I could care less about what works for other people -- and so should you
Seven more steps to 14,000 steps for the day.
Post the 10k mark, most of those were getting long overdue shoes and clothes (translation: the every 5th year or so shopping trip with the wife to do it right).
But the base was the 30 minute treadmill power walk + run. And the 15-20 minute dog walk with da kids. And a ditto length walk with the pupster when waiting for the kids. Coulda journaled in the parking lot, but his baby browns would not be denied. Hard to write, too, with his paws on the back of my head.
Anyway.
In the span of just under a month, I've dropped about 17 lbs, and 30 mm Hg of blood pressure points. While simultaneously neutralizing a periodic, 3 AM freakout fest -- sweats and flushing, no rapid heart rate, didn't dare clock my BP -- and regaining some semblance of a mental middle path.
Brief, heavy strength training sessions didn't help. Numerous short walks throughout the day that added up to 10,000 steps didn't help counteract the lifting. And breathing exercises did not make the sweats go away, which I did not expect at all.
Straight cardio did. 30-40 minutes, morning and night. Good old, "folks were doing this stuff in the '70s" straight cardio.
The weight loss didn't hurt the blood pressure. But I'd already dropped some weight, and the BP didn't budge until I dusted off the treadmill.
There are some awfully darned good reasons for cardio to neutralize stress, drop weight, and reduce blood pressure. John Ratey goes into them, in his book, Spark -- to him, exercise is worthy because of the awetacular good it does for your brain; its benefits for your heart and muscles are secondary.
But bottom line, it's about finding what works, for you as an individual.
It could just have easily been strength lifts with mega weights, or kendo 4 nights a week, or hot yoga, or circuit training at Curves. For me, it was clearly, unequivocally, long session cardio, 6 days a week. The stress neutralization was palpable within 48 hours, and the BP started dropping within 10-14 days. Months of my previous regimen did nothing, for the things I was trying to correct.
There are a number of very strong, very fit individuals out there, who at least publicly disdain aerobics in favor of innovative strength endurance routines. Someday, I hope to count myself among them (minus the disdain).
But for now, I'm sticking with what has worked with a frakkin' shout.
It's stupid, arguing with this kind of success.
