F Is For...Fitness Calculators

Fitness calculators are used to assess many things. For example you can use a BMI calculator to find out where you are on the Body Mass Index, or you can use a BMR calculator to find out what your basal metabolic rate is.

Here are a few fitness calculators for you to check out...

BMI (Body Mass Index)
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
Body Fat Percentage (self explanatory)
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)
Pace Calculator (calculates your running pace)
Lean Body Mass (how much lean body mass you have)

BMI stands for Body Mass Index or more basically where you fall on the chart that ranges from underweight to obese.  It is an index for assessing underweight and overweight people. A measure of 25 or more is considered overweight. This does not take your muscle mass into account and should not be the standard by which you judge yourself fit or fat...it was really created for population studies.

BMR stands for basal metabolic rate or what your body would burn (at rest) if you stayed in bed all day, doing nothing. 

TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure or in layman's terms, it is made up of your BMR plus anything else you do in a day. This would be the number of calories you need to consume to maintain your current weight.

These calculators are fun and informative to play around with, especially when you are trying to lose weight/fat the healthy way, or you just want to find out where you are health-wise.  I like the BMI calculator because it is found on the Mayo Clinic website, which I have found to be a very trustworthy and knowledgeable site. I also find the Body Fat Percentage calculator to be pretty accurate (as accurate as these online calculators can get) or at least it's one of my personal favorites.

Thanks so much for stopping by for today's post. Blessings and hugs!

Have you ever used a fitness calculator?
If so, what is your favorite?
Do you care about this stuff?
If not, let me know why?  

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

Sidelined Due To Injury...

I am not even sure I am ready to talk about this yet but feel I should write my thoughts down for posterity sake. 

My 16 year old son and I were on a 10 mile training run last Wednesday and things were actually going pretty good, when I started to have a nagging pain in my pelvic structure.  (At this point I should have walked home)The pain wasn't unbearable and being a runner who has dealt with aches and pains before, I just ran through it, stupid, I know, but a fact none the less. 

By the time we were less than a mile from home, my son and I decided we should do some high intensity cardio so we raced home, he ran all the way but I ended up having to walk the last three tenths of a mile home, limping badly I might add.  I could hardly put any weight on my right leg as it hurt to do so.  

We got inside and I immediately sat down and put my legs up for a few minutes to see if that would help.  Needless to say, it did not, when I got up I could hardly walk without limping and wincing in pain. After taking a shower and getting dressed I took stock of the pain etc and went straight to the computer to research what it could be. 

(Anyone who knows me will tell you that when something is wrong with me or someone I love, I research the hell out of it, it's just my thing.  I like to know everything there is to know about an illness or injury so that I know what I'm dealing with and how to best deal with it and eventually overcome it.  Research is my hobby, and reading about what my body is going through as a runner has been extremely helpful, it's how I cope.)

After poking and prodding around trying to identify if it was muscle, tendon or bone pain, I felt around to see if there was a sore point on the pelvic bones themselves or the muscle and tendons around them. I found one very sore spot on the inferior pubic ramus or the right side looped pubic bone that lies where the leg, butt and pelvis meet the body between the legs.  I then pulled up several pictures of the pelvic structure and found out what those bones looked like and what they were called exactly.

Fractured Inferior Pubic Ramus (not mine)

Then I took my research even further and looked up everything I could find on forums etc about pelvic stress fractures in runners.  Surprisingly everything I read was spot on what I am feeling and the pain I am dealing with.  Five days later I have no muscle or tendon soreness at all, just bone pain at the inferior pubic ramus bone on the right side.  I have no relief at all unless I am staying still, but even then there is a constant deep ache and pain has started to radiate down into my legs.

As I learn more I will share that with you. At this time I am just so sad to learn that all I have been training for has just been wiped out just like that. My entire summer has just been rewritten and a new play is in the works...ugh, I'm not sure I want to have to deal with this but I don't actually have any other choice but to buck up and recover like the warrior I have become.  If I can overcome cancer I can do this! I hope all of you stick with me, because I am not going anywhere and I plan on running again as soon as I am physically able to.   

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2012 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

This Years Running Goals and Happy Hump Day Post

Happy Wednesday to all you runners out there, I hope this post finds you all well in body, mind and soul.  

These are my thoughts on that sentiment

I have been reading a lot of blogs that are addressing the importance of diet, hill running, and hot weather running do's and don't s... all of them have been extremely helpful, and I have benefited greatly from their tricks and tips.  

We all need to eat better, and that means incorporating more whole foods into our diets, as well as eating less of the processed ones.  I don't know about you, but I love my snack foods ad they aren't always good for me.  Last year I was eating more whole foods and about 90% of my overall diet was clean eating.  Well things have slipped and I've gotten sloppy about eating that way.  It is time for me to Clean up my act and by that I mean the foods I eat.

Ugh, that means I need to stop eating the Funyuns chips and the cakes I love to nosh on...see what I'm taking about, I have completely fallen off the healthy eating wagon and right into the crappy food bin.  Of course this means that I am still relatively the same size as I was last summer, although I am a bit smaller and more toned...but not a huge difference...boohoo!

1. So for the rest of this year I am going to get re-focused, once again, and cut out those nasty food habits I've picked back up.  I will say though that I don't drink soda (except that one I had last night) and I run a lot, according to my family...they would say I'm an obsessed runner but I certainly don't think so, especially when I compare myself to some of you.  

2. I will get back to the gym more regularly and continue to train for my half-marathon in September with vigor and determination. 

3. I will also drink more water.  This is one thing I am bad about doing, I so don't like water but I know I need it to perform at my best.

4. I will try GU or some other form of energy during my long runs to see if it really will make a difference in September.

5. I will sign up for a few more races between now and September's half.

6. I will continue to do hill work, even if I "loathe it entirely".  (speaking in my Grinch voice)

I am hoping that you will help keep me accountable.  I am so glad that I have running friends online to learn from, so thank you in advance for any help, tips and motivation you can give me.  Blessings and good luck to everyone who has a race this month or this weekend!

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck.

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2012 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.