[Blindtlk] Question re: Exercise Equipment

Fri Jun 3 14:17:11 UTC 2011

Good morning Diane,
Forgive me for the late entry...I've been out of town.  I am a former 
bodybuilder an, although not a competitive athlete now, I still live the 
lifestyle of a bodybuilder.  David offers some good advice, and I can only 
add to it.  Most Americans eat three meals a day and eat until they feel 
full.  This habit loads the body with so many calories that it is difficult 
to keep the body from converting calories to fat.  Most successful weight 
loss programs suggest eating four to six much smaller meals or snacks 
throughout the day.  The term "grazing" has been applied to such eating 
habits.  In this way, metabolism is maintained at a higher rate, and once 
you get used to never feeling too full, you will probably find that you feel 
better too.  Exercise equipment at home has only one requirement.....that it 
be used and doesn't become a clothing rack.  It takes discipline for this to 
happen as there are so many distractions at home from the phone to the 
refrigerator to others disrupting your workout time.  For this reason, I 
recommended a gym for most people who asked me about purchasing home 
equipment when I trained individuals.  But I now have an extensive gym at 
home and use it nearly every day.  Now regarding cardio equipment, let me 
first give you a formula that minimizes the need for the laborious process 
of finding equipment with enough accessibility to be useful.  The goal of a 
cardio workout should be to achieve a target zone of cardiac rate.  The 
target rate is calculated by the following formula:  220 minus age times 
0.75 to 0.85.  This heart rate should be maintained for half an hour.    For 
example, a sixty year old would have a target rate of 120 to 135.  Don't 
attempt to achieve this in one week or one month.  Work up to it.  I have 
found that when I am at my target heart rate, I am burning about four to 
five hundred calories per half hour.  In my own experience, I prefer two 
pieces of equipment for this goal.  The Cybex Arc Trainer is my favorite, 
but it is normally found only in gyms because of its expense.  It is very 
tgentle on the body and is adjustable for various workout intensities.  For 
home use, I agree with David that the eliptical enables me to get to my 
target rate and keep it there.  When I am on this michine, I burn 
approximately 400 calories per half hour.  These numbers vary fromperson to 
person, depending on weight and individual target rates.  I normally do 
interval training which enhances my workouts even more.  But my final 
recommendation about home equipment is to use it for its purpose on a 
regular basis, no matter which piece of equipment you choose.

Good luck with your workout goals.  If you would like more detail, get in 
touch offline and I can wear your ear out.
Michael
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2011 7:17 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Question re: Exercise Equipment

>
> Dear Diane,
>
> As a former Jock, I would advise you to look at a Elliptical machine.  It 
> is an exercise machine that works similar to a cross country ski machine 
> and will be gentle on your knees and joints, but provide the aerobic 
> action you need to burn off the weight.
> It will work all of the major muscle groups, your thies, caves, stomach, 
> arms, back and the really important ones your heart and lungs.
> Many of them come with lapse time counters or odometers and even heart 
> rate monitors.  Some even talk.
> It will give you all of the work out you can handle.
> Start easy and work up to a time or distance goal.
> Build up to your goal and don't try to over do it, but be sensible.
> Do the machine as you can , but do it regularly.
> Morning maybe the best as we can control the time we get up in the morning 
> and doing your exercise in the morning gets your metabolism up and helps 
> to carry you through the day.
> If you must exercise at night, after work, then set a time and stick to 
> it. Make it a habit and make other things work around it instead of trying 
> to work your exercise around things.
> Eat sensibly and follow a balance diet.
> Stay away from or limit the bread, potatoes dairy and Posta.  Eat lots of 
> fruit and vegetables and eat fish or turkey instead of beef, pork and 
> chicken if possible.
> Get some "weight Watchers" TV dinners for those times when you don't feel 
> like cooking or need a quick meal.
> Walk as much as possible and climb stairs instead of taking the elevator 
> if you can.
>
> Find a work out buddy or buddies is even better.  You can encourage and 
> push each other to be successful and reach your goal weights.
> Change your eating habits for life and you will never go back to being 
> overweight.
> If you have a I-phone, you can even get a shoe sensor the goes in your 
> shoe and tells your phone how far you have walked by the number of steps 
> you have taken.
> Don't forget to stretch before you exercise and let yourself cool down 
> over about 5 minutes when you are done exercising.
> The most important thing is to set goals and write them down.  Keep a log 
> of what you want to reach and the mile stones you reach in getting there. 
> Build your time on the machine and stick to your daily goals, 3 minutes, 5 
> minutes 10, 15, 30 minutes.
> Remember that failure to plan is a plan to fail.  Stick to your plan and 
> you will be successful.
>
> David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
> Member of the U.S. Olympic Team 1968
> N.C.A.A. National Championship Team 1969
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Hyde, David W. (ESC)" <david.hyde at wcbvi.k12.wi.us>
> To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2011 4:22 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Question re: Exercise Equipment
>
>
>> First, good luck. I hope you lose the weight you want. I know that rowing 
>> has become popular. You may have better luck with the Sports and 
>> Recreation list. I do not have an answer about videos, and have wondered 
>> similarly myself.
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf Of Graves, Diane
>> Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2011 3:03 PM
>> To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
>> Subject: [Blindtlk] Question re: Exercise Equipment
>>
>>
>> Hi Guys,
>>
>> I do hope I am not too far off topic here. If one considers the whole of 
>> the question, I believe it is blindness related.
>>
>> Anyway, I am wondering if anyone can give me some advice on inn-home 
>> exercise equipment or perhaps exercise videos that are descriptive in 
>> nature. I need to get in shape and have a significant amount of weight 
>> that I need to lose, and am hoping to find the most reliable and 
>> convenient way of getting this done. Yes, I do realize that I could go 
>> out and join the Y or a spa, and am considering those things. But given 
>> work schedules, school schedules and all of the transportation issues, I 
>> want something that I can keep up regularly, and will have no excuse not 
>> to pursue every day. My goal  here is not to prove that I can travel 
>> independently, but to lose this excess weight.
>>
>> I know that some of the exercise bikes have meters that will tell you how 
>> far you have "gone" or how my travel you have simulated. Are there any of 
>> these that talk? Can any of you athletes out there, keeping in mind that 
>> I am not a natural athlete, give me any pointers on good in-home 
>> solutions?
>> Thanks,
>>
>> [cid:image002.gif at 01CC213E.1BDA1DB0]
>>
>> Diane Graves
>> Civil Rights Specialist
>> Indiana Civil Rights Commission
>> Alternative Dispute Resolutions Unit
>> 317-232-2647
>>
>> "It is service that measures success."
>> George Washington Carver
>>
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>
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