Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Today's Post Brought to You by My Love of Gadgets:

I'm a gadget girl, there's a good reason why I worked and excelled in the IT field for the five years that I hung in there. I like computers, I like sci-fi in my present day, and I like facts and the ability to pin down what exactly is happening rather than pulling numbers out of the air or relying on antiquated formulas. This is not to say the formulas are all bs and that my numbers are 100% accurate, but they're pretty damn close.
All of this to say I got the battery in my HR monitor replaced and just finished a kickass workout with it. When I had switched to a 3 day split lifting schedule it had already died and so I wasn't quite sure how it measured up to the previous exhausting balls out (metaphoric testes, mind you) workouts I had been slogging through. Don't get me wrong, it felt good to do those workouts most of the time but I was missing a lot of cardio and also only doing them 3 days a week tops with little supplementary workouts in between.
So long story shortened, I clocked in at 422 calories today for a 38 minute workout which is as good and sometimes better than the previous workouts that involved only 5 minutes cardio but took 45-60 minutes. Also accounting for the fact that I did that 2-3 times a week vs. my willingness and ability to do these workouts 5-6 times a week...it adds up big time.
I also purchased a Tanita scale that measures not only weight in .2 increments but also BF% and hydration. I must say I am disappointed in the BF% feature. The numbers are all over the place but we shall see, I've only had it a few days and the reason I wanted it is because we use a slightly more professional version at school and in practice as dietitians sometimes. I knew it was pretty accurate. Bottom line, I just don't want to believe it's gone up that much in such a short time and I also like having consistency in my data.
I'm treating myself as a case study (patient) and have worked out my anthropometrics. I'll post everything and also weekly results, number of workouts and what they consist of, and how I adjust my kcal intake. The formula we use is pretty dead on for what has worked for me in the past but it is forcing me to eat a little more and to really analyze the numbers. I'm basically putting my money where my mouth is (that cliche makes little sense but you get my meaning).
Now I'm off to pick up my little boy and to get crackin' on cleaning up this dump. Fitness is not the only thing that has fallen by the wayside with the hectic months of school I've just been through. I still have one final left on Friday but the case study on myself is going to help me study as that is all things I need to know.

1 comment:

M@rla said...

Woo-hoo! I know from personal experience that a person can pack quite as much effort into 38 minutes as in a hour. I much prefer that method now, rather than dragging it out. Work hard, work fast, have more time for other things.

I will be interested in your experience with the BF scale. I completely don't trust those things. Also that little Star Trekky thing at the doctor's, where you hold it in both hands and it somehow figures out your BF% - this is with your height and weight entered into the machine. What exactly is it measuring? HOW is it measuring? So far nobody has been able to tell me.

I have calipers, which are probably the most accurate, or at least consistent, way to measure, but I don't bother with them. I already know I'm fat; the exact amount doesn't really matter to me.

I like the idea of treating yourself as a case study. You will be a really kick-ass dietitian!