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by Melanie J.
So it's almost Thursday and this is a little belated, but I wanted to share my Wednesday Workout Tip with you guys, something I'll try to do every week.
Know first that I hate working out. At least, I do while I'm thinking about exercising and then while I'm exercising. But I like how I feel after, whether it's because of the endorphins or my gradually shrinking waistline, I'm not sure. Since I want to keep my downward scale trend (21 pounds and counting), I have become the master at finding little tricks to get myself up and at 'em with cardio everyday. So here's the first one:
A heart rate monitor.
Yep, it's that simple. No matter what kind of cardio I choose (and maybe I'll blog about that next Wednesday) a heart rate monitor that I bought last spring from Target has pushed me to get just a little more out of each workout. It's a pretty straightforward device. A digital wristwatch picks up and displays my heart rate and calories burned so far from a slim strap that goes around my chest. The plainer ones will just do the heart rate, which my husband finds sufficient. For me, though, having that little number of calories I'm burning grow bigger and bigger is exactly the kind of instant gratification I need to keep me going with my exercise. If I'm pooping out but notice that I've burned 320 calories, I find myself thinking, "I'll just go until 350" and then I find it's easy just to push to 400 after that. If I'm getting bored with my cardio (because the elliptical trainer at the gym? Snooze fest), I just go faster and harder to get the calories burned faster which is a nice challenge to my usual rhythm.
The monitors range from $50-100 depending on the features you want, but mine (a Polaris) has been worth every penny because I know I've burned thousands of extra calories over the last few months that I wouldn't have without my little wristwatch telling me how close I was to a new goal and level of success.
I also blog about random and what I think are hilarious life slices at my other blog, Write Stuff.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
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3 comments:
Thanks Melanie. I am going to get one of these very soon!!! I need it.
Hi Melanie!
Thanks for being the first to comment on my blog. As for me and exercising I get bored easily. I purchase the Biggest Loser exercise DVD with Bob Harper (I think its volume 1). Let me tell you. That man is insane. Although the workouts are only 30 minutes in total (incl. warmup and cool down) he really works you and there are about 5 workouts on the dvd. Just thought it might interest you. Oh yeah I bought it on Amazon for about $10. Hey works for me:)
Hey, Jen.
We have an extra one, still in the packaging at our house, that Kenny got as a gift a few years ago and forgot about it until after I had already bought him his current one. I think it only does heart rate and not calories, but...do you want it? I can drop it off with dinner tonight.
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