Clearly I am trying to get back on the right track of having a healthy lifestyle. To get me back on track I pulled out all my favorite gym must haves and thought that I would share them with you.
To some, these things can be kind of expensive, but I will tell you this, if you invest in good products they will last and make it worth the money you put into them.
Swimming has always been one of my favorite things to do to get in better shape. When I decided that I wanted to get into triathlons I knew that I was going to be doing a lot more swimming. If you are anything like me, your mind wanders and you get bored looking at the bottom of the pool just following the tiles.
I purchased an H2O Audio waterproof casing for my iPod shuffle years ago and have never regretted it. You put the case on the back of your goggles, place the headphone ear plugs in your ears, press play and go. The sound is perfect and makes the time so much easier to get through.
Growing up, I would always go to the gym with my parents. I remember walking by one of the spinning classes and thought how fun it looked.
I mean, if you were to walk by a class like this, how could you not be interested in participating, right? So I started attending the classes and had the greatest instructor that played great music and made it fun. I knew then that I needed to invest in some cycling shoes so I could get the full experience.
I know that if you are wanting to get into biking or spinning then you need to get shoes for it. These will make a world of difference because this is what they are made for. I love Shimano personally, but really get the ones you like and ones that work for you.
::we love to connect with our fitbits::
If you have read the blog before you know that I am a fan of Fitbit. I love that it tracks my steps, but Fitbit has brought back their Charge HR that not only tracks steps, but also heart rate, has caller ID and watch.
For me there is just something about being connected to others and competing that motivates me. But what I also love about my Fitbit is cheer on my friends, taunting them at times and sending them messages of encouragement.
I upped my step goal to keep me working harder because I was hitting my goals all the time. If you want to connect with me, just add me at [email protected] and let’s compete.
The best way to getting in shape and being healthy is paying attention to one major organ in your body: the heart! Keeping track of your heart rate and keeping it in various rages will not only increase your weight loss, but also strengthen that major muscle in your body.
According to the American Heart Association:
In the age category closest to yours, read across to find your target heart rate. Heart rate during moderately intense activities is about 50-69% of your maximum heart rate, whereas heart rate during hard physical activity is about 70% to less than 90% of the maximum heart rate.
The figures are averages, so use them as general guidelines.
| Age | Target HR Zone 50-85% | Average Maximum Heart Rate, 100% |
|---|---|---|
| 20 years | 100-170 beats per minute | 200 beats per minute |
| 30 years | 95-162 beats per minute | 190 beats per minute |
| 35 years | 93-157 beats per minute | 185 beats per minute |
| 40 years | 90-153 beats per minute | 180 beats per minute |
| 45 years | 88-149 beats per minute | 175 beats per minute |
| 50 years | 85-145 beats per minute | 170 beats per minute |
| 55 years | 83-140 beats per minute | 165 beats per minute |
| 60 years | 80-136 beats per minute | 160 beats per minute |
| 65 years | 78-132 beats per minute | 155 beats per minute |
| 70 years | 75-128 beats per minute | 150 beats per minute |
I have my monitor set to let me know when I have hit the lower end of my target heart rate and my max. I love it!
Making sure you have a heart rate monitor that best suites your needs is crucial. I made sure to go to a place when purchasing that had specialist that could inform me on which one would be best for the activities I participate in. You don’t need to over spend if you’re not going to use it regularly, but I definitely think that investing in a good quality monitor is a good idea. Granted, the Fitbit can have a heart rate option, but an actual heart rate monitor usually will have a band that wraps around your chest area giving you a more accurate reading.
It’s time to keep up the hard work and push yourself to the next level. I hope that these products that I love will help get you to increase your workouts, try new things and motivate you to work harder.
