By The Numbers

Today completes the second week of my treadmill exercise program. I've found that it really is more of a numbers game, than anything else - with your body competing against the numbers. What I mean by that is in regards to the mindset that seems to unfold each time you step on the machine. You have a goal that you visualize prior to starting the treadmill and you try to make the goal realistic for that particular session. That is your mindset. I've set a minimum and a maximum outcome for each day of exercising. The goal is basically to achieve the numbers for that day i.e. two to three miles in a certain number of minutes. I vary the number for each session, depending on how my body feels at the time I want to exercise. So far, it's working.

As you can see from the below blog picture, the screen will provide data on calories, carbs, distance, speed and conditioning levels. Get too aggressive and you will pay for it the following day with sore muscles. Set it for reasonable estimate of your current physical condition - based on age, weight, height, etc. - and you will improve your overall physical condition as it relates to your blood pressure, pulse rate and endurance.

The key to maintaining a routine seems to pivot on modifying the goal each time (in regards to the numbers you program into the machine) and to have some form of distraction while you exercise i.e. music, TV, reading material, etc. So far it's working for me, but, of course, it has only been a couple of weeks. My goal is to make this a lifelong commitment, as long as I am physically able to continue some from of treadmill type exercise. On certain days it can be a challenge, but I always feel better after doing the workout, and I know I would feel disappointed if I reneged. I've taken a picture of the NordicTrack 2250 console and posted it below. I'll post some other views of the machine at a later date.