Getting started
To set up the Palm application, you need to provide some information to the integrated desktop software. (Sorry Mac users, the software only runs on PCs.) The first time you open up the Vivionic PC software, you'll be taken to the Plan Wizard, pictured in Figure A.

FIGURE A


The Plan Wizard will help you establish your goals, program, and nutritional needs. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Here you'll find a series of questions that will help you establish your goals, your exercise program, and your nutritional needs. First, you'll also be asked for your height, weight, and other measurements. Your goals can be to lose weight, to build strength, or to improve body tone, health, or athletic performance.

Next you select the benefits that are important to you. The software can record weight and other measurements such as cholesterol, blood pressure, and hours of sleep.

The Plan Wizard will also ask you about your medical history, whether or not you've had problems exercising, past injuries, and other cardiovascular risk factors and general health questions. You'll then be asked about your exercise habits, as in how often and how intense you exercise on a scale from one to ten.

You're also warned that you should consult a doctor before starting any exercise or nutrition program, which is always good advice.

What do you want to do?
Now you have to decide what kind of exercises you would like to include in your program: strength training, flexibility, or cardiovascular. I chose to do all three.

If you select strength training, you'll then be asked what kind of strength training exercises you'd like to do. You're given a full explanation for each option. If you selected cardiovascular exercise, you'll be shown a list of common cardiovascular activities. These range from aerobics to running on a treadmill.

Once you choose the exercises you'd like to do, you'll then be given an exercise plan summary, which will tell you how many days you should work out. If you like, you can change the plan and choose the days you want to work out.

Planning a schedule and keeping to it is vitally important when it comes to a fitness regimen. While having the software provide a plan is valuable if you're unsure how to do it, it's also important that the plan be something to which you can make a personal commitment. For example, if you tend to be run down in the afternoons, it might be better to schedule your exercise sessions in the morning when you're still spunky and full of energy. You can use Vivonic's Fitness Planner as a guide, or you can check out one of the many exercise books available on the market. A couple I like are listed in the Product Availability section of this article.