These Fitness Watches are Amazing!

In my March 25th newsletter (https://scotts-newsletter-c35485.beehiiv.com/), I wrote about going from five days a week, to exercising everyday. Which would have more of an alignment with a destination-less life. I tried it and only made it for six consecutive days (March 25th to March 30th). My body doesn’t like it. Here is how I know:

My Heart Rate Variability (HRV) dropped below my baseline. HRV is a statistical measure of the specific changes in time between successive heart beats, according to Garmin. All I know is, when my HRV is low, as in trending low, on a seven day average, I am fatigued. Not all the time, but seems like half the time, when my HRV drops below my baseline, something bad happens. Like the time I got the China Virus (COVID), or the second time I thought I had COVID, but it was just a fever. Or the time I slipped on ice and hit my head on a concrete step. All were times when my HRV was trending below my baseline. As you can see in the chart below on the seventh day, March 31st, my HRV seven day average dropped below my baseline with an orange square (unbalanced). I decided to rest. Maybe that is why God rested on the seventh day? His HRV was low, lol. I ended up taking the following Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday off from exercising to help get my HRV back into my baseline. And returning to my normal five days a week on April 8th.

So my HRV is finally back within the baseline, Whew! Nothing bad happened. Remember when you are fatigued (tired) your body is weak, including your immune system, like catching a virus. And your brain is tired, like slipping on the ice and knocking yourself out.

So how do these guys (and gals too, probably) exercise seven days a week? I don’t know. But here’s what I think:

• They have taken years to build up to it.

• They keep the intensity low. Heart Rate Zone 2 and below. (I definitely need some high intensity training.)

• They dedicated time each day to stretching, foam rolling and/or yoga.

In my March 25th newsletter, I had an ah-ha moment when writing it. I correlated having a craving for caffeine on days that I don’t exercise. And so I thought exercising everyday would fix the caffeine craving and be more in alignment with a destination-less life. Silly me.

While walking with my dog, the other day. I realized that just because you don’t exercise everyday doesn’t mean you don’t or can’t live a destination-less life. Living a destination-less life means doing the things you should do, everyday. Or shouldn’t do, like drinking caffeine. I think needs are excluded from this. Needs get taken care of, it’s the “should’s” that we slack on.

I’m still sticking with waking up early everyday. It has done great things for me! Adding “no caffeine” to the list is the next one.

Edited April 13th, 2025. Update: I have tried several times to exercise seven days a week. However I only make it to six. On the seventh day I am sick of the sight, of my exercise bike. I don’t want it to grow into something I hate. Five days a week is a good balance of work to rest ratio for me.