November 8, 2006

• Exercise, exercise, exercise

  Uncskainch asked what kind of exercises I'm doing.  I get this question a lot.  When I answer, I see a curtain of haze drop over their eyes.  Just as I had done a thousand times before my heart attack.  So at the risk of the haze dropping down over your eyes, here goes . . .

  
  

  Recommendations by cardiologists vary, but not by much.  Walk up to an hour each day with a minimum of 30 minutes at least three times a week.  This can be broken up into two 30 minutes session or two 15 minute sessions, or three 10 minutes sessions, etc.  Different cardiologists recommend to walk at least 2 miles a day five days a week.  The message:  MOVE, MOVE, MOVE 

  
  

  Monday - Friday

  
  

  I walk for appx. 40 min. a day.  I'm able to do 2 miles in about 40 minutes.  I either walk in my neighborhood, at the gym on a treadmill, or with a friend around Lovebug's school.

  
  

  I also work out at the gym on their weight machines called STRIVE.  I've liked their machines quite a bit.  They have this three step system.  With each set, you work the target muscle differently, effectively causing your muscle to develop more fully.  The peak resistance can be placed at the beginning, the middle, the end, or at any region in-between for the exercise set.  I try to do upper body and lower body on different days.  I try to do the middle part of my body every day.  I'm not faithful to weight lifting, but usually make it at least three times a week. 

  
  

  Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday

  
  

  I've been doing something "fun" on Friday evenings with the whole family:  Swimming, biking, walking around somewhere interesting (Bricktown, Oklahoma River, etc).  I'm currently on the lookout for tennis rackets, so that we can start playing tennis.

  
  

  On Saturday mornings, I've been practicing Tai Chi (Yang style short form) with folks from our church.  They've been incredibly patient with me.  It is more challenging that I thought it would be.  But I always leave feeling energized. 

  
  

  Then for the rest of the weekend, I see what comes.  If an opportunity arises to do some more exercise, well I do it of course.  Instead of planning an evening out to eat, I try to plan something else -- something that involves moving around, with eating as a secondary thing rather than the primary focus. 

  
  

  Sunday's I consider my day off.  A day of rest.  I don't plan any exercise, but it usually happens anyway.  It's a delightful surprise when it happens. 

  
  

  The most important thing I've learned about exercise is to begin slowly.  The day after my heart attack I was told to get up and walk.  However I was only allowed to walk for a couple of minutes 3 - 5 times that 1st day.  The next day I added a minute to each outing.  Eventually working up to 5 minutes 5X a day.  Then working up to 10 minutes 3X a day.  Before I knew it I was walking 40 minutes a day.  All at once!! 

  
  

  After having started exercise this way, it was no wonder I quit exercising all those other times before.  I would start with 40 minutes a day and a full workout at the gym.  Then the next day I would feel crappy and not exercise at all.  I would constantly over do.  I don't believe I'll ever make that mistake again.  That's not to say that I don't challenge myself -- I do.  I'm trying right now to get 2 miles under 40 minutes walking!  I'm not sure if I can do it, but I'm gonna try.  I'll probably have to start running to do it.  My legs are just too short!! 

  
  

  So there you have it.  I'm impressed if you've made it all this way.  Thanks for reading!!

  
  

  Edited to add:

  
  

  Look at what I got in my email today

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  And that is for only part of October.  Too cool! 

  • 1:32 pm
  • 3 Comments