I've never been fat. I've maintained my weight and my waist-line for the last 20 years. I'm fit and toned and I wouldn't be embarrassed at all if, for some weird reason, I would need to take my shirt off in public (!!!???).
But my actual fitness level is atrociously bad. My blood pressure remains quite high in spite of medication, breathing apps, goddamned pitchers of hibiscus tea and garlic tablets. Sure, I'm genetically predisposed to be hypertensive, but that's not an excuse to try and look for a solution.
I think you have White Coat syndrome said my cover GP the other week. So I had to stay in his office for about 20 minutes, lying on my back to relax while he tried to get another reading. It did go down quite significantly, but inwardly I seethed; I always did significantly well on things that I set out to do and I was losing this badly in spite of what I thought were my best efforts.
So how often does one need to exercise in a given week? Apparently, not enough; walking to and from work from the train station/bus stop, 100 push-ups every other day, the occasional gym.
So I guess I need to step it up.
“The American College of Sports Medicine has two basic recommendations for cardio exercise. The first suggests 30 minutes of moderate cardio five times per week, and the second recommends 20 minutes of intense cardio three times per week. Each is adequate for general health and weight maintenance.”
I wish I lived near a better gym but lately, I've learned to stop complaining and to pay attention to the treadmill.
Tools to make the run better; get an Apple Watch!
Tools to motivate; get really great cushioning like Nike Zoom All Out Low
Find the perfect ideal place to run; New Zealand as it turns out, is that place.