Exercise totals for the year 2019

A few years ago, when we realized I would need open heart surgery, we began keeping detailed records of our exercise.  Psychologists have learned that one of the best ways of creating change is to simply count.  For example, asking people to count how many cigarettes they smoke every day leads to smoking fewer.    We use a Vivofit just to see how many steps we walk every day, because that leads to more steps taken.

Why this is the case is as yet unknown, but it works.  Counting and monitoring changes behavior.

We wanted to give me the best chance to come out of the surgery intact, if not hopefully better.  And it worked.  My cardiologist said I had recovered faster than any patient she had seen.  Part of this is because I didn't have heart disease, but the rest is because of diet and this commitment to exercise.  We approached this open heart surgery as if we were "getting into shape" for it, as if it was a marathon we were running, that kind of thing.  I'd recommend this for everybody.

The diet part of this was taken care of by fresh-food-prepared-at-home Vicky.  Not only nutritious but also delicious. 

The exercise part was something we both made a commitment to.

Once a database (spreadsheet) is set up, it is very easy to monitor and record.

We kept records of the following:

Cycling miles and hours
Hiking miles and hours (hiking defined as carrying a 20 lb backpack, not just walking)
Swimming miles and hours
Walking miles and hours (on a designated walk, not just strolling around the house, but including yard work, mowing, etc.)
Dancing hours
Ping Pong hours

% days with at least one hour of exercise
% days with at least 1 1/2 hours of exercise
% days with at least 2 hours of exercise
Total minutes of exercise/day

Believe me, recording these things, even though it takes but a minute or two a day, keeps a person honest.

We feel great about our year exercise-wise.  Moving to Leisure World has helped.   We really enjoy swimming.  What has taken a "hit" with swimming is playing ping pong.   And for much of the year we weren't living where our ping pong table was. 

Here are our 2019 totals:

Cycling:    2852 miles    228 hours      194 rides    14.7 average miles/ride
Hiking:        235 miles    117 hours        44 hikes     5.3 average miles/hike
Swimming: Dan dog paddles, so works hard but only swims half the distance of Vicky
     Dan:        94 miles     188 hours        175 times swimming laps for an hour+
     Vicky     188 miles    188 hours         175 times swimming laps for an hour+
Walking:     392 miles    157 hours         239 times taking a walk   (figuring 2.5 mph)
Dancing:                         17.2 hours       (only counting "moving" time)
Ping Pong:                        5 hours         

% of days with one hour:       87%    Goal was 80%

% of days with 1 1/2 hours:   73%    Goal was 70%

% of days with 2 hours:         67%    Goal was 50%

Exercise minutes/day:            117     Goal was to average 110 minutes/day


We haven't established our 2020 goals yet.  We won't be increasing any of them.