A dark room, 19 spin bikes, and pumping music; spin class is intense. When I first walked into spin class, I thought the stares would be the worst part- then we got to spinning. Here's a few of the many reasons spin class kicked my ass.

1. Everyone was dressed cute. Except me.

Is Lululemon and Nike what it takes to be a professional spinner? I guess my baggy shirts and Champion sweatshirts will never join the Spin Cult.

2. Sitting on the spin bike was painful...

The second I sat down on my back-row bike, I didn't think things could get worse. In the words of my friend Nadia, "I feel like a cactus went up my butt."

3. But then we stood up, and the pain transferred to my quads.

Ouch, ouch, ouch. That is all.

4. "Rest time" was doing pushups and jumping jacks.

The moment the instructor claimed it was break time, I practically jumped for joy. Then he yelled for 25 pushups and I went back to sobbing.

5. And break time was spent drinking water on a bike.

In what world is drinking water while high-speed biking a break? It is in the world of spin class.

6. The mirrors make you feel so self- conscious.

Feeling like I was on What Not to Wear's 360 mirror, I felt so pathetic looking back to see myself struggling on a bike. I swear the mirror highlighted my beads of sweat and weak legs.

7. And the music isn't loud enough to drown out my panting.

In spin class, you jam, but the music can only be so loud. It's never loud enough to cover the pants coming from my breath.

8. Turning the resistance knob to the right is a death sentence.

The spin bike resistance knob and I have a love-hate relationship. You turn left and it's a sigh of relief. You turn the knob right, making it harder, and you're practically dead.

9. And 45 minutes is more like three hours.

Before the class, I thought "What? Forty-five minutes; they can't make it to an hour?" I've regretted those words ever since.

10. But all in all, I've never sweated so much.

Beads of sweat will drip from your face, and you will feel desperate for even a minute off of the pedals.

And needless to say, I won't be returning.