Exercise is so important

[jp1]

Before covid I was getting out hiking at least once, and often twice, a week and was in reasonably good shape. Then covid happened and I pretty much stopped exercising for a couple of months. Then I had my creepy blood pressure scare and I started getting out hiking again plus doing a couple of trips up a nearby outdoor staircase (136 steps) most days. With all the packing for the move I slacked off a couple of weeks ago and had started noticing how less well I was feeling just in such a short amount of time. And now with air quality so bad I didn't want to get out and hike or walk the staircase this week. So yesterday SO and I went to his hotel (currently closed) and did an hour on the treadmills. Afterwards I felt so much better that we went back today and did it again. Both days I kept my heart rate at 80% of maximum with three five minute segments where I pushed up to 90% of maximum. Today I noticed that I had to go faster and on a steeper incline to reach my goal heart rate. Yesterday the machine said I burned 563 calories and had an average heart rate of 137. Today it said I burned 613 calories and had an average heart rate of 138. That's a 9% increase in energy expended with my heart doing the same amount of work! After just one day of exercise. I was stunned at seeing such an improvement so quickly. And it was a good reminder that I really need to keep on top of getting exercise.

Hopefully the wildfires will subside in the next couple of weeks. We move next sunday and our new place is surrounded by at least a dozen really nice looking trails within 10-15 minute's drive so I plan to get out and start checking them out as soon as we are moved in.

[dado potato]

I would have a problem with hiking if the air quality was Unhealthy of Hazardous.

Today I went for a bicycle ride in the forest, and I got to look at some maple trees with foliage in the yellow and red wavelength. I could see flocks of flickers, showing off their white rumps ... "we belong t'gether!"

I am grateful that my area has good air quality.

jp1, I am impressed by the HR you recorded (137-138). You have a great heart, and I hope it ticks for a hundred years. Cent ann! And for the present, I hope you can breathe reasonably well filtered indoor air.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Yea really the only way to exercise at this point is to buy exercise equipment, I was going to the gym then covid, I was walking now the air is toxic, eh whatever, the exercise equipment sellers are going to win me over eventually I guess.

[Tammy]

Our lives are increasingly similar to the scenarios in science fiction when they set up interior living spaces on Mars or the moon.

[KayLR]

Until the recent wildfires, I was switching one day to the next biking or walking. But our air quality yesterday measured >500/hazardous. It's been that way for days. I'm usually hardy enough that kind of thing wouldn't deter me, but it is just.plain.gross outside.

The week before the smoke entered the area, I had lost 2# from this exercise regimen. I'm sure it's back. Feeling pretty crappy about it. Add to that, my yard looks terrible; there's little sunlight and flowers are showing the strain of first the extreme heat we had, then an extreme wind event, then this smoke. It's not even getting above 72 degrees during the day.

I feel like a jerk even complaining with all the loss due to the fires. But 2020 is being a jerk, too. I've just about had it.

[Tradd]

Jp, check out YouTube. There are tons of workout videos, lots needing no equipment at all, just body weight.

That way, you don’t even have to leave the house. All intensities available. You can work up quite the sweat.

[frugal-one]

Jp, check out YouTube. There are tons of workout videos, lots needing no equipment at all, just body weight.

That way, you don’t even have to leave the house. All intensities available. You can work up quite the sweat.

The reason I joined a gym was because I am not disciplined enough to do these at home. I have good intentions but always find something else to do. i know if I did it first thing in the morning would be best but I'd rather sit and enjoy the paper, tea/coffee and relax before the day starts. We do walk about 5 miles per day but for me that really is not enough.

[Tradd]

The reason I joined a gym was because I am not disciplined enough to do these at home. I have good intentions but always find something else to do. i know if I did it first thing in the morning would be best but I'd rather sit and enjoy the paper, tea/coffee and relax before the day starts. We do walk about 5 miles per day but for me that really is not enough.

Well, gym doesn’t exactly help when they’re shut down due to covid

[frugal-one]

Well, gym doesn’t exactly help when they’re shut down due to covid

obviously... point being motivation

[jp1]

Jp, check out YouTube. There are tons of workout videos, lots needing no equipment at all, just body weight.

That way, you don’t even have to leave the house. All intensities available. You can work up quite the sweat.

Thanks. I will have to look into that. Once we move it won't be practical to drive 25 miles into the city just to spend an hour at the hotel gym. Although supposedly the weather is going to shift in the next day or so with the wind coming in from the ocean which should clear things up. Most of the fires near us are pretty well contained. The smoke is coming mainly from oregon and LA.

[sweetana3]

In Indiana, some of our gyms are open. YMCA is and that is where I go. Classes are really small, like 6 in the huge classroom. Max I have seen is 12 for step. It is my only real luxury item. I hope they can stay open but it will be touch and go with drop in memberships. But we have three I can choose from. One a walk and two are short drives.