I have been into fitness for over 30 years a pretty long time.
I started my fitness affair when I was in my 20s — on that has outlasted (so far) any of my other affairs (fitness, gadgets or love of doggies).
But, if there is one thing that can’t be denied it’s that no matter how I have tried to hold back the tick-tocking of the clock — fitness and its many variations through time — change.
Fashion accessory, too: There are several straps available that can change the Blaze from a fitness watch to a night out watch, too.
When I was in my 20s I could do aerobic classes (marathons) as they called them back then for four hours without stopping. And, then do a 10K run on the treadmill after that and add a little training for my powerlifting to boot.
Powerlifting is a sport that I have gotten into, competing for the Philippines in the Asian benchpress open in the year 2000. I got a silver back then.
Today, I am in my 50s and as much as I hate to admit it, admit it I will, I no longer can do as much cardio as I used to and the lifting — well, I still do that once a week — but have not competed in over 10 years.
So, how I do I stay fit in my 50s?
There are many ways — and many new forms of exercise that still challenge me and keep me in shape (no, not sexy), at this age.
10,000 steps and counting
I used to hear a lot about the benefits of walking. But, when one is a fitness buff like me walking seems like stuff only sissies do — until now.
Don’t get me wrong I workout four or five times a week (three days at the gym and the other two days riding my bike (20K) and running (5K) in the village where I live. I have also gotten into the habit of walking. Yes, walking. I never used to give much ado to the walking I did, but recently, with all the fitness gear available on the market and some of them taking short rides on my wrist — I have gotten into the habit of looking, nay counting (albeit excessively) the number of steps I take and make sure that I do not end a day without reaching that 10,000 step goal.
Here’s what www.livescience.com says:
“If you buy a smart pedometer or fitness tracker like a Fitbit, chances are the device will encourage you to take 10,000 steps a day.
“Experts say that while 10,000 steps a day is a good number to reach, any amount of activity beyond what you’re currently doing will likely benefit your health.
“The origins of the 10,000-steps recommendation aren’t exactly scientific. Pedometers sold in Japan in the 1960s were marketed under the name ‘manpo-kei,’ which translates to ‘10,000 steps meter,’ said Catrine Tudor-Locke, director of the Walking Behavior Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. The idea resonated with people, and gained popularity with Japanese walking groups, Tudor-Locke said.”
So, just like most walkers who wear a Fitbit, 10,000 steps it is for me.
I recently got a chance to test out the newest Fitbit Blaze and I like it.
So, what makes the Fitbit Blaze a little more interesting than my Fitbit Charge Hr? Well, for starters, the Blaze won 18 awards at CES and it has captured the ranking of #1 bestselling device in the smart watch category on Amazon in the US. Fitbit Blaze has earned more than 1,600 customer reviews on Amazon in the last month, with 82 percent giving Fitbit Blaze a four- or five-star rating.
“At Fitbit, we continue to focus on developing innovative and motivating fitness-first products that our customers love and that help them achieve their health and fitness goals,” said Steve Morley, vice president and general manager, Fitbit Asia Pacific. “We’ve received positive response around the globe for Blaze and Alta, and we’re excited to bring these new products to the Philippines as our most motivating and most stylish devices for active and everyday consumers.”
Beyond awards
Keeping track of steps per day is not about the awards walking trackers have received, rather it is about the rewarding feeling of accomplishing a fitness goal for the day.
I must add that it helps that when I am wearing the Blaze I get notified on incoming calls and text messages. This is a good thing so I don’t need to search for my phone in my bag if the call is from someone who can wait a bit but, of course, it is good to know if a call is urgent and needs to be answered ASAP.
Fitbit Blaze, which is Fitbit’s most motivating and smartest fitness tracker to date, puts the emphasis on next generation health and fitness features first and foremost. It is loaded with PurePulse continuous, wrist-based heart rate tracking; SmartTrack automatic exercise recognition; automatic sleep tracking; and FitStar by Fitbit on-screen workouts. Curated to fit my life, Fitbit Blaze includes the smart notifications that matter most, like call, text and calendar alerts, so you can stay connected to what’s important.
The best part, it has a long battery life that lasts up to five days. This allows me to keep up with my life, day and night.
I have not yet tried tracking my sleeping patterns — I guess, I should start soon.
For now, I hope I don’t become addicted to counting my steps that I forget to stop and check out the many cool things that are happening around me with every step I take.