miscellaneous fitness stuff

[meganursula]

1. Big Backyard 5k registration is complete. I await my hoody.
2. I have been running a few times since Christmas. Mostly, walking with some jogging in the middle, but, on Saturday I did a C25k week 1 workout officially.
3. I have determined that I should have one day a week that i can walk/run with Marie in the stroller. (Maybe not this week, actually, since today was a holiday.) I have also determined that I should be able to bike Madeleine home from school at least once per week.
4. As to the latter, I need to figure out how to keep the little kids happy in the trailer. Its really my biggest issue. Madeleine needs some work on her endurance, and I need to bring some food for her, but that seems pretty doable. Getting William to comply seems hard.
5. I'm a bit annoyed with my Fitbit; its really just a pedometer, and thats okay in some ways. However, i'm trying to use it to really track my overall activity, and I think its just not really cutting it. For example, today, I took the kids to the museum and was on my feet for two hours wandering around the museum. It doesn't add up to a lot of distance walked, but it should count for more activity than if I were sitting at a desk. Also, it doesn't register biking, so if I bike to pick up Madeleine it doesn't register much activity at all, despite the fact that a four mile bike ride towing a trailer with 60 pound of kid in it is actually work. (Seems like it should count for a circumnavigation of Greenlake, but, the Fitbit does count that type of smooth walking quite well. I think that I might, at some point, try to find a different tracker. Or, who knows, maybe i'll just give up on the idea all together.

Comments

[via-lens.livejournal.com]

The FitBit is a pedometer (or an accelerometer) as far as I know. I had good luck with my BodyMedia device (and Dan still uses his), which measures both steps and electrical impulse in the muscles, and body temperature change, etc. It requires a monthly subscription, as it did before. It works best for cycling if you wear it on your calf (your arms are stationary and register relatively little activity).

All of that said, I gave my BodyMedia up years ago and keep track of what I'm doing on FitDay, manually, because it allows me to focus on the big stuff I do intentionally and prevents me from psyching myself out with the minutiae.

Our treadmill has been in a constant state of repair since we bought it. It works great for Dan, who only walks on it, but currently its problem is that the motor can't track its speed, so my interval drills are a little harrowing. Hopefully it gets fixed this week.

[mh75.livejournal.com]

Yeah. The BodyMedia thing doesn't really appeal to me, I don't know if there is anything that would really do what I wanted. (I tried to use my regular old heart rate monitor for a while, but it didn't give useful results either.)

I can keep track of the big things fairly easily, actually, but, I'm actually interested in looking at how the little stuff adds up. I think its interesting to see how much difference the little things can make.

I'm sorry about your treadmill - i hope it works out soon.

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

I am entirely unfamiliar with the Fitbit, but have been having fun with the new little Wii U Fit Meter. I wonder if clipping/strapping it to your ankle or knee would register the biking better? Or maybe enlist Marie to shake it as you ride along? :P

[mh75.livejournal.com]

Hum. We don't have a Wii at the moment.
I don't know if the flex works on something other than your arm - maybe i should do some research?

(One can actually enter your exercise on the webpage, which might help in general. I just want it to save me the work!)