DAY 1: TAKING STOCK
1. Get out and go shopping! Buy these items, which should run you less than $125.
- A tape measure
- A heart-rate monitor (We use Polar products—they have chest straps and monitor watches)
- A pedometer
- A good pair of walking or running shoes
- A hand-grip tester
- A blood pressure cuff (Many have memory and download options…or you can use the one at the drugstore)
- A notebook or access to computer website to record your results
2.
Determine your real age at RealAge.com —that is, the actual age of your body (and mind) based on your health and habits, not your calendar age based on when mama thrust you into the world covered in goop.
3. Measure your blood pressure. Most drug stores have a device that can be placed on your arm if you haven't bought the home device yet.
4. Measure your heart rate in the evening, as well as the highest heart rate you achieve during your most intense exercise.
5. Measure your waist size. Circle the tape measure around your waist at the belly button, while you're taking a deep breath and sucking in. You would anyway, but it is the right way of measuring it as it gets the muscle we do not want to measure out of the way. Also measure your weight. The ideal is for your waist to be half your height.
6. Leave a space to record the average number of steps you take this week.
