Sunday, April 17, 2011

My Garmin

Yep, y'all - I am one lucky gal. I have a Garmin Forerunner 350 that my husband bought me because I pestered him about wanting a pedometer for quite some time. Only thing is, I have only used it when I go walking, as I have not been able to understand what setting I need to use for any other workout (like an exercise DVD). It came with a belt-like thing that I immediately guffawed at, thinking 'what the heck do I need to put it around my waist for?'

So days turn into a month, and then several months - and I am still using it this way. I mentioned it a couple of times on the fitness website that I signed up for and got no response. I then start to think that most people do not have this particular pedometer, and that there is a reason they do not have it. Yet, I continue to use it....

Until one day I update my fitness site and have it tweeted to my Twitter account about my frustrations with my Garmin not tracking my calories and such when I do other activities. One of the gals I 'tweet' to immediately responds that I should ask so and so about it. YAY! I think - or, uh - exclaim inwardly lol Heck, why not? Can't hurt right? All my Garmin problems are now gonna be solved.

So I privately message the person about my Garmin woes, to which the person naturally asks which device I have and informs me about the need for a heart rate monitor.

"Ohh??" I reply, "Is that something seperate I have to buy?"

"Nope" person responds, "Most Garmins should have a wireless one."

"Ohhhhh"" I reply, "Is it part of the watch then?"

"Nope" person responds, "There should have been a black plastic strap that came with it. Send me your model number, tho."

"Ohhhhhhhh" I reply. "Yeah, I think there was!! My model number is #305."

"That is what I have." person responds. "There should be an elastic band with a hard rectangle in the middle that says Garmin that's the heart rate monitor."

This is where I do not reply. This is where I start thinking of that belt I dismissed quite early on in my relationship with Mr. Garmin. I open the drawer I stuck it in - I open the manual - I look in manual and find out how to connect that 'belt' with my Garmin watch in order to track your heart beat.

*&^%%$$^&&%$

Seriously? Yeah, ok - I will try it. I bet it isnt that easy. I put 'belt' on. I turn on watch. I then observe watch sync immediately to belt and start tracking my heartbeats.

**^%$&^^%

I admit my stupidity to the person, and have the person respond "Feel free to read our exciting suspense filled adventure book about 'Manual' that we sent along :-)."

To which I assured the person that would be my reading assignment later. 

So now I need to figure out the right setting to track calories with the monitor. I do not think it was set right, cuz it said I burned only 20 calories in my workout after that. IF thats truly the case, I will have to stomp on my Garmin and say "F" you exercise! Altho, I am sure there is probably some other gadget I probably shoved in the drawer I thought I did not need that does the trick.

Wow - getting physically fit is emotionally exhausting lol

4 comments:

Average Jane said...

That "manual" comment cracked me up. That's so @coderigger.

Coderigger said...

@Average_Jane I totally stole that from Dilbert.

Lisa, calories are calculated based on distance travelled. The 305s & earlier models are limited on how they calculate calories. Later models 310, 410, 610 have calorie computation based off of heart rate.

Coderigger said...

http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1995-12-10/

Lisa Marie said...

Thx for the info @coderigger =)

And for the comic strip link lol