ElderExercise » Pedometer

Claude – rainy week in Paris

Claude — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:01:13 +0000

I’ve had a difficult week as I started a bladder infection, which I thought was better, it came back with a vengeance and I had to go to the doctor’s last Friday. So I’m a bit late in posting.

I started a new morning programme with strength exercise from SparkPeople and rather like that it makes a change.

One of the things I find difficult with exercise is monotony and in a way, you always go back to the same stuff. So between Leslie Sansone, taking walks outside, the elliptic and the stuff I find at SparkPeople, I do get variety
Here’s my record for the week from August 9 2010 to August 15 2010

Monday:15mn flexibility ex, 2x15reps single leg squats with chair, 2x15reps wall pushups, 2x15reps boxer, abs 3×20 reps crunches, 3×20 reps reverse crunches, 40mn cardio walking, 11800steps
Tuesday: 15mn flexibility exercise, arms reinforcement: 5×60, cardio 36mn on elliptic, 10 squats, 2×10 thighmaster, 12423 steps
Wednesday: 15mn flexibility ex, 2x15reps single leg squats with chair, 2x15reps wall pushups, 2x15reps boxer, abs 2×20 reps crunches, 2×20 reps reverse crunches, 25mn cardio on elliptic, 10000 steps
Thursday: 15mn flexibility, arms reinforcement: 5×60 reps, 15 squats, 2×10 thighmaster, 40mn cardio on elliptic, 5mn stretching, one-hour Feldenkrais class, 11812 steps
Friday:15mn flexibility, 14000 steps, 10mn cardio
Saturday: 15mn flexibility ex, 2x15reps single leg squats with chair, 2x15reps wall pushups, 2x15reps boxer, abs 2×20 reps crunches, 2×20 reps reverse crunches, 28mn cardiowalk, 10600 steps
Sunday: 15mn flexibility, arms reinforcement: 5×60 reps, 15 squats, LS 3 miles, 35mn cardio, 5mn stretching, 10116steps

Filed under: abs, Arms reinforcement, Elliptical trainer, Leslie Sansone, Pedometer, Walking, Weight Lifting

Claude – resuming exercise week

Claude — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:39:59 +0000

Well, it’s been somewhat difficult, this week, with ups and downs especially in motivation.
I have been exploring the incredibly richness of SparkPeople in terms of suggestions for exercise and will try to adapt some of them to my way of life. Thank you Sara, for mentioning it to me.

I have also noticed that exercisewise, what doesn’t get done in the morning, just doesn’t get done, period! I’m mostly referring to cardio exercise, in that respect, because steps can be done any time.

Also, I already sort of knew it but what I used to refer to as my morning stretching, is not stretching at all, but rather a way of oiling my joints, so to speak, and maybe working on a bit of flexibility. I can’t live without it, I have timed it and it takes 15mn, done while still in bed. I am not sure what to call it though

Monday: 15mn flexibility exercise, 10500 steps
Tuesday: after a night on the ferry, no time for flexibility exercise, 10100 steps
Wednesday: 15mn flexibility exercise, arms reinforcement: 5×60, 20mn cardio out of 33mn walking/5.5km/h, 11244 steps
Thursday: 15mn flexibility exercise, 10 squats, thighmaster: 10 reps, 45mn cardio walk, 13143 steps
Friday: 15mn flexibility exercise, 10 squats, 30mn cardio part of LS 3miles,it usually takes me longer to get up to the correct heartrate, but this time, I was totally out of shape and my heartrate was too high, so was not really pleased with only getting 30mn cardio, out of 45mn workout! 10242 steps

Walking in summer time is such a pleasure! Here at Bodnant Garden

Saturday: 15mn flexibility exercise, 42mn cardio on elliptical, abs: 2×60 reps, 11,700 steps
Sunday: 15mn flexibility exercise, arms reinforcement: 300 reps, 1kg, 5000 steps. I just managed to run some errands, got back home, intending to get out and get a cardio walk, sat on my couch and … stayed there. Oh well, I do feel better this morning

Filed under: abs, Brisk walking, Elliptical trainer, Leslie Sansone, Pedometer, Stretching, Weight Lifting

Claude – Wales! Here we come

Claude — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:09:51 +0000

With my friend Catherine, we’re driving to Zeebrugge, with a lunch stop at Bruges, with a walk around the city. Then Hull the next morning, and final destination, Chester, which is not in Wales, but very conveniently situated to drive to different destinations in Northern Wales.
It was rather a good week, exercisewise, as the temperature dropped to more normal levels than last weeks.
As my FaceBook friends may have noticed, I found a delightful app on the iPhone, called WalkMeter
It records your walks, tells you how long, how far and how fast you walk, draws a map of your workout and saves it on its own calendar on your iPhone, if you have one, that is
You know how gadget-oriented I am, so you can guess how much I like it.
iTunes preview here

Here’s yesterday’s walk

I took the métro back home at Métro Duroc.
If anyone is doing cardio exercise, it doesn’t replace a heart rate monitor. Walkmeter said my workout lasted 45mn, but my heartrate monitor only recorded 41 minutes at the right speed. Still lots of fun though.

From Monday July 12 2010 to Sunday, July 18, 2010
Monday: 10mn stretching, Arms reinforcement: 300 reps with one kilo, thighmaster: 2×10 reps, 10 squats, 42mn cardio, 10037 steps
Tuesday:10mn stretching, Leslie Sansone 3-miles; cardio: 34mn, 16,200 steps
Wednesday: 10mn stretching, LS 3miles: 30mn cardio + 11 mn cardio on elliptical,, 11,000 steps
Thursday: 28 mn cardio, 10560 steps, 10mn stretching
Friday: 10mn stretching, 13,393 steps
Saturday: 10 mn stretching, Arms renforcement, 5 sets, 60 reps, 15mn cardio + 15mn cardio, 13,805 steps
Sunday: 10mn stretching, 11,500 steps, cardio 41mn
I’m not sure yet if I’ll be able to post at ElderExercise for the next two weeks, I might if our B&B has workable wifi.
Anyway, I’ll see you all at the beginning of August for sure.
Be good!

Filed under: abs, Arms reinforcement, Elliptical trainer, Feldenkrais class, Leslie Sansone, Pedometer, Stretching, Walking

Claude – another hot week

Claude — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:17:02 +0000

Except for Tuesday, all week was steaming hot. Not my favourite weather at all.
I know, I’m always complaining about the weather, too hot, too cold, too rainy, too snowy… And we do have to adjust, don’t we?
One of the things that comforts me is the fact that although I still don’t like heat much, I am able to stand it better than I used to. The hospital coach says it’s due to better heart condition, due to a lot of cardio exercise.
I also remembered things that I used to do when I went jogging when I was young.

- Drink water before and after exercise, which should always be done, but most particularly when it’s hot.

- Put a wet towel round my neck, it keeps me cool.

- Exercise early in the morning every time it’s possible

Week from Monday July 5th to Sunday July 10th
Monday: 10mn stretching, arms reinforcement: 300 reps, 16,000 steps, 37mn cardio
Tuesday 10mn stretching, 17mn cardio, 14,500 steps. As the temperature was lovely that day, it was a pleasure to visit Vaux le Vicomte with friends Barbara and Wayne.

A view of the castle, from the beautiful grounds

Wednesday: 10mn stretching, 29mn cardio, 15,633steps
Thursday: 10mn stretching, Abs: 2×60 reps, arms reinforcement: 300reps, cardio: 31mn, 11,600steps
Friday: 10mn stretching, one-hour Feldenkrais class, 41mn cardio,10,200 steps
Saturday: 10mn stretching, Arms reinforcement: 300 reps, Abs: 2×50 reps, 41mn cardio, 11,200 steps
Sunday: 10mn stretching, Abs: 2×60 reps, squats: 10 reps, 31mn cardio LS +10mn elliptical cardio, 12,200 steps

Filed under: abs, Arms reinforcement, Elliptical trainer, Leslie Sansone, Pedometer, Stretching, Walking, Weight Lifting

Tips and tricks – why use a pedometer?

Claude — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 09:59:26 +0000

At one point here, I think it was Lia who said that a healthy walking average was something around 5,000 steps a day. I had heard from my doctor that 5,000 steps just meant you weren’t sick in bed
At my hospital workshop, they prone the pedometer versus time spent walking, as counting steps seems more accurate than time spent. They say that you can spend one hour walking while shopping and achieve very little, even if you feel tired.
Also they claim that walking 10,000 steps a day will allow you to stop putting on weight. It’s been true for me. I walk an average of 10,000 steps a day and eat anything I like.
Now what I find interesting is this extract I’m copying and pasting from SparkPeople

The average American takes 5,000 steps a day, which is only half of the 10,000 daily steps recommended to achieve good health. For weight loss, 12,000 to 15,000 steps a day will help you achieve your goals. But who’s got time to count? That’s where the pedometer comes in. A pedometer is a nifty little gadget that counts your footsteps by sensing your body motion.

…
The rest of the article is here

I was a bit skeptical when Sara recommended SparkPeople, but I am finding it very useful, a great informative complement to ElderExercise

Filed under: Pedometer, tips and tricks

Claude – two hot exercise weeks

Claude — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 07:20:29 +0000

I have been too busy, too lazy and probably too hot to post the week before last. My good friends from Norwich were here for a week and their stay started with a very cold day (12°c) to go on with the beginning of a heat wave that lasted until yesterday.
I must say that Parisians are neither used to snow in the winter or extreme heat in the summer. At least not in a lasting way. So we have trouble adjusting
Anyway, I’m glad to say that in spite of the heat, and with the exception of one day when I was just too tired to do much except for napping on my sofa, being the perfect couch potato, I was pretty faithful to my cardio exercise and my steps.
So here go the two weeks from Monday June 21st to Sunday, July 4th, with a belated Happy 4th of July to our American members

Monday: 10mn stretching, 250 reps arms reinforcement (1kg), 22mn cardio on elliptical, 16,500 steps
Tuesday: 10mn stretching, 30mn cardio, 12 500 steps
Wednesday: 10mn stretching, 250 reps arms reinforcement (1kg), Abs: 5×10 + 4×10, 2×10 thighmaster, 25mn cardio, 9,500 steps
Thursday: 10mn stretching, 250 reps arms reinforcement (1kg), Abs: 5×10 + 5×10, cardio 45mn, 10 squats, 2×10 thighmaster, 14,700 steps
Friday: 10mn stretching, 41mn cardio, 16,000 steps

Fontaine Stravinski, near Centre Pompidou, on a hot day

Saturday: 10mn stretching, 300 reps arms reinforcement, 21mn cardio, one-hour Feldenkrais class, 16,700 steps
Sunday: 10mn stretching, 3-mile LS, 32mn cardio, 10 squats, 2×10 thighmaster, abs=5×10 + 5×10 reps, 10,700 steps
Monday: 10mn stretching, arms reinforcement: 300 reps, cardio 38mn followed by stretching, 2×10 thighmaster, 12,000 steps
Tuesday: 10mn stretching, abs=5×10 + 5×10 reps, LS 3miles, 36mn cardio followed by stretching, 12,700 steps
Wednesday: one-hour stretching class, 36mn cardio followed by stretching, 10,150steps
Thursday: 10mn stretching, arms reinforcement 300 reps, cardio 30mn, 2×10 thighmaster, 10 squats, 13,700 steps
Friday: 10mn stretching, 800m swimming, 35mn cardio. 10,092 steps
With 34°c outside, I must say I really enjoyed my swimming session, even though, of course, the swimming-pool was crowded that day!

Saturday: 10mn stretching, arms reinforcement: 5 sets of 60 reps
Sunday: 10mn stretching, ABS: 2×50 reps, 10 squats, 2×10 thighmaster, 31mn cardio, 13,600 steps

Filed under: abs, Arms reinforcement, Elliptical trainer, Feldenkrais class, Leslie Sansone, Pedometer, Stretching, Swimming, Walking

Claude – elliptically yours

Claude — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:43:08 +0000

It’s been a chilly week over here, but somehow it makes exercising easier. AND last Tuesday, my brand new elliptical crosstrainer got delivered at 11h30 and mind you, at twelve, I was pedalling and moving my arms. I must say that since I’ve received it, it has been used every day, and I love it. Also, I have discovered new muscles in my body, most particularly some I didn’t know I had in my back and in my arms.
I didn’t go to the swimming-pool last week as Tuesday is usually my swimming day and I definitely HAD to try my new machine

Monday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, Abs 5×10 + 4×10, 50mn cardio (cardiowalk 26mn + 2miles LS AHA = 24mn), 10,000 steps
Tuesday: 10mn stretching, 45mn elliptical cardio, 12,750 steps
Wednesday: One-hour stretching class, 36mn cardio (Elliptical), 2×10 thighmaster, 13,200 steps
Thursday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, 57mn cardio, 10 squats, 2×10 thighmaster, 12,000 steps

Here’s my new acquisition

Friday: 10mn stretching, cardio 40mn, one-hour Feldenkrais, 10 squats, 10 thighmaster, 13,200 steps
Saturday: 10mn stretching, 250 reps arms reinforcement (1kg), ABS: 5×10 + 4×10, 10 squats, 2×10 thighmaster, 45mn cardio on elliptical, 12,500 steps
Sunday: 10mn stretching, Abs: 5×10 + 4×10, 10 squats, 15mn cardio, 13,300 steps
This coming week, I’ll be walking around Paris with my friends, from Norwich, UK, as I did on Sunday, around Cimetière du Père Lachaise. So I might slow down on the cardio exercise, but will try to keep on doing some anyway

Filed under: Feldenkrais class, Pedometer, Stretching, Walking, Weight Lifting

Claude – a rather good week

Claude — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:47:45 +0000

Finally, I decided against going to a gym. The three I visited were either tremendously expensive or awful-looking. So last Monday, I decided that an elliptical machine would be the thing, took a loan and bought one. It’s not here yet, it will arrive tomorrow morning. Before buying, they let me use it for some ten minutes, and it was just great, it felt like flying.
The other good news is I was able to sell the indoors bike.

Here’s my log for the past week from Monday June 7th to Sunday June 13th
Monday: 10mn stretching, 15 mn arms reinforcement, Abs 5×10 + 4×10, cardio 13mn, 12,300steps
Tuesday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, 34mn cardio (800m swimming), 11,000steps

I was rather pleased with the swimming as I was not as out of breath as the preceding week and managed 800metres. Also, when I got back I didn’t have this craving for sugar that I had the past weeks after swimming.

Wednesday: 10mn stretching, LS 3miles 36mn cardio + 10mn cardiowalk, 10 thighmaster, 5 squats, 15,600 steps
Thursday: 10mn stretching, Abs: 5×10 + 4×10 reps, 10mn+30mn cardio, 10 squats, 15,300 steps
Friday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, 2×10 thighmaster, 38mn cardio LS 3-mile, one-hour Feldenkrais class, 15,500steps

Jardin du Luxembourg, outside the hothouse

Saturday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, Abs 5×10 + 4×10, LS 3-mile AHA, 40mn cardio, 10 squats, 8,200steps
Sunday: 10mn stretching, 11,000steps

Filed under: Brisk walking, Feldenkrais class, Leslie Sansone, Pedometer, Stretching, Walking, Weight Lifting

Claude – good exercise week

Claude — Mon, 31 May 2010 12:30:44 +0000

This was really a good week especially walking and cardio exercise. I just bought myself two 1kg weights to replace the half kg weights for my arms reinforcement as trying to deal with one-litre bottles was just sort of difficult. For some reason, I really walked quite a lot this week with two days exceeding 18,000 steps.
My feet are still somewhat hurting, but either I am getting used to it or they hurt less. Can’t say that they are really comfortable although I have excellent shoes.

From Monday May 24th to Sunday May 30th
Monday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, 29mn swimming, 700metres, 7,281steps
Tuesday: 10mn stretching, Abs: 4X10 + 3X10 42mn cardio including 20mn jogging, 19,620 steps

We are not the only ones walking!

Wednesday: 10mn stretching, 37mn cardio with LS, 11,500steps, 10 thighmaster, 5 squats, 11,800steps
Thursday: 10mn stretching, 15 mn arms reinforcement, 10 thighmaster, 40mn cardio, 13,569steps
Friday: 10mn stretching, Abs: 5X10 + 4X10, Cardio 35mn (LS 3miles), one-hour Feldenkrais class, 17,792 steps
Saturday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement (1kg), LS AHA 3-miles, 40mn cardio, 10 thighmaster, 5 squats, 13,989 steps
Sunday: 10mn stretching, Abs: 5X10 + 4X10, LS AHA 3-miles cardio 39mn, 20 thighmaster, 5 squats, 12,421steps,

Filed under: Feldenkrais class, general, Leslie Sansone, Pedometer, Stretching, Swimming, Walking

Claude – from very cold to very hot

Claude — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:47:09 +0000

We’ve had really huge temperature variations. At the beginning of the week, it was raining and awfully cold and yesterday, I decided to get my fans out as it’s really getting hot.
I am finding it more and more difficult to reach my optimal heartrate when walking briskly. It used to be difficult to keep it down to 125bpm and now it’s difficult to get there. It’s a good sign though, as it means that I am fitter. And yet, it’s going to make my exercise life more difficult because I have to find a replacement for the brisk walking. I am actually considering joining a gym to go on their elliptic machines, but
1) they’re very expensive
2) I wonder if I’ll stick to going. You see, I know myself and have spent inordinate amounts of money in the past on NOT sticking to it, after a month or so.
The other solution is to buy an elliptic machine but those are very expensive too.
There are three gyms within 5mn walking from my place… At the moment, I am thinking it over.

I took this at Saint-Denis Basilica

Monday:10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, 2X10 thighmaster, 1X5 squats, LS 3-miles, 35mn cardio, one-hour Feldenkrais class, 9,245steps
Tuesday: 10mn stretching, Abs: 4X10 + 3X10 reps, 52mn cardio (24mn cardiowalking, 28mn swimming), 9,580steps
Wednesday: One-hour stretching class, 38mn cardio, 14,452 steps
Thursday:10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, abs reps 4×10 + 3×10, 10 thighmaster, 5squats, 44mn cardio, 11,200steps
Friday: 10mn stretching, one-hour Feldenkrais lesson, 8,888steps
Saturday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, 29mn cardio, 14,375 steps
Sunday: 10mn stretching, Abs: 4X10 + 3X10 10 thighmaster 5 squats, 30mn cardio including 20mn jogging, 8,930 steps

Filed under: abs, Brisk walking, Feldenkrais class, Leslie Sansone, Pedometer, Stretching, Walking, Weight Lifting