I had shared an interesting essay The difference between exercise and recreation on the kickbike list. Since I was reviewing my exercise goals I had been researching my options. This led to this exchange.
Jack writes:About the right amount of exercise to do you good: I've already mentioned my idea: use a heartrate monitor and record monthly or weekly amount of TIME in the target zone. I don't know if I'm right about this, but the theory is: as you get fitter you have to ride faster in order to keep in the target zone.
I wrote:
I'm sure that is good practice but not all exercise is aerobic and there are still plenty of benefits to be had for the exertion. (and kickbiking too is not simply aerobic exercise either as it probably is weight bearing). I used to do the monitoring thing when I used to jog way back when -- and jogging was both exercise and relaxation -- but my main interest in terms of aerobic consequence was my resting heart rate and (more recently) monitoring my blood pressure, weight loss, and (separate again) flexibility.My complication is that because of long term Fibomyalgic (ah a new adjective!) condition my capacity is going to vary day to day.The thing that interests me is that I tend to kickbike for the hell of it. I love the push off when you first set out, the cadence you can develop before each leg swap, the places you can go to and the engagement of so much of your body in the scoot. And the glides -- I love the glides -- esp while standing upright like a bean pole.The good thing about the kickbike -- or any scooter, like my Mibo -- is that the exertion threshold demanded for forward motion is higher than walking or normal cycling. It is closer to jogging and onwards to running except of the foot fall weight you have to support.So I've always seen kickbiking as an exercise/relaxation combo as the scooter demanded so much of you. To me this was a win win lifestyle thing: transport AND exercise.However, if I wanted to shift the lever so that I worked harder what's the best approach?..on a kickbike? I'm sure this relates to cycling or running -- but let's stick with scootering because it is a different business.Interval training on the kickbike: short sprint spurts of x distances. may be more useful than steady exertion 'in the zone'. So why bother so much with distance as the kickbike lends itself so easily to sprints?#distance training: I wonder about that as I don't know any general figures for kickbikers . What is a common 'training' distance? What's the wisdom? Bods here were doing over 50 km per day in preparation for the recent kickbike world championships. But your everyday (real keen) cyclist may often double this. Once you get those pistons going you can Tour Your Own de France...But on a kickbike a 100km ride is very unusual...just as marathon distance in running is an occasional event rather than a weekly/everyday occurrence! The cyclists primarily is moving them legs around and around and the runner is pounding the pavement but we're bobbing up and down, scooting the feet, dragging on the handlebars kowtowing to the road ahead every few seconds...it's closer to a Marathon dance contest.Blissfully -- touch wood -- injury free...
When I previously ran (before I fell ill) I used to stride out every which way -- to work and back, across the city I was living in (Melbourne) .... My running legs took me to a lot of places. So I wasn't so much 'training' as I loved the Zen of it.
Now, as I up my daily kickbiking kilometre-age I'm moving back into that prospect although I am 30 years older with a body that is no way like the old.
So I guess I'm looking for shortcuts because this is hard yakka.
Nonetheless, what I'm looking for is pretty clear:
- weight reduction by another 10 kgm as my weight loss has plateaued and even rose during my recent knee injury.
- a more stable and lower blood sugar result.While I'm good diabetic patient I fear the illness such that I 'm keen to keep its consequences at bay for a along as I can. To that end I want to spend more time under 6 mmol.
- a fall in my morning blood pressure. For most of each day my blood pressure and my resting heart rate is pretty good -- even after exertion --but I wake up each day pumping the juices around me over 140 mmHg systolic and over 90 mmHg diastolic. I obviously have sleep issues which can only be resolved, as far as I'm concerned, through weight loss.
The workout stuff I do with the kettlebells and boxing the bag works me all over and I'm delighted to be back in workout syncronicity with my 10 Shell Workout .
The magic shells rule me.
Advanced Mediterranean Diet
The 9 grams (yes 9 grams!) of Fish Oil I take each day has reduced my pain threshold after a Summer ( when I wasn't taking the good oil) that was cripplingly painful.
I do follow a diet plan, of course, since I have to because of my Diabetes II. My rule of thumb is Steve Parker's Advanced Mediterranean Diet which is a no nonsense hype free regime which in effect merely fine tunes the cuisine I ate anyway. I recommend Parker's ebook, Conquer Diabetes and Prediabetes: The Low-Carb Mediterranean Diet
I've been eating my way through the Mediterranean for 40 years primarily chewing on Middle Eastern cuisine. But now I have moved to a greater interest in the culinary approaches of Spain and Sicily while avoiding anything too much reliant on grains -- like pasta.
Fortunately I can tolerate Basmati rice better than other carbohydrate dense foods.
So hello Risotto!
When the Diabetic sentence laid its heavy hand on me in February last year it has taken me all of these last 18 months to make the necessary lifestyle adjustments. It is hard work and if you are at the beginning of the challenge there is no better introduction than Tim Bowden's This Can't happen to Me. I've read many books on diabetes but Tim's the best access for the mature ager.
On my credit side, my dad -- a big overweight man who did not exercise or diet -- became diabetic at 40 but it took me another 20 years of life to catch up with him. My sister is pre-Diabetic so we are ruled by our pedigree.
Nonetheless as you age the chances of anyone becoming diabetic rise sharply. So smugness is for fools.
My bottom line goal is to outlive my da who had massive heart attack on a 64 Bus at the age of 70.
If I don't, after all this effort, I will be really cheesed off!
On my credit side, my dad -- a big overweight man who did not exercise or diet -- became diabetic at 40 but it took me another 20 years of life to catch up with him. My sister is pre-Diabetic so we are ruled by our pedigree.
Nonetheless as you age the chances of anyone becoming diabetic rise sharply. So smugness is for fools.
My bottom line goal is to outlive my da who had massive heart attack on a 64 Bus at the age of 70.
If I don't, after all this effort, I will be really cheesed off!
