Category Archives: Exercise evolution updates

Exercise evolution updates, Goal & activity/exercise matching

Exercise resolutions 2023

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Not sure where to start with your exercise resolutions 2023? No pressure. I will go first:

First, my exercise evolution update

With the exception of the last 7 days, my routine has been pretty consistent and I look forward to resuming and evolving my program in the new year. In short, I will be continuing with lunchtime cycling, after work stretch and strengthening (machine, body weight and theraband, primarily legs), twice weekly Essentrics® class(teach), teaching a new mini class Wednesday am, weekly HIIT online class with my exercise peeps, and walks to and from work (get the snowpants out!)

I have some more specific goals that are exercise related:

A) I want to retest my VO2 max with a step test (Modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test (mCAFT)). Not sure what VO2 is? Check this post.

B) I want to retest my heartrate level during my fitness classes to see if my past calculations on time spent in a moderate intensity zone is accurate.

C) And I am strongly considering the dabble. This involves an in person or perhaps online ballet class. It will be very interesting to see how the class feels as it has probably been about 12 years since I have stepped into a dance studio. In person would be ideal as well as my biggest challenge. I will keep you posted.

Now for you.

If you don’t have any ideas, check out some of my past posts:

Q: Would you like to find out where you are on the exercise and activity spectrum? If you know where you are, you might be able to envision where you want to go.

Q: What do you want, what do you need? Check out Exercise Specificity.

Q: Do you need a story to get the ideas flowing? I’ve got a couple: The evolution of a group exerciser and Keeping it real.

I am going to open up the comments so if you wish to post your exercise resolutions or activity plans for the 2023 please do. It can be simple or with some detail.

If you don’t have any resolutions, don’t worry. The beauty of exercise and physical activity is that you can start anytime you want. Whenever you are ready. Exercise is one of those things that for many of us has its ebbs and flows. No guilt required.

And if you need help, find some help. Follow up with your favorite health practitioner or fitness professional. Complete an activity readiness questionnaire if you have any concerns. I plan to provide you with more structure and support, so feel free to join my email list for further updates very soon!

Are you ready? Then get set! Let’s GO!!

Essentrics with Andrea

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Exercise evolution updates

Exercise Evolution Update

Exercise Evolution Update

Before I give you my exercise evolution update, I just to let you know that I am livestreaming weekly on all topics exercise on Facebook!

Join me for “Tea & Exercise: Livestream Chat with Andrea” @andreanunnexercise Wednesday mornings at 9am on Facebook live

There will be a fun physical demo along with a brief chat. Follow my page on Facebook to keep up with future topics and updates!

Update

I haven’t published an exercise evolution update for awhile. The last one was back in January. I have adjusted my routine so I do at least a portion of my workout at lunch, which leaves more time available for other things in the evening.

I have maintained relative consistency in my frequency which, for me, is the most important thing. It’s easier to scale down and then back up versus falling off the wagon completely. I’d rather do a little less to suit my current schedule than nothing at all. Here is my latest weekly routine:

Lunchtime 4x per week: 22 minutes of cardio MT 80 (MT=minutes spent at moderate heart rate intensity. For more discussion on moderate heart rate intensity activity, see Moderate intensity exercise. Where do you find yourself? )

I have monitored my heartrate manually to make sure I get into my moderate heartrate zone, which is above 109 beats per minute.

Daily walks to and from work 25 min each.

Essentrics teaching 1hr 2x/week MT40

Saturday endurance/HIIT class MT 20

2x week weighted workout: leg press and ham curls plus step exercise, 12 minutes. I have not been diligent at keeping my heartrate up, but instead focusing on pain free movement.

2x week sliding lunges plus “glute medius” work in standing and side plank with theraband. Again, heartrate has not been focus but painfree motion and ideal alignment.

This week I developed some new choreography for my classes. This usually takes an additional 3-4 hours of intermittent activity.

So I am just under my the goal of 150 minutes of moderate exercise based on recommendations from CSEP Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults (ages 18-64 years). Now that I have re-assessed, I will figure out where I will make up that extra 10 minutes that I am missing! Keep it real and don’t worry if your routine doesn’t go exactly as planned! Get out into the activity sphere everyday and something will get done! Are you ready? Then let’s GO!

Check out my page Essentrics with Andrea if you are thinking about trying an online class. Join me @andreanunnexercise Wednesday mornings at 9am live on Facebook!

Cardio and VO2, Evaluation, Exercise evolution updates, Exercise program design

Moderate intensity exercise. Where do you find yourself?

Moderate intensity exercise. Where do you find yourself? What does it take to accomplish this? My last post on exercise evolution and VO2 testing highlighted how much time I spent at a moderate level of intensity when exercising (MT). The point being was to accumulate 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous intensity level exercise, according to the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines set out by the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiologists for optimal health.

So how do you know if you are working at a moderate intensity? There are several ways to evaluate this. I found a nice chart in the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiologists Physical Activity Training for Health resource manual comparing the following different methods and their corresponding intensity levels.

Talk test:

If I am working at a moderate level I should be able to speak in short sentences only. Talking easily would qualify as “light” intensity.

Perceived exertion:

On a scale of 0 to 10 the moderate level ranges from 3-6/10. I find the scale of 0-10 difficult to discern for myself.

On a scale of 0-20 a score of 14-17/20 is considered moderate. Given my recent VO2 testing, and reaching 85 % of my predicted heart rate maximum, I rated my perceived exertion to be 17/20 in that moment of time. This was quite useful, as I recognize this level of exertion from the exercise that I already do. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, there is no denying it and it can’t be sustained for long periods of time.

Percentage of heart rate maximum

The goal would be 64-76% of your heart rate maximum required to be exercising at a moderate intensity.

Reality check anyone?

I compared my own perceptions of my exercise intensity against an objective measure (percentage of my heart rate maximum). For me moderate intensity is somewhere between 109 bpm(beats per minute) and 129 bpm.

Here is my update highlighting the time spent at a moderate level (MT) of exercise intensity in each activity on a weekly basis.

As you will see, it is significantly less than I had anticipated:

Daily walks: My maximum heart rate during those walks was 105. MT=0 (initial estimate  120 min/week. Whoopsy daisy!).

I re-evaluated the talk test on a second trial, and I wouldn’t say I could talk easily (light intensity), but I did not need to break up my sentences(moderate=”short sentences only”)

Treadmill jogging: 1 mile @ 5.3 mph 3-4 times/week. MT=40

Hip and knee strengthening plus stretching, abs: 12 out of 20 minutes 2-3 times/week at a moderate intensity. MT=36 (previous estimate 40)

Essentrics®: group exercise class (instructor) one hour 2 times/week. I took some old data from my heart rate monitoring app. 20 out of 60 minutes were at a moderate level of intensity. MT=40 (previous estimate 60 min/week)

HIIT style online class: 1 hour once weekly. 20 out of 60 minutes at a moderate level or more. MT=20 (previous estimate 30 minutes)

Stairs: 2 flights up/down at least once daily. It actually only takes 30 seconds to go up or down, not enough time for the heart rate to change much. MT=0 (previous estimate 21 min/week)

Back to reality

Goal: 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous intensity level exercise

Current time for moderate intensity level activity: 136 minutes per week.

If you look at my previous estimates, you will see how I over estimated my weekly time by more than double! That’s OK. I am still moving a lot. I just need to increase my effort a little bit more, here and there.

So what about my lighter intensity daily walks ? And what about the other 40 minutes of my Essentrics or HIIT classes? Strengthening and resistance training? Stairs?? Shouldn’t they count for something?

Well of course they do! Remember exercise specificity. What do you want and what do you need: improved strength, endurance, cardiovascular fitness, joint mobility and/or flexibility? Maybe you have other reasons to exercise. Check out my post on exercise specificity for further clarification of these terms with some examples provided.

If you are considering getting back into exercise or rounding out your routine, and you want to give Essentrics® a try, check out my Essentrics with Andrea page for more information.

Are you ready to move? OK, let’s go!

Cardio and VO2, Evaluation, Exercise evolution updates, Exercise program design

Exercise evolution update and VO2 testing

Here is my most recent exercise evolution update and VO2 testing. I haven’t tested myself for many years and I was curious to see if my exercise evolution to date has been sufficient to maintain my cardiovascular fitness.

In short, VO2 is a measure of your cardiovascular fitness. The better your VO2, the more physical activity you can do on any given day, and in terms of longevity, the more you move now will have a significant impact on what you can do as the years progress. 

I assessed my VO2 because I do not do a lot of extended “cardio” sessions. As you will see, my “cardio” efforts are not at a high level, but instead a multitude of moderate physical activities and modest durations. In addition, given my age, there is an anticipated decline every decade in your aerobic capacity starting in your 30’s or 40’s. I plan to be a “mover” for the rest of my life, so having a good aerobic capacity is essential in maintaining an active lifestyle.

The CSEP 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for adults 18 to 64 years, and adults 65+ include the following recommendations when it comes to physical activity:
  • Moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activities such that there is an accumulation of at least 150 minutes per week 
  • Muscle strengthening activities using major muscle groups at least twice a week
  • Several hours of light physical activities, including standing
  • For adults 65+ it was recommended to include balance activities
Here is my exercise evolution update

I have included updated values on time spent at a moderate intensity on a weekly basis (MT) in each activity. Want know what moderate intensity is? See my next blog here for further details on how it was calculated.

Daily walks: 25 minutes each, 8-10 times/week. I am probably moving at a light to moderate pace……no, not really. When tested, I do not reach moderate intensity levels. MT=0

Treadmill jogging: 1 mile @ 5.3 mph 3-4 times/week. MT=40

Hip and knee strengthening plus stretching, abs: 20 minutes 2-3 times/week. Moderate level 12 minutes x 3. MT=36

Essentrics: group exercise class (instructor) one hour 2 times/week: Moderate level 30% of the time MT=40

HIIT style online class: Once weekly moderate level 20 out of 60 minutes. MT=20

Stairs: 3 flights up/down at least once daily(30 sec each). MT=0

Standing: I stand frequently. Sitting much more that an hour at a time gets me fidgeting.

Total time weekly at moderate level or more=136.

I am a little embarrassed in that when I originally wrote this, I estimated 311 minutes/week. I was way off. But good to keep it real and know where there is room for improvement.

VO2 testing and results

I used the Modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test (mCAFT). It involves stepping up and down 2 steps(and sometimes one large step if you make it to the final stage), at progressively faster cadences. You calculate your heart rate max and then work through the progressive stages until you reach 85% of your maximum heart rate. Each stage is associated with an oxygen cost. Based on the stage you reach for your age group, you take the oxygen cost and input that into an equation that will give you your aerobic capacity result (VO2).

Well, I did well. I did not make it to the final stage. My perceived exertion by the end was approximately 17 out of 20. Part of the protocol is to check your blood pressure during recovery, which gratefully was better than expected.

So my result was 45 ml/kg-1/min-1 . My health benefit rating was excellent for my age range(50-59) and could be found in the excellent range for 30-39 year old’s. If I had made it to the last stage, my VO2 would have calculated to be 49 ml/kg-1/min-1. I would have then been in the Excellent 15-19 year old group. I will have to look into who the study sample was and how this came to be. In the meantime, I love finding out new info about myself that I can then re-assess at a later date for comparison. There are also other test protocols that I may try at a future date.

Until then, check out my Essentrics with Andrea page if you are thinking about being more active.

Alternatively, you can look at the structure of my current exercise evolution update and substitute your own activities that you currently engage in. You may be surprised as to how much you are doing for yourself.

Lastly, here is one more post on Keeping it real: physical fitness and VO2max. Movement no matter how small still rocks! Are you ready? Let’s GO!

Exercise evolution updates, Exercise program design

Exercise evolution update and exercise modification

So its been about 3 months since I last reported my weekly exercise program. I will say the most significant change has been even more flexibility with a few “must do’s” on a weekly basis. I have established some basics that keep any chronic problems in check. Otherwise, its open season and I do what I want. I am constantly modifying my exercise routine as needed and I am constantly evaluating my response during and after exercise. I am not training for anything in particular other than the game of life. Here is my exercise evolution update and exercise modification suggestions.

Exercise evolution update

Still walking daily 25 minutes twice daily on weekdays. I am thinking about the snow pants that will be coming out soon.

Otherwise, I have 4 basic goals this week:

(A) Daily 30 minutes minimum of exercise. This could be a combination of activities to make up the 30 minutes, usually at a moderate level of intensity. This may include weight training, bodyweight training, cardio and Essentrics.

(B) Stretching occurs throughout these activities, but specifically quad and hip flexor stretches 2-3 times per week.

(C) 2 sessions per week of strength exercise for my knees and hips (sometimes broken up into 4 smaller workouts)

(D) And most recent goal of 1 mile of jogging as a warm-up daily Monday through Friday. I am going to measure my VO2 in the next week or so and retest it at a later date to see the impact of this new goal on my cardiorespiratory fitness.

Saturday and Sundays have not changed in their mode but each workout on the weekend has variations on the same theme: Saturday online class HIIT style and Sunday online teaching of Essentrics

Exercise modification

How and why do I make modifications? Modifications could be as simple as doing something slower with fewer repetitions. It may also mean doing a movement in a smaller range of motion. It may be changing your posture and shifting your weight to make something harder or easier.

Why do we need modifications? Because sometimes the game of life varies in its physical intensity. Energy and endurance can vary depending on what you have been doing prior to exercise and how you are feeling that day. If you approach your exercise allowing minor modifications as needed, you may find yourself more inclined and even more successful at fulfilling your basic goals.

Check out the activity guidelines provided by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, and as always, if you are unsure if it is safe to exercise, check in with your healthcare professional for advise.

COMING SOON: VO2 testing and different aerobic exercise modes. What is best for

Essentrics with Andrea

Exercise evolution updates, TIps

Dabbling to promote exercise program evolution

Dare to dabble

It’s been at least 6 weeks since my last exercise evolution update. One thing I mentioned in my last update was the variation in time spent exercising. I have continued to be biased towards shorter workouts, and combining different short workouts together. But now I am dabbling to promote exercise program evolution. I say dabble because my new exercise choices are outside of what I normally would do. I am committing to the new option for a prescribed length of time at which point I should be able to discern the degree of benefit it provides me.

The danger of the “dabble”.

Sometimes when dabbling you may be trying new activities that your body is not used to. So how do you mediate the risk? By going through the routines initially as an outsider looking in. My suggestion to you is to maintain your “space” by working within your abilities. If you don’t look exactly as pictured, who cares? Be very curious, move slower, smaller, and take advantage of any modifications offered. If you are looking at something that is truly outside of your abilities, then maybe repeat something done earlier in the routine, or just substitute your own movement. Exercise program evolution means more variety, less boredom, and possibly fewer overuse injuries from doing the same thing over and over again.

Tabata yoga

My exercise dabble: “21 day yoga tabata course”.

The course has been more beneficial than I had anticipated. One, as an instructor I like to look at different styles of teaching and presentation. Two, I like to tune in to the anatomical and biomechanical explanations. And three, it has allowed me to reconnect with the benefits of stillness and breath found within a yoga workout.

The tabata part is esentially MIIT(moderate intensity intervals). I don’t think they were sufficient to get the heart rate up to true HIIT(high intensity interval training) levels. See this blog for a further discussion on HIIT or steady state cardio for fat loss.

Here is my exercise evolution update:

Monday to Friday: I walk to and from work (2X25 min)

Monday: Tabata yoga 20-25 min plus steady state jog 25 min

Tuesday: Tabata yoga 20-25 min plus hip/knee strengthening with sliders, leg press, ham curl

Wednesday: Tabata yoga, 2 sessions

Thursday: 10 minute run warm up, Tabata yoga 25 min, interval running on treadmill 20 minutes

Friday: Tabata yoga 25, lower body routine similar to Tuesday

Saturday: HIIT style online class, using bodyweight and resistance bands, 1hr

Sunday: Essentrics full body stretch and strengthening class, continuous movement, 1 hr

Check out where you are on the exercise and physical activity spectrum. We probably have more options now than ever (online, outdoor, indoor gyms) so if you haven’t got started on your goal of daily physical activity, don’t wait any longer.

Essentrics with Andrea

Exercise evolution updates

Exercise Evolution Update

Its probably been more than six weeks since I last posted an exercise evolution update. The reason I do this is to provide myself as an example of someone who exercises regularly and constantly switches up the routine. The biggest change has been the duration and frequency of exercise. I released the reigns a little, and I feel just as good as ever. Compare this weekly routine to my last exercise evolution update in the post Exercise options: keeping them open.

My latest routine this week:

Steady state jog on treadmill with some incremental increases in speed: 5.0 mph to 6.8mph 1X per week(30 min)

How did I come up with 6.8 mph? I did a 10k run when I was about 15 years old. My average pace at that time was 8:50 per mile, which translates into 6.8 mph. I am working towards improving my speed without breaking the bank.

Hip and knee rehab exercise both bodyweight exercise and gym machines 2X/week (25 min with warm up)

HIIT (both an online class and personal version) 2X/week(60 and 30 min)

So this HIIT is really more interval training, with work and relative rest periods. I don’t think I am getting my heart rate up past 85% of its max consistently during the work phases, but I make it effortful (probably a 5-6 on a scale of 10). For the relative rest phases I do toning exercises, changing postures in each rest interval.

Essentrics 2X/week (30min to 1hr)

Walks daily 2X 25 minutes

Stretches: I still find static stretches for my quads and hip flexors are essential to maintain the length and flexibility 2-3X/week(15 min)

Frequency and duration

You can see the the majority of my workouts have been 30 minutes. Only 2 of my workouts require one hour. There may be one or more of the above activities in one day. But even if I did a minimum of 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week, that’s 180 minutes. Check out the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults ages 18-64.

Getting started with my workouts over the last couple of months have been a challenge, in that sometimes I feel like I am starting with the tank half full. Ultimately, these shorter workouts have left me feeling more energized and have reduced my stress levels. I am getting smarter and more in tune with what works best for my body right now.

Is there something you could do right now to stimulate positive physical health? Small commitments to exercise and keeping your options open will help you stay on the path to better health and happiness. You know its worth it, so let’s go!

Essentrics with Andrea

Exercise evolution updates, TIps

Exercise options: keeping them open

Are you able to keep your exercise options open? Do you have enough in your repertoire to be able to switch it up and still feel you have fulfilled your goal for the day?

When you think about your workouts can they be broken down into parts? If you have a limit on your time that doesn’t match the workout, can you select segments of the workout and still perform them safely and effectively?

When choosing to exercise, having options will increase your success at getting it done. Here is my routine from the past week:

Exercise evolution update

I probably spent the last 2 weeks just winging it with very loose structures in place to keep me on track.

Monday: 25 minute walk to and from work only(M-F)

Tuesday: run intervals of 10 minutes interspersed with knee and ankle stretch and strengthening

Wednesday: bike 20 minutes followed by body weight exercises 20 minutes

Thursday: run intervals of 5 to 7 minutes interspersed with knee and ankle stretch and strength with alternate equipment

Friday: I can’t remember. I just did whatever but with intention.

Saturday: online HIIT class

Sunday: Essentrics group class

See previous exercise evolution updates February 12, 2021, December 26, 2020 and November 12, 2020.

Warm up

If you are really not sure where to start begin with warming up. Warming up is the preparatory phase that gets the blood circulating,

What do you do for a warm up? Usually it is something simple, easily attained and does not necessarily require a high skill level. Components of a future workout with the movement simplified and at a lower intensity may do the trick. It may be something that is repetitive like a bike, treadmill, brisk walk or a light jog. It could be done on the spot with progressively larger or faster movements.

Pick something that doesn’t hurt or feel stressful and for the length of time that you like. You can use a song as a point of inspiration.

Keeping your options open

Be spontaneous. If you are wondering it you should exercise, remember you have options. If you don’t think you have many to choose from, do a little research or consult with a professional. Expand your repertoire so you don’t feel stuck and change your mind before you even get changed. Let’s go!

Essentrics with Andrea

Exercise evolution updates, TIps

Exercise evolution: how to avoid boredom with exercise

It is important to be ready for those times when you are experiencing boredom with exercise. The evolution of your exercise program should allow for variations as needed. I know I am continually evaluating my program and it is always changing. Variety in exercise is important for many reasons.

One reason is to avoid boredom with exercise. Did you ever have a plan to do some sort of exercise, to find yourself saying, “Ugh?! This is so boring!” I know I have, so what do I do? Well , I don’t throw the towel in and use boredom as an excuse to stop but as a reason to be creative or improvise. There are truly a multitude of things you can do to get yourself moving. If you are not up to one thing, try another. Just making some slight changes may be enough to keep you on track. Let me give you an example of how my program has evolved over the last 6 weeks.

Here was my weekly routine 6 weeks ago

Steady state running with one minute “fast pace” every 5 minutes for 6 cycles (30 min) plus lower body stretches 2X

Knee rehab 2X and shoulder rehab1X.

Essentrics(stretch and strengthen no weight) 2X

High rep full body muscle endurance online exercise class 1X

Moderate paced walk 2 times daily for 25 minutes to and from work.

It turns out that this past week was the most varied and challenging to date. I had to depend on my steadfast methods (get changed without necessarily knowing my plan for the day) and assumptions (any amount of intentional movement is better than none) to keep me on the straight but not so narrow path:

This week’s exercise and activity program

Mixed cardio (elliptical and treadmill) moderate intensity (30 min) 1X

Treadmill steady state moderate intensity jog (20 min) 1X

Knee rehab body weight and machine strengthening (30 min) 2X

Alternate knee rehab using different equipment for variety (20 min) 1X

Essentrics practice class (30 min) 2X

Essentrics full class 1hr 1X

Hip and Knee stretches 10 minutes 2X

HIIT online class (1hr) 1X

Upper body bodyweight workout (15 min) 1X

Walks to and from work daily (2X25 min/day) 5X

The mixed bag of goodies was required to avoid boredom with exercise this week. And just for fun, when you add up the time spent, I was moving at least twice the minimum recommended in the Canadian 24-hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18-64 which includes:

Performing a variety of types and intensities of physical activity, which include

  • Moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activities such that there is an accumulation of at least 150 minutes per week
  • Muscle strengthening activities using major muscle groups at least twice a week
  • Several hours of light physical activities, including standing

Want to know where you are are on the exercise and physical activity spectrum? Check out my “Are you evolving as an exerciser” post to see where you fit in.

Start with a thread of exercise. Don’t worry about the end result. Just know that what you give now you will benefit from later. The small parts will make up a whole and and even more. Allow for variety and last minute changes. When you apply yourself to do the simplest of tasks you will soon find yourself at a new level of fitness and abilities. Exercise evolution: one day at a time is all you need to get there.

Let’s GO!

Essentrics with Andrea

Exercise evolution updates, The spectrum-exercise & activity

Exercise evolution tracking challenge

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Exercise evolution: it’s been 6 weeks and I asked you to hold me to it. Has my routine evolved? It certainly has and well, it’s better than ever. Always looking for that sustainable edge. Keeping the body healthy and happy. Let’s be honest. Sometimes we don’t always feel our best after exercise. How about during? What about when you are just getting started? Do you have enough options or ideas to rejig your routine on the spot?

Here was my weekly routine 6 weeks ago:

HIIT running plus stretches 2X

Knee and shoulder rehab 2X

Essentrics(stretch and strengthen no weight) 2X

High rep full body muscle endurance exercise class 1X

Moderate paced walk 2 times daily for 25 minutes to and from work

Here is my weekly routine now:

Steady state running with one minute “fast pace” every 5 minutes for 6 cycles or 30 minutes plus lower body stretches 2X

I was finding that my knees where not tolerating the HIIT work periods at an intensity of a 6-7/10. I have backed off to a 5/10 during the one minute work period and a 4/10 for the recovery or steady state pace.

Knee rehab 2X and shoulder rehab1X.

I have returned to weight and body weight training for the benefit of my knees which are so much better and so much more predictable in their response to activity. My shoulder is also more predictable but still annoying at times so I can’t let go of the specific regime at this time.

Essentrics(stretch and strengthen no weight) 2X

The focus for one of the sessions is developing new choreography for the classes that I teach. I let new musical choices guide the creative process.

High rep full body muscle endurance online exercise class 1X

It’s hard but I leave it to the best instructor to direct the flow the day. The workout pushes me but I am in full control of what I do.

Moderate paced walk 2 times daily for 25 minutes to and from work.

No major changes here. Just added snow pants for minus 10 degree weather. Worth the bulk and feeling like a kid again.

Exercise evolution tracking challenge

To participate in the challenge, use the comments section to first tell me where you are on the exercise and physical activity spectrum. Then jot down, in general, what your current weekly routine is.

Check back in 6 weeks and compare notes. Don’t feel embarrassed if your are just starting out. Exercise evolution is just that, ever changing. And don’t worry too much about detailed explanations. Just let me know where you are at and what you are doing.

Where are you on the exercise and physical activity spectrum?

Option 1A: You have never exercised or paid any attention to physical fitness.

Option 1: You no longer exercise but used to be quite active and competent in your physical abilities. Now you are not sure where you are in your fitness level and you are not sure where to start.

Option 2: You exercise sporadically, in bouts. You get really good at getting started but within a short time things peter out or you hurt yourself.

Option 3: You don’t engage in formal exercise but challenge yourself with the occasional or regular walk, hike or other outdoor activity. The intensity level is more than a stroll in the park.

Option 4: You exercise or move regularly, but switch things up often. You are flexible with the activity you do, and have a lot of options to choose from depending on the day and how you feel. You may work with a trainer that likes to switch things up on you.

Option 5: You exercise regularly and are doing pretty well at what you have always done. You are a clock that doesn’t stop ticking. You are routine to the core.

Now let me know what you are doing.

Brief explanations including weekly frequency will help with future comparisons.

Remember, its not what you do but that you are doing it.

I look forward to checking out what you are up to and then in 6 weeks, we can do it again and see if anything has changed. Let’s do it!