A daily exercise thread?....

[Hooterville]

Hooterville-how do you make walking for exercise exciting? It is a good form of exercise; however I find it boring as heck. It's not boring with resistance (i.e. a weighted vest) but my 60 pounder is to light now. I am reluctant to fork over the cash for a 100lb vest.

For about 5, 5 1/2 years or so I walked with primarily one friend and we'd talk (and b!itch & moan, lol). Other friends would join in and drop out along the way. Now, for the past 6 months or so, my primary walking friend has a very long commute and plantar fasciatitis (sp?) and I've been going it alone so no conversation anymore. I love it, actually! I just zone in my own little world, breathe fresh air, get lost in the tunes, look at birds, cloud formations, the sunrise, sunset, etc. I really LOVE not waiting on my often late friend or being tied to a certain time.

OMG, you wear a 60 lb vest when you walk! *faints* I always figured that I was wearing a weight vest of sorts due to being overweight. As I lose weight, I've conidered that my workout must be getting easier because I'm no longer carrying around 75 lbs that I was hauling but I can't really fathom adding extra weight to my body to haul around to make my workout harder. You know, it's just not an option for me. I'm 49 and have terrible knee issues and know I'm getting arthritis in my hips, too. I also have a history of achilles tendon problems. I just can't add any more weight to this bod to make my workout harder.

The way I have made my workout more difficult is to change where I walk so I incorporate hills. Flat ground just wasn't cutting it anymore. I really make a game out of pushing hard up the hills, like how fast can I go, how hard can I make myself breath? I use my arms, too, to get my heart rate up, expecially on the downhill side as it's just a fact that if you go uphill, you've got to come down at some point to get back home. If I could walk outdoors all up hill, I would. The only way to do that is a treadmill and I don't have one and am not willing to spend the money on a gym membership at this point.

Long story longer, my i-pod is my friend. I love my music! I look forward to going out and listening to my tunes.

A question for you. Have you used a heart rate monitor? I was researching them as I don't really know what my heart rate is when I'm out there. I don't want a chest strap kind, too much bother. I just want a watch type. I don't need continuous monitoring, I just want to check now and then to get an idea of where I'm at. I'd also like to have a pedometer incorporated in the watch. Have you ever used one? Are they reliable at all?

[A1C]

I have a heart rate monitor (HRM) and a pedometer. I never wore either when I walked with a weighted vest. The HRM needs batteries. I used to just walk for 30 minutes. Actually I do not have a 60lb vest. I have a 40lb and a 20lb. The 20 fits over the 40 if I loosen the straps. Initially I bought them for bodyweight exercises not walking which is why I have two. They are cheap vests I bought from Walmart or Kmart.

My pedometer clips onto my shorts or pants waste ban. I got it for free from my endocrinologist's office. I bought the HRM monitor from a sporting goods store. It fits around my chest and has a wrist watch that displays what my heart rate is. Yes, they are reliable.

[graham44]

This weeks totals were - swam 5020.00 Yds/ bike trainer 4hr 48 minutes/ ran 25.25 miles
2 weeks down...28 to go

[Hooterville]

I'm excited but having a little buyer's remorse. I bought an Iphone 4S today. I'm pretty tech ignorant so I asked the salesman if you can use an iphone as a pedometer - yes! So then I asked if an Iphone could be used as a heart rate monitor - Yes! There's an accessory watch for that! Woot! It was more than I wanted to spend on a monitor but, wth. The store was out of the 4S so I have to wait for it to be shipped to me. As Tom Petty says, the waaaaaaiting is the hardest part.

I walked today and the knee let me take my long route with an additional mini hill and additional long hill. 45 minutes.

[graham44]

I'm excited but having a little buyer's remorse. I bought an Iphone 4S today. I'm pretty tech ignorant so I asked the salesman if you can use an iphone as a pedometer - yes! So then I asked if an Iphone could be used as a heart rate monitor - Yes! There's an accessory watch for that! Woot! It was more than I wanted to spend on a monitor but, wth. The store was out of the 4S so I have to wait for it to be shipped to me. As Tom Petty says, the waaaaaaiting is the hardest part.

I walked today and the knee let me take my long route with an additional mini hill and additional long hill. 45 minutes.

I still own a "pay as you go" 10 yr old tracphone...so my knowledge of apps etc is minimal,but
I think you can take it way past pedometer and into the land of gps mapping etc. if you're interested. InstaMapper - Free Real-Time GPS Tracking

[blufloyd]

Birkenstock inserts for plantar fascitis 'heel spurs' really good almost instant fix.

[Hooterville]

I still own a "pay as you go" 10 yr old tracphone...so my knowledge of apps etc is minimal,but
I think you can take it way past pedometer and into the land of gps mapping etc. if you're interested. InstaMapper - Free Real-Time GPS Tracking

Right! My current phone is definitely a step up from a 2 yr. tracphone but for two years it randomly turns itself off and I have no indication it has done so! I really needed a new phone. It's not good to run around unaware that your family can't reach you.

Yes, the salesman told me about the GPS mapping thingy! Kinda creepy but kinda cool, too.

I'm about to have my standard breakfast of soup then stretch then walk.

[Hooterville]

Birkenstock inserts for plantar fascitis 'heel spurs' really good almost instant fix.

I'll tell my two former walking friends who have this condition.

[k_dub]

I fell off the wagon a few weeks ago. [sigh]

I'm working on getting back on track. Today, I took a nice walk with my doggies in the sunshine. It was a little windy and the wind was COLD, but overall it was refreshing and energizing and really helped some of the low back pain that I've been having for more than a week.

Planning on getting back to my workout routine this week...

[Sandra94103]

Went for a bike ride to the Golden Gate Park for the second day in a row. Stopped off at a dog park on the way. Beautiful sunshiny day. Brought my sugars back down to a normal range. Have to remember how good exercising is for me. I feel so much better afterwards! Morning sugars went from 170 back down to 92 post meal.

[k_dub]

I took another walk this evening. Just a mile with the doggies. Hope to catch some yin yoga or pilates tomorrow.

[Hooterville]

Walked for 45 minutes this morning.

[k_dub]

Went to PT today for back pain and sciatica. Had several muscle groups dry needled. Then took a short walk with my doggies to get the blood flowing. I am going to hit up yin yoga tonight.

[Hooterville]

Went to PT today for back pain and sciatica. Had several muscle groups dry needled. Then took a short walk with my doggies to get the blood flowing. I am going to hit up yin yoga tonight.

I'm scared.....what's dry needled?

[k_dub]

It's a physical therapy technique. They stick needles into muscle trigger points to get the muscles to relax. You can find some videos on YouTube. It's similar to acupuncture except instead of focusing on meridian lines, the PT focuses on muscle trigger point. It works!

I did 60min of yin yoga tonight. It was much needed.