just cardio. Sure, we need cardio, but getting truly fit is about more than that. But not necessarily in a heart-pumping, towel-soaking way!

By incorporating some sweat-free (or, okay, minimally sweaty) workouts into your routine, you can get even better results. Here, five routines you've gotta try that burn your muscles while keeping you relatively dry ...

Gwyneth Paltrow doesn't seem to have a problem patting herself on the back for all of the awesome she exudes on a regular basis. And when she expresses this, err, "healthy self-esteem," she often comes out with quotes that sound absolutely crazy -- especially when taken out of context. Take the most recent incident along these lines ...

The GOOP Queen was speaking to reporters at the opening of her trainer Tracy Anderson's flagship studio in L.A., and Gwynnie recalled one time when she was trying on bathing suits with a friend. Referring to her rear, Gwyneth said, "I said, 'You know, this isn't so bad for 40, right?' And [my friend] goes, 'It's not so bad for a 22-year-old stripper!'" Oh, Gwyneth! Gwyneth, Gwyneth. What are we gonna do with you, honey?

Granted, she herself didn't say that, I guess. But she repeated it, right? Oh well, at any rate, she did say something of actual value after that ...

Not doubt that Blakeley Shea was one of the hottest Bachelor contestants of season 16. To say she's "stacked" doesn't even begin to describe the physique of the former VIP Cocktail Waitress and Hooter's calendar girl. But even with the obvious sex appeal, Blakeley wasn't happy with her shape. She recently posted photos of her transformation and let me just say, "Wow!" But this jaw-dropping slim down wasn't just about looking hotter. The reality star reveals the intensely emotional reason she needed a makeover from the inside out.

My friend is seriously obsessed -- in the healthiest way possible. Like me, she's a bride-to-be and has wanted to get extra fit for her walk down the aisle. But instead of hitting the gym, she's been going to the ballet barre -- for a Pilates, yoga, strength training, and orthopedic stretching workout class like no other. Several times a week. And it shows! 

After talking about coming to a class for weeks, I finally got a chance to check it out, too. I figured it may be the perfect way to round out my aggressive personal training sessions and spinning/elliptical cardio regimen. But while it is definitely unlike the sweatier, heart-pounding workouts I've been doing, it is NO JOKE!

Despite the occasional misstep (cough hooking up with her baby daddy Adam Lind), Teen Mom Chelsea Houska is getting her act together. We've watched her head to beauty school and go back on birth control. Now, Aubree's mama has plans to work on her fitness ... Last week, Chelsea tweeted, "Has anyone tried a pole dancing workout class?!?! I just saw that there's one in Sioux Falls and I WANNA TRY IT."

Ha, awesome! It's not like pole dancing as a workout is exactly new ... Carmen Electra released a whole set of DVDs a while back, and actress Sheila Kelley runs S Factor pole dancing workout classes in many major U.S. cities. But Chels should definitely check it out. Not only does it sound like a lot of fun, but I feel like it's the kind of workout that could push her beyond her comfort zone and lead to noteworthy results.

I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that it's finally getting warm here in the northeast. Seriously, the fact that it's going to be borderline 60 degrees both days this weekend feels like a Christmas miracle. Warmer weather means a whole bunch of things: time to trade in that dingy black pea coat for a brighter, lighter trench coat, time to swap out chunky soups and stews for seasonal salads, and best of all -- time to take the workout back outside.

I LOVE working out outside. Seriously, the gym just feels like a major germ breeding ground every time I walk in there, and the smell? Ugh. Sweatastic. Sweating it out in the sun just puts me in a better mood and, bonus -- sometimes even gives me a bit of a tan.

It's been a while, though, I understand. Excited for the nicer weather and want to join me in taking the fit routine outside? Let's talk about 5 easy ways to take your workout outdoors.

The White House will host its annual Easter Egg Roll on Monday April 1 this year. More than 35,000 people will join the First Family on the South Lawn for “games, stories, and, of course, the traditional egg roll.”

Also, because we apparently can’t just let kids have fun anymore, the day’s activities will include sports courts and cooking demonstrations in accordance with Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign. Nothing says “Happy Easter” like educating families on “smart ways to incorporate healthy eating and exercise choices into their daily routines.”