THE REASON

The reason the elliptical rocks is this. I started using it last week on Wednesday morning. The first time I used it, my heart pounded out of my chest. I was short of breath and knew I had to heed the heart rate advise. So I checked my heart rate and checked the RPM and took note. The first time, I was going about 30 RPM and my heart rate jumped to 135 real fast and I could only do about five minutes.

Okay, the cool thing is that I found if I do about 20 to 25 RPM I could keep my heart rate in the zone of 99-124 easily. The first couple of days I did five minutes and then moved to 10 minutes and then on Saturday did 12 minutes. My heart rate would creep up if I was not careful to keep the RPMs down and I usually had HR of about 125. But no soreness, no shortness of breath, doing okay ~ just slow and easy so there is no excuses.

Today, I jumped on the elliptical. I checked my heart rate first, 89. Okay, get up to 25 RPM. I was watching TV and after about 3 minutes I looked down to notice I was doing about 33 RPM. UHHHHHH! Better check my heart rate. 117! What? Could this be right? Well, I will continue a while longer and check it again. After 7 minutes, RPM of 30 to 35 and HR 118! This is wonderful. I am not choking for breath, I am using more calories and I can go longer. So at 15 minutes, I checked again and the highest HR was at 118 and I was doing about 33 RPM for at least 12 minutes. That is so cool!

I am determined this time! I even called Tollie to report to him! That is a real first, because before (as I have posted before) if I share all this with anyone, it seems to jinks it. But not this time! Thank you Lord! I will succeed with great health this time!

ELLIPTICALS ROCK

Well, not too many moons ago, I started an exercise program on my Tony Little Gazelle and was so proud that I had done a week's worth of working out on it. It didn't last! I had to put the Gazelle in the garage and then I had an excuse not to use it.

My folks were here in January and after a week with them, I have resolved to get in better health. My dad was in pretty good health, albeit heart surgery and anyuerism surgery many years ago, yet in pretty good health for an 83 year old man. This past year was hard on my dad. He had a pinched nerve in his neck and had to have back/neck surgery. He had been affected by numb hands and loosing the use of his right leg. The surgery stopped the progression but he is slowly getting back the use of his leg. He has to use a cane or walker to go anywhere, but he still keeps going!

My mom on the other hand stopped moving many years ago. Mother has been obese since I can ever remember. She tried many diets, pills and just never seemed to conquer her obesity. She really quit moving years ago, only doing things in the house and occasionally runs to the grocery store. Oh, yes, she also has congestive heart failure which makes any moving now hard to breath. Now her problems run the gamut of hurting knees, ankles, and her back really bothers her a lot. Watching her and my dad, I realized what I have to look forward to and made the decision to do something now!

My aim is to get healthier. Right now, I just want to get moving!!!!

We have been doing our homework and I told Tollie I need to not have any excuse. So I don't want to join a health club. We talked about a treadmill for our bedroom. Okay, now we are talking more -- convenient, handy -- so we do our homework. Get on line and start looking. Cost is pretty high for a good one. We go to Sears and try out every machine on the floor. They have a good selection. We try an elliptical. Uhhhhhh, my knees hurt right away! Go to the next one. It is designed different. Hey.......this feels okay. Look I can do this! I like this. This is pretty cool. Tollie tries it.

We have a distinct disadvantage to getting something we both can use. I am 5' 2", eyes of ......no they are green, but he is 6'. What feels good for me, doesn't always work for him! He gets on this Horizon RE 7.6 and he likes it. It feels good for him as well! Wow! We go home and do more homework. (We have learned in our 37 years of marriage that we don't make a large purchase on the spot. We always go home and discuss and research and pray and think and sleep and then decide!)

The internet tells me that an elliptical is better for joints. No pounding, no jerking and really better for older people. Well, that's us! The cost is about the same for treadmill and elliptical, maybe slightly less for the quality and bells and whistles. I will have no excuses. The weather will not be a factor. I don't have to go anywhere except to the closet to get my shoes on. I can make time during the day, even several times a day for this! I can read or watch TV while doing it. Yep, looks like a winner.

We bring it home, put it together. Oh and one other plus, it doesn't take up as much room as the treadmill would have and is quiet! So.....six days later, I have started out slow and determined! I told Tollie I don't want to get so sore I can't walk, so I have started out doing five minutes the first few days and today I just did 12 minutes with about seven minutes in my target heart rate. I feel looser and am proud of myself.

You see, I don't care how I look or how much I weigh as much as being able to get around and do the things I want to do!!!! I love working in the yard, but the last few springs have been harder and harder to do the things I love. I have grandchildren who need me to swing and play and be there for them.

Lord willing, I will continue with no excuses! Afterall, I don't go to work until 1pm so I have all morning to do several workouts. Did I say I really like my new toy?

One more thing, you have to try out the ellipticals. The ones I had used at the gym in years past and others at the store were designed differently. This one has the mechanism in the front and the footprints are side by side. On some, I felt like a frog trying to move! My short legs don't allow for wide widths or long strides. This one is perfect for me and the good thing Tollie is liking it as well. Happy health to you today!