Fitness and Health

Keeping fit

I used to be a member of two health and fitness clubs many years ago, but sadly allowed my membership to lapse.

I now have the opportunity to join this club not far away from home, but while the thought is tempting, I probably have to admit that I am past the age of benefitting from gym sessions, and more than likely do not have the inclination anyway.

Not sure why I let my membership lapse all those years ago, because I know at the time I enjoyed every minute of the hour a day I used to spend there. Not in the gym, because weight lifting or struggling to manage seemingly immovable objects was not my scene.

But the pool was another matter, and though I do not regard myself as a particularly strong swimmer, I could at least manage several lengths of the pool without over-stretching myself. Then there was the sauna. And the hot jacuzzi pool.

Ah yes, the hot Jacuzzi. I found that a perfect remedy for relieving the stresses of a day in the office, and if by chance I was feeling heady, I knew that five minutes or so of relaxing in the jacuzzi would quickly remove any sign of a looming headache.. I have also visited this club on the edge of the New Forest in the past and enjoyed time in the pool.

But the second health and fitness club I was a member of did introduce me to the gym. Again, weight lifting and stretching was not for me, but the running and rowing machines were excellent, and the occasional computer programmed fixed bicycle. On all of these there was an electronic counter which told me how many calories I was burning.

Today my regular exercise is to be found in walking. I try to do at least a couple of miles a day, when the weather allows, and often more. I have one of those handy apps on my phone which miraculously works out how quickly I am walking, logs my route, and measures the distance, I have walked, all thanks to a satellite somewhere overhead talking to the iPhone in my hand.

And yes, tells me how many calories burned. From that I can workout whether I can enjoy another glass of wine when I am through walking for the day!