With my returning to exercise since last week, I've had to redefine my definition of a successful effort. I've lost some of my conditioning and am just not capable of pushing myself to the extent I did in February. I'm working my way back up to it, but I'm moderating my efforts as I regain my health and strength.
I'm not focusing on the length of time for the workout. While I could go for 60 minutes or longer, an emphasis on time would probably result in my pushing myself harder than I should. Time doesn't take into consideration my body's current conditioning or the effort it's taking me to work for a specific length of time.
So what's considered successful? At this time, I'm relying primarily on my heart rate monitor. My heart rate is much higher than it has been before, considering the intensity at which I'm working out. I check my heart rate to regulate how hard I push myself - typically ranging from 160 to 170. In addition to my heart rate, I keep an eye on the number of calories burned. As with before, my aim for a workout is 600 calories, but I seem to be reaching it more quickly. Part of this is due to the higher heart rate, as previously it would be in the 130-150 range. Also, I re-calibrated the settings on my watch to reflect my current weight. I'm moving more weight which takes more energy and is reflected in my calorie burn. Now I just need to remember to continue updating the settings as my weight changed.
Food Log
- Meal 1
- 2 egg whites with onion
- 40g oatmeal
- Meal 2
- 3oz chicken
- Salad
- 2 tablespoons light salad dressing
- Meal 3
- 1oz almonds
- Light cheese
- Meal 4
- 3oz chicken
- Salad
- 2 tablespoons light salad dressing
- 40g oatmeal
- Generous tablespoon of peanut butter
Exercise:
- Time: 52 minutes on elliptical
- Level: Level 1 for 1 minute, Level 2 for 50 minutes, Level 1 for 1 minute
- Calories: 650
Today's Weigh-In: 150.2 / 149.9
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