Lie:
Doctor: How often do you exercise?
JJ: I walk my dog every day. I ride my bike in the warmer months. I hike sometimes
Doctor: How far do you walk? How long?
JJ: uh, anywhere from a mile to two miles. Fifteen minutes to a half hour.
Truth: I don’t know how far or how long I walk. I miss a day or two if I am tired. I know it is not enough. II know that I meander instead of walking fast enough to raise my heart rate. I never do enough.
One time I bought a pedometer after reading that they are great motivators (10,000 steps per day). I loved it and walked far more than normal. Then, the cheap gadget pooped out and winter set in. Back to a more haphazard schedule.
I have several walking routes in Wishek and have been extending my mileage goal (recent walk= 4 miles). I set a goal to walk the back road to a small town 11 miles from here, which I may do this fall or during a winter warm spell (oxymoron for anyone living in ND). So, I am back to the usual question: how to keep track of walking distances. What about making sure I get my heart rate high enough to strengthen my heart (but not too high)? How can I keep track of the time I spend walking? Technology! I love new and innovative things. There must be something pricey and techy to help me get fit.
I experience spurts of simplifying and decluttering and have made great progress owning fewer things (oops, let me close the craft room door before I go on). Technology helps. Instead of thirty boxes of books I have a nice, slim Kindle. In fact, most everything I need is electronic and fits into a carry-on rolling suitcase, with enough room left over for a few clothes. My essential electronics:
- Laptop
- Smartphone
- Kindle
- Small solar charger
- Digital camera/ card reader/charger
- Voice recorder (small)
- Personal locator beacon
- Taser : )
- Wind up emergency radio
Back to walking and a technological solution to tracking distance and time walked, while ensuring my heart rate goes into the cardio zone. And why not something that can also track my sleeping habits and upload the information to my computer and/or smart phone. Then–something that will give me a full report each day about my activity, non-activity, heart rate, and calories burned. While I am dreaming, why not add the ability to track my food intake so I can lose those extra 18 pounds I carry. What about water intake?
Fitbit Charge HR! Yes, it does all of the above and more. Fitbit is an amazing little computer on a plastic band. This morning I learned that I slept 7.5 hours and was restless 28% of the time. My resting heart rate was just fine. Last night while walking 1.56 miles I watched my heart rate and picked up my speed until it was in the proper range. When I rotate my wrist, the clock/date reading comes on automatically! On and on and on. The Fitbit, which I bought through Amazon is amazing. Pricey for the heart rate (HR) model but worth every penny. And yes, having a pedometer and a 10,000 steps/day goal (five miles) is extremely motivating for me. Seeing this Fitbit on my wrist is a reminder.
Of course I also need new walking shoes, too. My 2-year old Ascics shoes are beat up and well past their useful life. However, I am tired of paying big bucks for gaudy, name-brand shoes. I did some research on Amazon and found a brand called Ryka. Some of their shoes are pricey, but I found the understated Women’s Dash Walking Shoe
The appropriate activity at this moment is to stop lollygagging on the computer and put in some miles, since I have taken only 172 steps since waking up. Let’s see, my heart rate is 71. Off I go to walk and ponder the question: is buying a Fitbit too materialistic? Can I find a way to convince myself that my health is worth it?
