Mike at IMM Yesterday (Thursday) Mike had his shoulder repaired (a canoe lifting incident), which he had postponed until after the Indy marathon – since he did not want to disappoint anyone, especially after the Indy newspaper featured him on the front page. Surgery successful! Now for the rehab, which will take time. Next Feb. features a new age for him to set new world records! What a LifeNut and what an inspiration to us all!
We walked in the park on the day before surgery since my legs had recovered from the marathon. He told me that his legs weren’t sore at all and, in fact, had “run” ten miles on Tuesday. Just like the Energizer Bunny: he never stops.
Mike also gave me numerous clippings from the Sunday edition of the New York Times, which he faithfully scouts for me. One piece, “How Old Is Your Health,” from the NYT magazine was particularly fascinating. Researchers in Norway evaluated almost 5,000 people between ages 20 and 90, taking measurements: BMI, heart rate, HDL and total cholesterol. Each person completed a lifestyle questionnaire and then ran to the point of exhaustion on a treadmill – to measure VO2max, a term denoting how well the body delivers oxygen to cells. Other studies have shown VO2max to determine fitness age and life expectancy.
It was fascinating to see that the researchers used the data and an algorithm to predict a person’s VO2max accurately from the data – without the treadmill test. They published their results in the journal, Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise. And, get this, they developed an online calculator to allow anyone to determine his or her fitness level. Try it: www.ntnu.edu/cerg/vo2max.
For example, a 50-year-old man who exercises moderately a few times a week, has a 36-inch waist, and a pulse of 75, will have a fitness age of 59. Nice, huh? This also is probably a good predictor of life expectancy as well as how one will spend his time in the "golden" years - in a nursing home or walking/running in the woods with the younger set.
I entered data for an overweight female, age 25, waistline 38 (be sure to convert inches to cm), little exercise, and a pulse of 80. Result: fitness age was doubled to 50.
Mike told me that his fitness age was 54 – nearly 40 years younger. Mine was 40, almost 30 years younger – with a VO2max of 48. One of my sons, who is a very good runner, had fitness level 12 years younger!
This calculator is significant since it offers a large databank reflecting exercise, waistline, and pulse. LifeNuts uses the BMI calculator, which is great and a good indicator of fitness but does not incorporate heart function.
So, try the Norwegian calculator and see how old you really are!
We walked in the park on the day before surgery since my legs had recovered from the marathon. He told me that his legs weren’t sore at all and, in fact, had “run” ten miles on Tuesday. Just like the Energizer Bunny: he never stops.
Mike also gave me numerous clippings from the Sunday edition of the New York Times, which he faithfully scouts for me. One piece, “How Old Is Your Health,” from the NYT magazine was particularly fascinating. Researchers in Norway evaluated almost 5,000 people between ages 20 and 90, taking measurements: BMI, heart rate, HDL and total cholesterol. Each person completed a lifestyle questionnaire and then ran to the point of exhaustion on a treadmill – to measure VO2max, a term denoting how well the body delivers oxygen to cells. Other studies have shown VO2max to determine fitness age and life expectancy.
It was fascinating to see that the researchers used the data and an algorithm to predict a person’s VO2max accurately from the data – without the treadmill test. They published their results in the journal, Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise. And, get this, they developed an online calculator to allow anyone to determine his or her fitness level. Try it: www.ntnu.edu/cerg/vo2max.
For example, a 50-year-old man who exercises moderately a few times a week, has a 36-inch waist, and a pulse of 75, will have a fitness age of 59. Nice, huh? This also is probably a good predictor of life expectancy as well as how one will spend his time in the "golden" years - in a nursing home or walking/running in the woods with the younger set.
I entered data for an overweight female, age 25, waistline 38 (be sure to convert inches to cm), little exercise, and a pulse of 80. Result: fitness age was doubled to 50.
Mike told me that his fitness age was 54 – nearly 40 years younger. Mine was 40, almost 30 years younger – with a VO2max of 48. One of my sons, who is a very good runner, had fitness level 12 years younger!
This calculator is significant since it offers a large databank reflecting exercise, waistline, and pulse. LifeNuts uses the BMI calculator, which is great and a good indicator of fitness but does not incorporate heart function.
So, try the Norwegian calculator and see how old you really are!
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