Friday, March 1, 2013

Oh, the Burn...


I wear a Body Bugg on my arm. It is a nifty device that tells me with great accuracy how many calories I burn  when I work out, when I am sitting, even when I am sleeping. It is state of the art and helps me to know how efficient my workouts are and also how many calories I can safely consume.




In an hour's workout, I generally burn between 400- 800 calories, depending on what I am doing. Every mile I run uses about 120 calories. (And did you know a single Oreo is 70 calories?!) I also think it is interesting to see the calories I burn doing the everyday, ordinary things, like:

1. Getting into the strange gown with three arm holes at the doctor's office. Who invented this? The struggle,  which at one point trapped me with both arms ramrod straight above my head and the rest of the gown garroting my neck, produces a nice little burn of 37 calories.

2. Shaking things up in a student's world. Because it becomes boring to just TELL students not to run on the sidewalk, I like to occasionally jumble things up by turning and running side by side with them. It not only shocks them into a dead standstill, but  also burns off another 18 calories for me.

3. Doing the chicken dance- the real thing. I'm not talking the go-to staple of wedding receptions. I'm referring to the little dance I do with the real chickens outside when they ruffle their wings as they see me coming and hop in excitement from pointy- toed foot to pointy- toed foot. I join in and they seem to enjoy it as much as I do.  (I do acknowledge I am weird.) Plus I torch another 22 calories.

4. Helping a wheelchair bound woman in the grocery store reach something on the highest shelf. When this upsets the haphazard stocking system and cake mix boxes cascade onto my head before tumbling onto the floor, the resulting pick up time zaps another 13 calories.

5. Skidding across the freshly mopped floor in the dressing room at the gym (because I'm too impatient to wait). The slide and resulting gambol in front of shocked faces to maintain balance and whatever is left of my dignity also burns seven calories.

6. The stopping and restarting of my heart when I unknowingly stand with my back very close to the starter's gun at a track meet. For the resulting cardiac upheaval it seems like it should be more, but still, four calories burned is four calories gone.

What are your big calorie burns of the day?

96 comments:

  1. Shelly's burn: 35 calories (est), frequent checking of the calorie counter. Win, win!

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  2. Oh, I love the image of you and your chickens dancing together, Shelly!!

    My most consistent calorie burner is going up and down, and up and down, the two flights of stairs in our house. The thing I want is always on a different level :) Making meals is also good. The "working triangle" in our kitchen (remember that? the path from sink to stove to fridge: Grade 7 Home Economics class) is very large. Not efficient, but I can count on a lot of steps being taken anytime I cook!

    Thanks for the chuckles today!

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    1. jenny_o: Oh, yes, that working triangle, or more of an oval in my case. That's a great way to get some steps in!

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  3. Hi, Shelly! So, how many calories does one burn while sleeping? That's an exercise program I think I can stick with! (LOL) My goodness gracious, you should be glad for all those calamities and mishaps because they certainly do help keep the pounds off. I am not fond of those straightjackets that they make you wear while the doctor examines you. To answer your question, those gowns were invented by a man named Marquis de Sade! (LOL) I love the rapport you have with your animals. I'm the same way with my dog and the three stray cats in my care. I speak to them in their language and match and mirror their body language. They love me. Thanks for the smiles, dear friend Shelly, and have a wonderful weekend!

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    1. Shady: Oh, I really, with all my heart, believe they know what we are trying to communicate with them. I love to see their minds at work as they try to figure us out. I love animals!

      As for sleeping, it's only about 1.4 calories per minute, but at least it's something!

      And yes, I agree with you about the designer of those gowns. It has to be!

      Have a wonderful weekend!

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  4. I cannot get that picture out of my head of you dancing with the chickens. I love it. I especially like the things falling on your head at the grocery store, that was sweet. You should go snowshoeing I think it burns a zillion calories:) B

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    1. Buttons: Apparently the chickens enjoy it because they get most excited when they see me coming. I wish I knew what they were saying!

      And oh, how I'd love to go snowshoeing- maybe I could try it in the sand...

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  5. That was great! (kind of funny too)

    I do not have one of those nifty devices you have, but I wonder how many calories it took me this morning taking 3 kiddos to the doctor's office, taking 2 out of carseats and lifting them out and carrying Simeon and the 20 pound diaper bag into the office...taking off coats, putting them back on again and lifting them back into the van and climbing into the monster van and buckling them--and doing it again to stop at Target for a quick errand?

    You need to get one of your daughters to video tape you doing your chicken dance. We'd all love to see you in motion!

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    1. Jamie Jo: That's a whole lot of calories, to be sure! Really- if you add up all you do in a day with the lifting and bending and carrying, and the fact that it is sustained throughout the day, you have a pretty good momma workout without having to hit the gym at all.

      I think both my daughters would be very embarrassed at my chicken dance (I know the younger one is, not sure if the older one would be or not!).

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  6. I am getting this:)))
    Do you want to follow each other ?:)
    www.olivains.com

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    1. Olivia: I am headed over to yours right now!

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  7. I love the image of you dancing with your chickens! You are awesomely weird, my friend!

    I would love to try out one of those things and see how many calories I burn doing everyday activities. I imagine I burn the most calories while chasing my son through the house when I'm trying to convince him that it is, in fact, bedtime. :)

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    1. Jenn: I am weird, for sure! I would imagine chasing a kid burns a pretty fair amount of calories, too!

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  8. I have read that one burns between 700-800 calories and hour while swimming. I think I may burn more as I use finns that accelerate my speed. I need to get one of those gadgets, would love to give it a whirl!
    No chickens to feed but chasing after those grandkids and crawling on the floor with them must use of a few more calories!
    Hugs~

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    1. Sush: Swimming is an amazing full body workout- and easier on the joints, too, than the gym based stuff. Those fins sound like great fun!

      And grandkids must be an all time great calorie burner!

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  9. Calories? The word sounds familiar but I just can't remember what it means. Ha!

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  10. I worked out at the gym, that's enough calorie burn for one day - not to mention yesterday and the day before that and the day before that....I could go on but my fingers would be burning to many calories

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    1. Saimi: Too funny! Too bad we can't go to the same gym~

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  11. Okay...first off...WHERE do we get this nifty, wonderful toy? I want one, seriously. Does Academy have them? Cost? Oh come on...you left out so much here. Hmmmmm wondering now how many calories I'm torching just typing? 3...maybe 4? That calls for an extra nibble of dark chocolate. [kidding]

    I LOVE this Shelly. Oh and you and me both, I'd join you in the chicken dance. Who cares if we're weird, we are just kids at heart. That's a good thing!!!

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    1. Hootin Anni: If you go to www.bodymedia.com, you can see them there. I think today there is a sale on them, too. I have the arm band and the display, but you don't have to get the display. This is the thing they wear on the Biggest Loser.

      And let's fly the weird flag high!!!

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    2. ...I'm on my way, thanks for the info!

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    3. Hootin Anni: It's a pretty interesting little thing- you might find you like it-

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  12. What's most amazing is, that you remember to keep checking the calorie count. In any case, I think I want one of these gadgets. Hmmm, big calorie burns... Can't think of any big ones for today. For sure, I need one of those thingies. (:

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    1. Linda: I'm kind of addicted to checking it. WHen I plug the whole thing in to the computer at night, it gives me very detailed graphs of my whole day (and night). I've worn it about four years now, ever since I lost over 150 lbs., and so I consider it vital for me! :)

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  13. I curse myself as I am eating fries as I'm reading this. I so need it to get warm outside, I swim for my health!

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    1. Julie: Ha! It makes me happy that we have such a temperate climate. (Although I'm not too happy about it in July and August...)

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  14. Shelly, you never disappoint! I laughed out loud at the image you spun of you trapped inside a gown at the doctor's office. Those *are* weird gowns! And the running alongside students is priceless. Love it.

    As for my calorie burns of the day, I live in a split-level home. I walk up and down stairs all day long, sometimes hauling overstuffed baskets of laundry. I need one of those Body Bugg thingies to know how many calories I burn up as I climb and descend! ;-)

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    1. Janette Dolores: The looks on the kids faces as I broke into a run with them was priceless!

      Going up and down stairs, especially when you're holding a load, is really good cardio and also a great way to build strength. You probably burn more than you think~

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  15. The main message here seems to be that being silly and being kind burns calories. Good to know.

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  16. That sounds like a "nifty" thing you got there Shelly to keep track of your calories burned. I think the biggest calorie burns I have are at the gym on the treadmill or elliptical machine. Otherwise, I'm pretty sedentary throughout the rest of my work day :)

    happy weekend!

    betty

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    1. betty: The treadmill and the elliptical are great machines and can really give good sessions of cardio. I'm being pretty sedentary today because I am so tired (and maybe a little lazy)!

      Have a terrific weekend yourself, my friend~

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  17. Dearest Shelly,
    Wow, I've never heard of that kind of 'nifty' device. It sure must be really efficient♡♡♡ You gave me nice morning smiles from some of your list(*^_^*) Your explanation of "a single Oreo" is shocking. How can I control my sweet teeth... haha.
    I am the one always having trouble to reach high places and have to stretch my body for that, both inside the house and the store. I wish I had someone with sweetheart like you when shopping. And I carry things because my husband has handicap, plus fetch things for him p;) Well, I don't think it is enough to burn all the calories I take(^^;)

    I hope you are going to have a wonderful coming weekend, my dear friend.
    Sending you lots of love and hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

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    1. Miyako: I am sure you burn plenty of calories my friend, with as active as you stay. And if ever we should get to shop together, I would be delighted to reach for anything for you! (And I will try not to make everything tumble off the shelf this time!)

      I hope your weekend is full of fun!

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  18. Shucks. All I did was pull weeds today to burn a few. You are MUCH more creative. :)

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    1. Marsha: Pulling weeds can be a real calorie burner, plus you also get the benefit of a beautiful yard!

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  19. I wonder how many calories I burned laughing and smiling my way through your wonderful post, Shelly? I wish I lived close enough to come witness your chicken dance with real chickens! I have this picture in my head -- and love it!

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    1. Dr. Kathy: Ha! I'm sure it's probably one of the more unattractive dances in the history of the fine arts, but it surely is fun!

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    2. I'm with Dr. Kathy. I hope I'm burning a few while reading your blog and a few others that I will try to speed read through before I get interrupted. :)

      Pretty cool device. I'm trying to decide if it would do me some good or not. Thanks (I think) for reminding me to think of my calorie intake. Hmmm... what's that roll I see when I look down. Oh, it's my stomach!

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    3. Anita: If we can burn 1.4 calories a minute while we sleep, I'm sure we're burning a little more than that being awake, upright, and using our brains. So we can take heart!

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  20. Aww, anyone who does a real live chicken dance has GOT to being doing something right - what an image! Good to know you are positively looking after your health, too many of us take it for granted. When I lived in London I regularly visited the gym, since moving here I moved the gym to our house - I have a treadmill and an exercise bike, plus some weights - but hubby keeps trying to tempt me out onto the road (he's a keen marathon runner). As I tell him, my days of public humiliation are over, now I like to keep it strictly indoors!

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    1. Shrinky: Ha! Good for you, though, for keeping up with it, no matter where you are. I workout at a university gym, where I am usually the oldest one by about 30 years, so I go in with no illusions!

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  21. I reckon my biggest burn for today...(so wet here at the moment) was crazy dancing to get a reaction out of my kids... I laughed ... they stared! hehe

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    1. Michelle: I'd be doing that crazy dance right with you! My 16 year old doesn't think it's so funny anymore when I do it for her...

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  22. It is so cool that you have chicken. Wow
    I would be careful with the sliding on the gym floor. You do not want to fall. Please - - -
    This devise is cool. Where can I get it?
    I heard that Zoomba is very good. It is expensive to join fitness club. May be I will try at home by myself.

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    1. Munir: There are some great Zumba DVD's around, and you can probably find some secondhand that are not too pricey. That's what I did. And thank you- I am going to be very careful next time I am near that wet floor!

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  23. That is a fantastic gadget and great if it works for you. With me though, it's a case of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. I'd obsess too much if I had one of those. I just know it. I'm just like that......

    Thanks for sharing, Shelly.

    Maria

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    1. Maria: Honestly, I was a little obsessive about it at first. Now, I usually just check it after a workout or at night.

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  24. I need me one of those devices. I walk every day, but I REALLY need to burn some extra calories.
    You should YouTube the Chicken Dance :)

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    1. Rick: I don't know that the world is ready for my Chicken Dance!

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  25. So when you help people - your burn calories - that is a win win situation!

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  26. "Oreos are..." ~hands over ears~ LALALALALALA.....I'm not listening!!! :)

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    1. Nancy: Oh, and it's such a painful truth...

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  27. I use to worrie abut how many calories I burnt off during the day......and now I am just so over it life is to be enjoyed and for me stressing over calories is not enjoying life

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    1. Jo-Anne: Yes, and you do live a very full life, my friend!

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  28. You know, I smile to myself. I used to run all the time, because I loved the feel of the freedom.. Now I am happy to be able to walk properly again. My mother is soon to turn 95yrs. She has never exercised.. Her sister died a few years back at 86yrs and walked every day, and was also an R.N.. Isn't that amazing. I would have thought she would live to a hundred.. Mum has never watched what she ate also. She loved her fish and chips, all deep fried and fatty, not to mention mild shakes and lollies.
    So, enjoy what you do Shelley. I envy you since I can no longer do it. Just reading this made me yearn to get out there again and feel the thrill of it. Much love to you my friends. xxxxx

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    1. Crystal Mary: I do think that good genes play a role in our longevity, and your mom sounds amazing! I have gotten to a place where I enjoy the working out, although it's taken me a bit to be able to say that.

      Walking is a wonderful thing, and it gives time to enjoy all that is around us.
      xo

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  29. That is one hell of a cool gadget and the image of all those cartons falling on top of your head made me laugh out loud!

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    1. Lyndylou: Oh, it was a colossal mess. Then I was so embarrassed, but I was glad none of them had hit her!

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  30. Once again, Shelly, you have delighted us with a funny, entertaining and informative blog post. Even if it is only 1.4 calories burned a minute of sleeping, I imagine I burn more when I have one of my nightmares involving snakes! :-)

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    1. Cindy: Oh, Cindy, if I ever dreamed about snakes, it would probably send it off the charts!!! Egads- I hope you don't have those dreams often!

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  31. Oh Shelly when I first read the opening of your post, I had to do a double take. I thought I read..."I wear a Body Bag...." Huh....what....look again JBR.

    Thanks for sharing this story. Delightful dear one. Blessings.

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    1. JBR: Ha!!! Now that would be an altogether different type of story! Thank you, friend~

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  32. You're so good! If only typing burned the kind of calories I need to spend. I just ate a Cadbury Caramel egg.

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    1. Theresa: I think typing is good for a few calories. Darn it- now I'm thinking of a Cadbury Caramel Egg. I hate dealing with all the treats the different holiday seasons of the year bring! :)

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  33. I don't think it's a coincidence that my jeans have gotten tighter in the six months since I started blogging. I confess to having a serious case of blogger butt.

    The beginning of March reminded me that soon the snow will be melted, and I may want to show some skin. My calories are burned by walking my dog, and by doing the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I like My Fitness Pal for calorie counting, and I covet your Body Bugg. Maybe for my birthday...

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    1. Amy: Jillian has some really good stuff, and all of hers that I have done are not easy. The Body Bugg takes it one more step, which I really need for myself. Ha!- Blogger's Butt...

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  34. Shelly, your sense of humor always lifts my spirits! I love that you run next to the students. That is a hilarious image, and I can just imagine the startled look on their faces.
    My new calorie zapper is to spend five minutes a day practicing plank exercises. My core feels great and every little muscle at work burns more calories, so I can enjoy a few moments here!

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    1. Jenny: The looks on their faces when I am suddenly running with them (especially if I am in skirt and heels) is hilarious, like they have entered the twilight zone!

      Planks are so good- and accomplish so many things with one exercise. And I meant to tell you in your post- congrats on losing weight! You are doing great, my friend!

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    2. Jenny: Plank away! I love them-

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  35. Santa put cheap (really cheap, I think from the Dollar store) calorie counters in the kids stockings....they would make little baby jumps to make the calorie counts go way up...the time they spent playing with those things was worth the 1$.

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    1. Annmarie: It can be a little addicting- and it's amazing what I think will be a big calorie burn then turns out not to be. One time I burned a whole wad of calories driving a couple of hours in rush hour traffic in Houston. Who knows!

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  36. Always an encouring "thank you" goes out to you Shelly.

    Blessings.

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  37. Ha ha ... like that idea of running beside the child. Its true. They come to a standstill :-)

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  38. Haddock: It's so funny to see their reactions to that- they completely don't expect it and that's why it is so hilarious~

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  39. I like that you do the unexpected! Fun post!

    Nas

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  40. Oh, I think you know what my calorie is at the moment and it's right on track with the title of your post.... Burn Baby Burn!!

    Great ideas there but now I want a photo of you and your chickens dancing!

    xx Jazzy

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    1. jazzygal: You are burning tons of calories, and I'm trying not to be jealous!

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  41. Dear Shelly, I don't do any exercise. I say I want to, but I don't. Today however I did follow a 23-minute upper body DVD exercise program for people over 50. I had to stop several times because my arms are so weak, but I did make it through the 23 minutes and felt as if I'd accomplished sometimes. Some days I do Tai Chi Chih and always feel more centered then.

    And as the temperatures rise here--we are supposed to get up to 60 degrees F by the beginning of next week--I hope to take up walking again. For many, many years in Minnesota I walked daily in the nearby cemetery, but I've just never gotten into the swing of it again down here in Missouri. So I'm hoping that I will begin to seriously walk this spring. I don't so much care about burning calories. But I do care about keeping my body--which will be 77 in less than a month--flexible and limber. Now that was a long answer to your question!!!! Peace.

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    1. Dee: I love that you are still keeping it as a goal and that is truly wonderful to do the 23 minutes. Strengthening programs, especially as we move through the years, are worth their weight in gold. Another are programs that help with balance.

      I don't think I could so anything outdoors for a long time in your climate! We just did a 5 k run with our students today and it was such a gorgeous day. What you wrote makes me more thankful for that. And flexible and limber is what we should be striving for. That alone ward off so many of the ill effects of again. Good for you, my friend!

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  42. Girrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl, I want one of those Body Bugg, I will search for it on Ebay, if not then I guess I "HAVE" to go out searching :D
    xxx

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    1. LoLy: Oh, I hope you find one- they give the most complete and accurate information of any other like device I've seen~

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  43. That sounds extremely hilarious. I really liked this post!

    www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

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  44. Ah, how awesome!! I love that you can see how all of your activities are adding up :) And wow, your workouts sound super efficient. I need to learn....LOL

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    1. Saumya: It has proven to be a good motivator, which is a good thing for me. And it's amazing how much it DOES add up to for all of us~

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  45. It all depends on how busy I am, but I do some things that insure I get at least some exercise everyday. If I have to go do something that is too far to walk or bike to, I park my car as far away as I can from my destination. Like parking my car at the far end of the parking lot on the opposite end of the mall. Things like that.

    On of our daughters her husband have something like a Body Bugg that they wear all the time. It comes with a built in port to plug it into their phones and/or computer to download info. It also transmits the info to each other's phones! My wife and I were thinking about getting them. Several years ago, I used to use a website called "MyFit" that pretty much did the same thing. Of course, EVERYTHING had to be manually entered. I just might try it.

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    1. Pat: Parking way out is a terrific way to get moving and burn some extra calories, and not really having to change much in the way of a routine.

      I have tried MyFit, too, but wasn't disciplined enough then to keep entering everything in. What your daughter's husband has sounds like the bomb- transmitting it to each other's phones is a big way to be accountable- whew!

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