This morning was my first attempt to exercise in my fat burning zone (125 - 135 bpm running/walking). This is surprisingly much more difficult that I imagined.
Stage One: en route to Fort Canning Park
Achieving that heart rate walking along the street was impossible at a walk - "fine, I'll run". But 10 meters at a slow shuffle sent my heart rate up and over 140 bpm. This left me in an awkward walk/run/shuffle motion. It must have been hilarious (or rather confusing) to street on-lookers, but I didn't even notice them because I was constantly checking my watch to make sure I was in the zone. Ah the price we pay for health!
Stage Two: around Fort Canning Park
Having walk/run/shuffled my way to the park at a fairly consistent heart rate, I was now faced with a second test... undulation! Up hill, down dale, flights of stairs, ramps... oh dear. I felt like a yoyo watching my monitor.
Stage Three: return to Parc Emily
Back into the walk/run/shuffle and feeling moderately chuffed with maintaining a fairly consistent heart rate around the corner I see in the distance someone from my condo. I have to admit, I cracked, and upped my pace so I looked like I was doing 'proper'exercise. Luckily he couldn't tell I was listening to my Harry Potter audio book - my credibility would have been shot to pieces.
I guess at some stage I should (a) embrace the fact that I'm going to look like a moron for a month or two as my fat burning zone gradually improves, and (b) stop feeling guilty that I am borderline obsessed with Harry Potter.
Stage One: en route to Fort Canning Park
Achieving that heart rate walking along the street was impossible at a walk - "fine, I'll run". But 10 meters at a slow shuffle sent my heart rate up and over 140 bpm. This left me in an awkward walk/run/shuffle motion. It must have been hilarious (or rather confusing) to street on-lookers, but I didn't even notice them because I was constantly checking my watch to make sure I was in the zone. Ah the price we pay for health!
Stage Two: around Fort Canning Park
Having walk/run/shuffled my way to the park at a fairly consistent heart rate, I was now faced with a second test... undulation! Up hill, down dale, flights of stairs, ramps... oh dear. I felt like a yoyo watching my monitor.
Stage Three: return to Parc Emily
Back into the walk/run/shuffle and feeling moderately chuffed with maintaining a fairly consistent heart rate around the corner I see in the distance someone from my condo. I have to admit, I cracked, and upped my pace so I looked like I was doing 'proper'exercise. Luckily he couldn't tell I was listening to my Harry Potter audio book - my credibility would have been shot to pieces.
I guess at some stage I should (a) embrace the fact that I'm going to look like a moron for a month or two as my fat burning zone gradually improves, and (b) stop feeling guilty that I am borderline obsessed with Harry Potter.
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| Potentially on the fourth read... or ninth? |
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