True TSXa Elliptical Cross Trainer - Keeping Fit For Life In The Field
This is the newest member of our family, the TSXa Elliptical Cross Training machine from True. Inexpensive compared to the cost of poor physical fitness.
I know it has been a little while since you have heard from me but I have had a lot going on and frankly I wanted to take a little break. Don't want this to seem like it's a job because it isn't. I do this for fun and because it is the best way I can continue to serve.
The Village Health Clubs are pretty much generally excepted as the nicest in town and I have spent a fair amount of money there over the years but with the exception of a few racquetball games, the steam room and an occasional dip in the pool the only piece of equipment I regularly used were the elliptical trainers. It finally dawned on me that it would be more cost effective and certainly more convenient to skip the club membership and buy my own machine(s) for the house where I can use them anytime I want for as long as I want and the only naked old man I have to see in the locker room is me. I figured a side benefit would be that my wife and kids can exercise too. I had no idea how popular my decision would be.
Like every other major purchase I make I set out first to do my research and get my head around the subject, narrow down the best choices then decide what I think is the best model for me. I chose the True TSXa Elliptical pictured above over other top models for a number of reasons.
- very quiet
- relatively compact footptint
I was a competitive athlete and have been blessed with good health and physical condition throughout my life but I am not exactly what you would call lean. I have always been husky or stocky but there have been periods when I was carrying a little too much weight and ventured into the chubby category. I didn't like that. It isn't healthy, doesn't feel good and if I am honest with myself, I will admit that it affected my performance in the field and that is entirely unacceptable.
I am pretty disciplined about what I eat. I don't drink soda, am not a regular consumer of alcohol, don't smoke or chew and I am not big on fast food. Generally I eat fresh, high quality, nutritious, reasonably well balanced meals. My problem is that I eat too much. My wife is an outstanding cook, I live in an area that is packed with great restaurants and I like to eat good food. Pasta, pizza, shredded beef tacos, quesadillas, chips and salsa, california rolls, kung pao anything, tempura, sub sandwiches, nuclear hot chicken wings, chopped salads, etc, etc. It's all good but at age 46, I have to take more of a long view and make some changes in how I do things if I am going to make it to the end of this marathon. For me, good health and a long productive life is mostly a matter of portion control.
Now, I know that I am going to get a bunch of messages from all kinds of people trying to pitch me on programs or special diets. Please, spare me the spiel. My educated opinion is that it is all pop culture crap. Weight is simply about the relationship between burning and consuming calories. You burn more calories than you take in and barring some sort of medical condition you will lose weight over time. Burn less calories than you take in and you will gain weight over time. Period. End of useless, pointless debate. Since I am a big believer in the KISS (keep it simple stupid) philosophy I am going to do a little fine tuning as opposed to big dramatic changes. Here is my plan
- keep eating fresh, nutritious food that I like
- cut back on the red meat, salt and sugar
- increase my intake of fish, fruits and green veggies
- control my portions-about a half of the fireman, lumberjack, football player size I am used to-around 1500 calories per day-keeping my BMR (base metabolic rate) in mind
- substitute one meal a day, most likely breakfast, with a Wilderness Athlete "Superman" shake
- turn up the intensity and duration of my workouts at home with this new elliptical machine
- keep doing my field work-it is also my favorite stress reliever
- add P90X, a high quality treadmill and a Versaclimber to the mix so I don't get into a rut or plateau-change it up
- get at least 8 hours of quality sleep every night
- keep chasing my wife
- stop listening to talk radio and TV news programs because the world is going mad and dragging me over the edge with it
Hey, I can still eat all the things I like, I just can't eat as much of them. How long will I keep this up? How about the rest of my life which I am hoping is another forty or fifty years. I want to keep doing all the things I have always done and a whole lot more so I have to take better care of myself. Sorting through the fads and fashion of the outdoor equipment industry to identify and promote the very best wilderness gear for high end recreational users, backcountry professionals and government agencies.
So, here is my advice to those of you that are about my age. Get serious, be honest with yourself, do some good recon, develop a plan, get the right equipment and stick with it. Make it a permanent lifestyle change. For those of you that are younger, stop snickering and enjoy your fleeting youth while you still can. Old, inevitably, will happen to you too tadpole but it sure beats the alternative.
Regardless of age, don't let physical fitness limit your capabilities or threaten your safety in the field.
Thanks and good luck.
Wade Nelson
Editor
We can be educated and persuaded but not bought, bullied or bs'd. Hardcore Outdoor is dedicated to those who can't or won't turn back.
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