New Toys

[A_Lurker]

In a perfect world I would have cleaned out the storage room before this stuff came, but that's really going to be my Christmas break task.  The room beyond the picture is long and narrow.  The plan is to purge some of the items in the storage room and move everything I'm keeping across the hall into the room that is how holding the treadmill and my weights.  What's more likely going to happen is that I'm going to drag all the stuff into the family room, take the shelves apart, get the workout room set up, then do the purge as I put stuff back.

So, I've used the rowing machine (I knew I would love this and I do), did a little on the eliptical (this is the one I just have to work on my stamina), and enjoyed some down time in the sauna.  I kept going back and forth on if I was going to risk taking my Kobo into the sauna.  However, it's got a nice sound system which takes a USB input, so I think I'm going to work on some play lists.

[Dominique]

Looks like a nice setup you’ve got! As someone from the home country of saunas, I’d say you’re missing a shower close by, but it’s probably difficult/impossible to install one. There are definitely merits in being able to work out at home, especially if you’re far away from the nearest gym (as I believe you are). What’s the exact model of your rowing machine? Enjoy your new toys!

[WendyB]

Looks pretty cool!

So Can I move in now?

[A_Lurker]

@Dominique- there is a shower across the hall, so fairly close.  I don't think I'll ever bring myself to go outside and roll in the snow though.    The rower is a Bodycraft VR500.  There were a couple of features that sold me on this one.  I've used rowers in the past, but they were never comfortable.  The seat on this one is fantastic.  I understand why, but a lot of fitness equipment is just not made for people who are obese.  Decades ago, before I discovered free weights I looked into a home gym option.  Honestly, I just didn't fit on it.  So, a comfortable seat and the extra support under the feet makes it very stable for me.  Also, this model also allows you to adjust the resistance from the handle (also comfortable).  When I tried it out in the showroom it felt natural.

Although there is a gym in town I just prefer to work out on my own.  Some of it is probably being self-conscious about my weight (although when I have worked out publically in the past I haven't had any specific issues).  I just prefer being in my own head, with my own atmosphere.  At this point my stamina is pretty poor, so being able to simply stop and come back to it later means I'll likely work more than if I were going to a gym.  Yesterday for example I did 1.5 km on the rower (level 1), hit the eliptical for only a couple of minutes.  Later I did another 1.5 km but with a more even, slower pace.  I went back to the eliptical and did 5 mins.

I know this sounds like very little for some people who spend an hour or mpre working out at a time.  For me it's a start with new equipment.  I ended the day with over 17,000 steps though and over 4000 calories burned.

[A_Lurker]

@WendyB- I don't think you would want to give up your California weather for our winters. 

We had a lovely day yesterday, almost 20C (68F for my American friends).  Today it's less than a third of that and raining.  Later today it will get colder and start to snow.  We have already had snow this year, and the day yesterday was unseasonably warm.  This snow coming likely won't last, but there will certainly be more behind it.

[WendyB]

@A_LurkerYou are so right. I grew up in snow and I HATE it!

[USAF-Larry]

We returned to Ohio from the Mojave Desert, and received quite a shock!  From the mid- to high-70's, to the 30's with snow flurries!  Brrrrrrrrrrrrr...........

Think I'll go to the gym and warm up....