I am trying to get fit

Now that the weather is really great I have started walking. In so doing I came across the first flowers in the city.

First Spring Flowers in Oulu

I have a Polar Electro Watch cum Heart Rate Monitor. With it I can see where I am going as far as my fitness is concerned without overstressing myself.

Polar Electro is a Finnish company and also it is an Oulu headquartered company. My former colleague in the Electrical Department in Oulu University, Professor Seppo Säynäjäkangas, is the one who started this and has made a small fortune. He is today one of the most promnent industrialists of Finland.

Polar Electro was founded in 1977. It is the leading brand in improving health and well-being through the understanding of human physiology, performance and environment and providing measuring devices for this combination. Polar Electro is the world's leading manufacturer of sports instruments and heart rate monitoring, registering and evaluation equipment.

I laid out a 8 km route, walking to town and back. I laid out the route that after about 15 minutes I have to go over a rather steep overbridge. This was to help to put my heart rate up into the "In Zone" where I am doing some real work.

I walk into town, stop for a cup of tea, and then walk back along a slightly longer route and cross over the overbridge, finally to slow down the last 15 minutes. No measurement is done during my tea stop.

The important aspect is to ensure that I stay within my heart rate exercise limits. My normal heart rate is 80. My exercise heart rate range is 124 to 158. The low level of 124 means I am not very fit and it should increase as I get fitter. The maximum heart rate should not exceed 220 minus my age of 62, which is 158. If it does cross this figure I am overstressing my heart and it is not healthy or acceptable.

Given below is the results of my last five days. One day in between was a rest day, which is also recommended.

The results are excellent in that my walking speed has increased considerably, and my efficiency of walking has improved. My average heart rate is steady at a reasonable figure. The number of minutes I am staying in the acceptable heart rate is also excellent. My average heart rate is now 140, which means I am now reaching my best fitness level with no stress. The calories I am burning every day is also helping to reduce my weight. My cholestrol levels will automatically drop and my blood sugar levels will also come well within the acceptable range.

The first day I was feeling bad after the first 15 minutes. I had to slow down considerably when going over the overbridge. Now there is no problem.

Date	Distance	Total Time	Efficiency	In Zone	Average	Calories	Fat	Walking Rate	Total Calories
	km	min	%	min	Heart Rate	kcal	%	min / km	kcal
16.04.05	8.00	124.00	100	56.00	132	1872	40	15.50	1872
17.04.05	8.00	117.26	105.44	69.10	135	1832	40	14.66	3704
18.04.05	0.00		0	0	0	0	0	0	3704
19.04.05	8.00	104.18	115.98	75.29	140	1739	30	13.02	5443
20.04.05	8.00	100.38	119.05	69.59	140	1748	25	12.55	7191

If any of you need help in setting up your walking schedules, or any advice on gym training, please do contact me. I have managed to keep reasonably fit with the help of a couple of great Personal Trainers in a couple of gyms.