Anyone who has read this blog for a while, knows that I’m pretty tenacious about hitting my fitness ‘step goal’ each month. I hit my goal of averaging 12K steps a day 42 out of 43 months since I early retired in early 2016.
Then I had my heart attack on 12/26. I hardly moved for a couple days and missed my mark for December. January was all about cardio rehab, so I skipped a strict focus on steps and used my Apple Watch ‘fitness rings’ – movement, exercise, and hourly standing – as my new daily goal set (in addition to the goals they set at the hospital gym). I finished the month with a daily average 10.3K steps, but steps weren’t my focus.
Now February is here and I completed cardio rehab with “no limitations” for exercise, I’m not sure if I should stick with the rings, or go back to steps. I’ve now closed my daily rings for 32 straight days. I’m thinking maybe I could combine them – rings plus 10K steps a day average every day might be good.
There’s nothing more important in early retirement than your health and that requires a sustainable fitness plan. How do you set your ongoing fitness goals?
Image Credit: MacWorld.com
MrFireStation 
Apple Watch Rings & Steps. Movement ring, every day. Stand ring, ditto. Exercise ring, 5 days a week. Steps, in respect of my very senior status, 8,500 per day. I often hit 10K, and feel darn good about myself!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a good combination of both steps & rings. My record for steps in a day is 36K. That was at Tokyo Disneyland.
LikeLike
I was extremely athletic in my first 25 years of life. However, marriage, kids, and the next 25 years of corporate America took it’s toll on my exercise routine and my aging body! When I hit 50, I decided to start working out more consistently again. My first retirement “house” related project was to build out a full work-out room in our basement, complete with a Universal Cable machine, Free Weights, Eliptical, and Treadmill. I lost 25 lbs. In my first six months of retirement. Nearly three years later, I feel better than I did in my thirties! I lift weights three days per week, and run (or use the elliptical in bad weather) 3-5 days per week. I feel great, and it’s my primary focus each morning. I monitor steps and exercise routines using a Fitbit. It’s helpful reminders theoughout each day, keep me active beyond my workouts.
Keep up the routine! You’ll be back at full speed in no time. I am convinced, it’s the key to a long and happy retirement!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the encouragement, Thom – I played tennis for the first time since the heart attack. Felt good, but a bit rusty. Weights are something I need to do more of. A universal cable machine would be great. They started me on a good routine in cardio rehab and I’m keeping it going here in Florida.
LikeLike
I have not been able to start up a formal exercise program beyond walking. I was getting a respectable number of steps in and then in December I really kicked them up tp 100,000 to 120,000 per week. I then had some work assignments come my way and am now back down to the 70,000 to 90,000 steps per week. I have slowly been dropping weight, in five months I have dropped from 182 to 176. I’d love to get to 170. My low weight post 40 was 168 in 2008 when I took a group of scouts to Philmont. A lot of hiking a a good diet helped
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sounds like even in your ‘backed down’ mode you are getting a lot of steps in. 12K per day is 84K a week, so that’s certainly respectable. When I was working, I was only getting about 6-7K per day by comparison! I’m sure Philmont had you in great shape. Our son was a Boy Scout and he did a long hike there with his patrol.
LikeLike