Taking fitness classes is a great way to mix up a cardio workout, but sometimes it just doesn’t fit into our schedule. Cardio machines and even outdoor activities are usually very convenient, but oftentimes repetitive and boring. We sometimes feel we have to “put in” our time, but our energy isn’t in it. I’ve seen people slogging their way through their 30-45 minutes daily without much in the way of results. If this sounds like your situation, try lighting a fire under your cardio routine with cardio intervals.
Interval cardio training is a variation of the intensity within the workout period. You focus on alternating between high intensity intervals (where you work as hard as you can) and recovery periods (where you slow down long enough to catch your breath) to increase your endurance and burn calories. You can train in intervals in a variety of ways from circuit training with weights to cross training (switching from cardio to weight training at a fast pace), to intervals of cardio. But for those of you who have been doing only slow, traditional cardio, switching over to interval cardio training a few times per week will rev up your metabolism even after you finish working out.
Interval training simulates what happens in many sports; starting and stopping motions with periods of speed followed by light jogging or rest. However, interval training is not just for advanced athletes. Intervals are an effective and perhaps even the most effective method for beginners to get fit and lose fat. An interval training workout can be done on a variety of equipment and even outdoors - running, cycling, swimming, jumping rope, elliptical machines, and even walking! With interval cardio workouts, you can increase your endurance and burn additional calories. You can also vary the intensity levels in different combinations. If you use exercise machines, choose the manual workout and create your own intensities by adjusting it yourself. It will give you greater control over the speed, intensity and times of your intervals. You'll actually derive benefits in as little as a 20-minute interval workout. As you build up endurance and strength, you can add time to your workout.
To begin, start with about a five minute warm-up. Then, increase the intensity slightly more than you can normally handle for a short time, and intersperse that with periods of easier exercise for twice as long. So, if you do 1 minute at 3.5mph, drop down to 3.0mph for 2 minutes. Do that up to 6 times, and call it an interval session.
You can also work in fast/slow intervals where you alternate 1 minute of intensity with 1 minute of rest for up to 25 minutes per session and work up to longer intervals of each.
Just listen to your body. Cardio intervals can be tiring, so alternate your levels, just don’t do it to the extreme.
A 4 week program I recently used from Muscle and Fitness magazine can be very effective for all levels of fitness. If you find the program too difficult at first, shorten the fast intervals and increase the slower ones. On the other hand, if you find the workout too easy, lengthen the fast intervals and shorten the slower ones. This workout also includes one day of a longer, slow and steady pace to alternate with the interval cardio. This combination works whether you do cardio as few as 3 days a week or up to 6 days a week. I HIGHLY recommend using a heart rate monitor to gauge your levels (see entry “Tell-Tale Heart”).
Week 1
5 minute warm-up
Days 1 & 4: 20 minutes of intervals (1 minute fast, 1 minute slow)
Days 2 & 5: 25 minutes of intervals (1 minute fast, 1 minute slow)
Days 3 & 6: 30 minutes of steady state cardio (a pace that gets your heart rate in your training zone, but doesn’t leave you breathless)
Week 2
5 minute warm-up
Days 1 & 4: 20 minutes of intervals (2 minutes fast, 2 minutes slow)
Days 2 & 5: 25 minutes of intervals (2 minute fast, 2 minutes slow)
Days 3 & 6: 40 minutes of steady state cardio (a pace that gets your heart rate in your training zone, but doesn’t leave you breathless)
Week 3
5 minute warm-up
Days 1 & 4: 20 minutes of intervals (3 minutes fast, 2-3 minutes slow)
Days 2 & 5: 25 minutes of intervals (3 minutes fast, 2-3 minutes slow)
Days 3 & 6: 50 minutes of steady state cardio (a pace that gets your heart rate in your training zone, but doesn’t leave you breathless)
Week 4
5 minute warm-up
Days 1 & 4: 20 minutes of intervals (3-4 minutes fast, 3-4 minutes slow)
Days 2 & 5: 25 minutes of intervals (3-4 minutes fast, 3-4 minutes slow)
Days 3 & 6: 60 minutes of steady state cardio (a pace that gets your heart rate in your training zone, but doesn’t leave you breathless)You can find a variety of interval and heart training workouts, with time and frequency variations: http://musclemedia.com/training/hiit_table.asp
Another tried and true cardio interval is from the Body For Life program developed by Bill Phillips. You can find it at: http://bodyforlife.com/exercise/cardiotraining.asp
So, if you want to “kick it up a notch”, intervals can:
* increase your stamina
* burn more calories and
*make your workout seem to fly by!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
What's on your plate??
Ask most nutrition experts and they will tell you that preparing your meals at home is the best way to control your portion size, your calorie, fat, sodium and carbohydrate intakes. I really have enjoyed cooking lately, but there was a time when my husband believed we should turn our kitchen into a lobby with a phone and a coffeemaker. That would give me adequate space and energy to make nightly reservations at our favorite restaurants.
It’s fun for a while, but after working hard to stay in good physical shape, ordering the wrong things at a restaurant can undo all of the hard work you’ve put in!
Even dishes that sound like “healthy” choices can pack on the extra pounds. Seemingly innocent salads can be loaded with high fat dressing, cheese, nuts, crunchy noodles and fried proteins. With today’s over sized portions, you can rack up close to 2000 calories or more with a salad entrée.
The ubiquitous bread baskets found on restaurant tables across the country stuff you with complimentary carbohydrates before you even order your meal. A 2 ounce Parker Roll packs 201 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 31g of carbs. A wholesome-sounding 7 grain roll can up the count by 170 calories and 33 grams of carbohydrate.
While ordering vegetables as a side dish should be good for you, many times those asparagus or green beans are loaded with butter. Even sushi can fool you. Just 4 pieces of a spicy salmon roll racks up 190 calories, 4 grams of fat and 25 g of carbs. Considering that my sushi orders are usually served in a boat, I typically eat a lot more than four pieces.
It would seem that we’re destined to staying home, steaming meal after lackluster meal to keep our health on track, but there are ways to defeat the calorie monster when you’re dining out.
First of all, do your research and plan ahead. Check the restaurant menu online. That way you can get a general idea of what types of dishes are served. Many restaurants actually list the nutritional value of their menu items online, so you can plan your food choices ahead of time.
Once you arrive at the restaurant, speak up! Ask about portion sizes and preparation. ALWAYS order salad dressings and sauces ON THE SIDE. They usually contain more calories than the food they are flavoring. Although my specific requests to waiters and waitresses over the years have been the fodder for endless teasing by my family, they are now following my lead and ordering food prepared “their way” (It helps to frequent the same restaurants and let them get to know your limitations).
Go easy on the alcohol-If you want a glass of pinot noir, by all means have it. Just don't go overboard. One study found that those who indulged in more than two drinks a day consumed nearly 30 percent more calories.
Get a "doggy bag"- Assume you are taking half of your meal home before it even arrives. When you see the plate, make a mental line down the middle and know that the rest of it is tomorrow's lunch. Wrap it to go right away.
Go with what you know-If you’re not sure about some of the items, just order a small steak or grilled chicken breast. Fish and seafood are generally good choices, and fish comes with a serving of healthy omega-3 fats. Choose grilled, steamed, poached, or broiled, and make sure the chef doesn’t brush the food with butter as it comes off of the grill.
Make substitutions- Steamed vegetables for tempura vegetables (save 190 calories, 14g of fat and 10 g carbs), chicken teriyaki for chicken fingers (which can almost double the calories and fat), peel and eat shrimp for popcorn shrimp (save 150 calories), salsa instead of guacamole, and wine instead of a mixed drink. Order a side of pasta and use marinara sauce instead of cream sauce.Choose whole grains such as brown rice or whole-grain bread over refined white bread and rice. Pass up the French fries and the cheese-stuffed potato and order two vegetables, steamed, or a salad and vegetables.
Try an appetizer and a side dish as your meal, like soup, shrimp cocktail, or mussels, and a side of vegetables.
Many places have dishes that won’t cancel out your fitness efforts. Dishes like Capellini Pomodoro at Olive Garden (420 cal with 10 g of fiber and 18 g of protein), Luau Salad at Cheesecake Factory (483 calories, 14 carbs and 43 grams of protein if you skip the crispy wontons), or Victoria Center Cut Filet with steamed broccoli at Outback (400 calories, 6 carbs, 42 g protein) can work in a pinch if you box up half your meal for another time.
Most independently owned restaurants will be happy to modify the dishes on the menu as well. Some of my local favorites in the St. Louis area like Brio Tuscan Grille, Charlie Gittos, Harvest, Herbies and SubZero, have literally helped us modify our meals to the point that I consider them partners in our weight loss efforts. (So far, my husband has lost 120 pounds, and my daughter, 88).
Click on web sites like: www.OpenTable.com or in St. Louis, www.saucemagazine.com to help you locate restaurants and their menus.
Try sites like:
www.calorieking.com
www. hungry-girl.com, and
www.dottisweightlosszone.com to help find nutritional values for restaurant foods.
So tonight, instead of making a salad at home, make reservations
And just to make sure you don't hit the calorie laden foods that can pack a week's calories into one meal, check out Nutrition Action's article at
www.cspinet.org/nah/articles/xtremeeating2010.html
Saturday, April 18, 2009
We're Not Gonna Take It...
On shows like “Oprah” (which I love), “The View” and a variety of other shows that target women, hardly a week goes by without the mention of aging and the havoc it can wreak on our bodies. Whether the discussion deals with post-partum body issues, changes during menopause or a slowing metabolism, we all want to know why what we’ve always done to stay healthy isn’t working anymore.
Expanding waistlines seem to be the number one concern and, short of buying expand-a-belt pants, we want a quick solution. Most women’s waistlines expand with each decade and experts estimate that a weight gain of 10-12 pounds in the years just before and during menopause is about average. So… are we doomed? Should we just get out the cookies and ice cream and say it’s just part of aging? Do we have to accept that there’s nothing we can do?
No Way!!! Of course it’s easier to blame it all on age, but it’s kind of like saying “I have big bones” or “slow metabolism”. The truth is, there’s a lot we can do to keep our fitness levels strong as we age. Your car runs differently when it’s new and you service it differently as you put on the miles. Same with your body. It can still take you where you want to go; you just have to change how you fine tune it.
The muscle tone you took for granted in your 20s and 30s requires more effort in your 40s and 50s and beyond. As muscles age, they lose size. When your muscle mass dwindles, your body burns fewer calories while at rest, increasing your tendency to put on fat. Strength training increases the number of calories we burn at rest by as much as 7 percent. Resistance training-lifting free weights, using weight machines and body weight exercises (like push-ups, dips and pull-ups), helps preserve lean muscle tissue. Every pound of lean muscle can burn an additional 30-50 calories each day.
If you don’t already do any type of strength training, add it to your workout. Lift weights or use the strength machines 2-3 days a week to boost muscle mass and your metabolic rate as well as reducing the risk of osteoporosis. If you lift weights on a regular basis, consider adding heavier weights at least one day a week and/ or additional reps. Look through books, magazines, and websites or hire a trainer to help.
Don’t ignore your cardio though. You may be logging miles and hours on the treadmill with very little body change. Consider trying different machines or classes, and revving up a workout with interval training (more on that in a future entry).
Lastly, look at what you are using to fuel your body. It goes without saying that too much food will thicken your middle, but what about too little? Skipping breakfast and lunch and then gorging on dinner is counterproductive. Your body thinks it’s starving and your metabolism slows down. Eat small, frequent, healthful meals every 3-4 hours to keep your body running and keep your metabolism stoked.
Expanding waistlines seem to be the number one concern and, short of buying expand-a-belt pants, we want a quick solution. Most women’s waistlines expand with each decade and experts estimate that a weight gain of 10-12 pounds in the years just before and during menopause is about average. So… are we doomed? Should we just get out the cookies and ice cream and say it’s just part of aging? Do we have to accept that there’s nothing we can do?
No Way!!! Of course it’s easier to blame it all on age, but it’s kind of like saying “I have big bones” or “slow metabolism”. The truth is, there’s a lot we can do to keep our fitness levels strong as we age. Your car runs differently when it’s new and you service it differently as you put on the miles. Same with your body. It can still take you where you want to go; you just have to change how you fine tune it.
The muscle tone you took for granted in your 20s and 30s requires more effort in your 40s and 50s and beyond. As muscles age, they lose size. When your muscle mass dwindles, your body burns fewer calories while at rest, increasing your tendency to put on fat. Strength training increases the number of calories we burn at rest by as much as 7 percent. Resistance training-lifting free weights, using weight machines and body weight exercises (like push-ups, dips and pull-ups), helps preserve lean muscle tissue. Every pound of lean muscle can burn an additional 30-50 calories each day.
If you don’t already do any type of strength training, add it to your workout. Lift weights or use the strength machines 2-3 days a week to boost muscle mass and your metabolic rate as well as reducing the risk of osteoporosis. If you lift weights on a regular basis, consider adding heavier weights at least one day a week and/ or additional reps. Look through books, magazines, and websites or hire a trainer to help.
Don’t ignore your cardio though. You may be logging miles and hours on the treadmill with very little body change. Consider trying different machines or classes, and revving up a workout with interval training (more on that in a future entry).
Lastly, look at what you are using to fuel your body. It goes without saying that too much food will thicken your middle, but what about too little? Skipping breakfast and lunch and then gorging on dinner is counterproductive. Your body thinks it’s starving and your metabolism slows down. Eat small, frequent, healthful meals every 3-4 hours to keep your body running and keep your metabolism stoked.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Let's Groove Tonight...
I’m a little bit obsessive about the soundtrack of my life. If I don’t have the right kind of music playing, it colors my mood, my behavior and my ability to do anything well. I’m not proud of it, but I’ve been known to walk out of an aerobics class because I simply couldn’t handle the instructor’s choice of music! I truly believe the IPOD was invented just for me because it makes each of my workouts a happy little calorie-torching party.
Although my husband and I dated during the Disco era, I love upbeat songs from the 50s on up through today’s music. Having two twenty-something children to keep me current helps too, so when you look at the songs on my IPOD, you might be surprised. The eclectic combination of rock, funk, soul, rap, and pop music might make you wonder how many people (or personalities) share this IPOD, but I assure you, the common thread is that these songs “pump me up”!
That’s why it’s often difficult to tell people what songs are the “best” for their type of workout. However, if you’re trying to create some playlists with specific songs and music types that work for you, try a few things to help you put your list together.
iTunes has some playlist capabilities that can either put together a playlist with your existing music or give you ideas for songs you might enjoy based on previous purchases. Once you open iTunes and go to the iTunes store, look for the section labeled “Just for You”. When you click on that, it will bring up “You bought songs by….(a specific artist), so you might enjoy music by …(a similar artist)”. I’ve found songs I had forgotten about for years using this application.
iTunes also has functions called “iTunes DJ” and “Genius”. The iTunes DJ part of Genius makes playlists from songs already in your iTunes library. Genius also has what is called the Genius sidebar, which recommends music from the iTunes Store to add to your iTunes library.
Quite a few clients have asked me which songs work best for various types of cardio and/or weight workouts. They want to know what kind of music will push them to their cardio zone. To calculate your cardio zone, first find your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220 (e.g. 220- 56 = 164). Your cardio zone is between 60 - 85% of your maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate 220 – 56 (my age) = 164 beats per minute (b.p.m) Cardio zone: 164 (max heart rate) X 65% = 106 (bpm) with a range of about 98-139 bpm. This range takes you from heart health to fitness levels to aerobic levels. Levels higher than 85% are considered anaerobic and should be used in shorter intervals. Many pre made music mixes list the BPM for each song like the following list from powermusic.com which stays within the cardio zone at the lower end:
Disco Inferno-The Trampps 128bpm
Funkytown-Lipps, Inc. 128bpm
Bad Girls-Donna Summer 128bpm
Play That Funky Music-Wild Cherry 128bpm
Dancing Queen-ABBA 128bpm
Turn th Beat Around-Vicki Sue Robinson 128bpm
Ladies Night-Kool & The Gang 128bpm
I Will Survive-Gloria Gaynor 128bpm
You can start your list with the lower BPM songs and add intervals of higher BPM from lists like this, also from powermusic.com:
Jump For My Love-Pointer Sisters 142bpm
Gloria-Them 149bpm
Mickey-Toni Basil 152bpm
Beat It- Michael Jackson 137 bpm
Locomotion-Little Eva 149bpm
Can't Turn You Loose-Otis Redding 152bpm
Sweet Soul Music-Sam and Dave 149bpm
Dance to the Music-Sly and the Family Stone 154bpm
Maniac-Michael Sembello 153bpm
Love Shack-B52s 135bpm
My current 30 minute mix blend lots of decades. It works well for the elliptical or stationary bike and for walking (not running) on the treadmill. You can always double time your movement to the beat of the music if you like.
I Love Rock and Roll-Joan Jett and the Blackhawks 2:36
I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’-Scissor Sisters 3:55
Single Ladies-Beyonce 3:17
Boogie Wonderland-Earth, Wind, and Fire 5: 35
Freeze Frame-J.Geils Band 3:58
What I Like About You-The Romantics 2:55
Living In The USA-Steve Miller Band 4:05
Gasolina-Daddy Yankee 3:13
Strange Brew-2:49 Cream
Like I said, not everyone is as schizophrenic about their music blends, so pick and choose what works for you. Companies such as Oxygen and Shape also make music compilations for workouts and can usually be found on Amazon.com. Also, think about songs you hear on the radio that would be a great beat for your workout. If you have a Verizon cell phone, use the "Vcast song ID" feature to get the name and artist of the song that’s playing. Then, download it to your playlist. Look for upcoming entries from me with playlist suggestions and (hopefully, if my computer skills hold up) links to some of the songs I use.
Although my husband and I dated during the Disco era, I love upbeat songs from the 50s on up through today’s music. Having two twenty-something children to keep me current helps too, so when you look at the songs on my IPOD, you might be surprised. The eclectic combination of rock, funk, soul, rap, and pop music might make you wonder how many people (or personalities) share this IPOD, but I assure you, the common thread is that these songs “pump me up”!
That’s why it’s often difficult to tell people what songs are the “best” for their type of workout. However, if you’re trying to create some playlists with specific songs and music types that work for you, try a few things to help you put your list together.
iTunes has some playlist capabilities that can either put together a playlist with your existing music or give you ideas for songs you might enjoy based on previous purchases. Once you open iTunes and go to the iTunes store, look for the section labeled “Just for You”. When you click on that, it will bring up “You bought songs by….(a specific artist), so you might enjoy music by …(a similar artist)”. I’ve found songs I had forgotten about for years using this application.
iTunes also has functions called “iTunes DJ” and “Genius”. The iTunes DJ part of Genius makes playlists from songs already in your iTunes library. Genius also has what is called the Genius sidebar, which recommends music from the iTunes Store to add to your iTunes library.
Quite a few clients have asked me which songs work best for various types of cardio and/or weight workouts. They want to know what kind of music will push them to their cardio zone. To calculate your cardio zone, first find your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220 (e.g. 220- 56 = 164). Your cardio zone is between 60 - 85% of your maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate 220 – 56 (my age) = 164 beats per minute (b.p.m) Cardio zone: 164 (max heart rate) X 65% = 106 (bpm) with a range of about 98-139 bpm. This range takes you from heart health to fitness levels to aerobic levels. Levels higher than 85% are considered anaerobic and should be used in shorter intervals. Many pre made music mixes list the BPM for each song like the following list from powermusic.com which stays within the cardio zone at the lower end:
Disco Inferno-The Trampps 128bpm
Funkytown-Lipps, Inc. 128bpm
Bad Girls-Donna Summer 128bpm
Play That Funky Music-Wild Cherry 128bpm
Dancing Queen-ABBA 128bpm
Turn th Beat Around-Vicki Sue Robinson 128bpm
Ladies Night-Kool & The Gang 128bpm
I Will Survive-Gloria Gaynor 128bpm
You can start your list with the lower BPM songs and add intervals of higher BPM from lists like this, also from powermusic.com:
Jump For My Love-Pointer Sisters 142bpm
Gloria-Them 149bpm
Mickey-Toni Basil 152bpm
Beat It- Michael Jackson 137 bpm
Locomotion-Little Eva 149bpm
Can't Turn You Loose-Otis Redding 152bpm
Sweet Soul Music-Sam and Dave 149bpm
Dance to the Music-Sly and the Family Stone 154bpm
Maniac-Michael Sembello 153bpm
Love Shack-B52s 135bpm
My current 30 minute mix blend lots of decades. It works well for the elliptical or stationary bike and for walking (not running) on the treadmill. You can always double time your movement to the beat of the music if you like.
I Love Rock and Roll-Joan Jett and the Blackhawks 2:36
I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’-Scissor Sisters 3:55
Single Ladies-Beyonce 3:17
Boogie Wonderland-Earth, Wind, and Fire 5: 35
Freeze Frame-J.Geils Band 3:58
What I Like About You-The Romantics 2:55
Living In The USA-Steve Miller Band 4:05
Gasolina-Daddy Yankee 3:13
Strange Brew-2:49 Cream
Like I said, not everyone is as schizophrenic about their music blends, so pick and choose what works for you. Companies such as Oxygen and Shape also make music compilations for workouts and can usually be found on Amazon.com. Also, think about songs you hear on the radio that would be a great beat for your workout. If you have a Verizon cell phone, use the "Vcast song ID" feature to get the name and artist of the song that’s playing. Then, download it to your playlist. Look for upcoming entries from me with playlist suggestions and (hopefully, if my computer skills hold up) links to some of the songs I use.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Tell-Tale Heart
About two years ago, I saw an ad for a pink Polar heart rate monitor and decided I had to have it. My husband bought it for a Valentine’s Day gift and I first used it around the 4th of July. When I calculated the calories burned after 30 minutes on the treadmill, I decided it must be broken. After all, the screen on the treadmill said I had burned over 350 calories in that time; the monitor read 176. So, for about another year, the monitor and strap lived comfortably in my gym bag.
I finally used it again last fall, when I wasn’t really seeing any results from the long stretches on the cardio machines and aerobic classes. “You can burn over 400 calories in this class!” “You’ll burn at least another 600-800 calories in the hours after an intense weight workout!’ were the claims. Well, I wanted to see for myself
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that for optimum heart health, heart rates be monitored during all exercise in order to determine the appropriate amount of exertion for each individual. A heart rate monitor can help make individual activities more effective and time efficient, safer and much more fun. It’s not just for structured exercise either and it can help turn any activity into a workout. Since it serves the purpose of measuring and recording your heart rate, while giving you instant feedback about the work level of your heart, it is one of the most effective ways to track your progress. You can see chart the improvement in your aerobic endurance and accurately calculate how many calories you burn during a workout.
In simple terms, you can calculate your training zone from two numbers: your maximum heart rate (MHR), which is the fastest rate your heart is able to beat per minute, and your resting heart rate (RHR), the rate at which your heart beats when you are completely at rest. Calculate your zone by clicking on the links below:
http://www.marathonguide.com/FitnessCalcs/heartrate1calc.cfm
http://www.marathonguide.com/FitnessCalcs/HeartRate2calc.cfm
You don’t have to be a professional athlete to benefit from wearing a heart rate monitor when you exercise. Whether you are working out to control weight, tone muscles, build endurance, strengthen your heart, relieve stress or simply maintain good health and fitness, a heart rate monitor can help you find the right pace and intensity of exercise to achieve your goals. We read all kinds of recommendations about how often and how intensely we should exercise, and a heart rate monitor can help us work at the right pace. Moderate intensity is about 50–70 percent of our maximum heart rate while vigorous intensity is about 70–85 percent of our maximum.
Since many of us have limited time for exercise, a heart rate monitor can help maximize our workout to achieve the best results. If we simply gauge our workout by time or by feel, we might not be elevating our heart rate enough to get cardiovascular and weight loss benefits. Monitoring our heart rate helps us set a pace without wasting time at a too-slow or too-fast level that defeats the purpose of our exercise.
If our heart rate is too low during exercise our body gets very little benefit. Consequently, we're not likely to see the results we want, like weight loss or increased endurance. If our heart rate is too high during exercise we may tire too quickly and become frustrated, or even risk injury. To lose weight, experts suggest exercising at a pace between 60-70 percent of our maximum heart rate for 30 minutes or more, with short intervals at higher intensity (up to 90 percent of your max heart rate). A heart rate monitor can tell you if you are exercising hard enough –– or too hard –– to burn stored fat.
For tips on what to look for in a heart rate monitor and how to buy the right heart rate monitor for you, click on the link below and read Part IV.
http://www.marathonguide.com/training/articles/HeartMonitorTraining.cfm
I finally used it again last fall, when I wasn’t really seeing any results from the long stretches on the cardio machines and aerobic classes. “You can burn over 400 calories in this class!” “You’ll burn at least another 600-800 calories in the hours after an intense weight workout!’ were the claims. Well, I wanted to see for myself
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that for optimum heart health, heart rates be monitored during all exercise in order to determine the appropriate amount of exertion for each individual. A heart rate monitor can help make individual activities more effective and time efficient, safer and much more fun. It’s not just for structured exercise either and it can help turn any activity into a workout. Since it serves the purpose of measuring and recording your heart rate, while giving you instant feedback about the work level of your heart, it is one of the most effective ways to track your progress. You can see chart the improvement in your aerobic endurance and accurately calculate how many calories you burn during a workout.
In simple terms, you can calculate your training zone from two numbers: your maximum heart rate (MHR), which is the fastest rate your heart is able to beat per minute, and your resting heart rate (RHR), the rate at which your heart beats when you are completely at rest. Calculate your zone by clicking on the links below:
http://www.marathonguide.com/FitnessCalcs/heartrate1calc.cfm
http://www.marathonguide.com/FitnessCalcs/HeartRate2calc.cfm
You don’t have to be a professional athlete to benefit from wearing a heart rate monitor when you exercise. Whether you are working out to control weight, tone muscles, build endurance, strengthen your heart, relieve stress or simply maintain good health and fitness, a heart rate monitor can help you find the right pace and intensity of exercise to achieve your goals. We read all kinds of recommendations about how often and how intensely we should exercise, and a heart rate monitor can help us work at the right pace. Moderate intensity is about 50–70 percent of our maximum heart rate while vigorous intensity is about 70–85 percent of our maximum.
Since many of us have limited time for exercise, a heart rate monitor can help maximize our workout to achieve the best results. If we simply gauge our workout by time or by feel, we might not be elevating our heart rate enough to get cardiovascular and weight loss benefits. Monitoring our heart rate helps us set a pace without wasting time at a too-slow or too-fast level that defeats the purpose of our exercise.
If our heart rate is too low during exercise our body gets very little benefit. Consequently, we're not likely to see the results we want, like weight loss or increased endurance. If our heart rate is too high during exercise we may tire too quickly and become frustrated, or even risk injury. To lose weight, experts suggest exercising at a pace between 60-70 percent of our maximum heart rate for 30 minutes or more, with short intervals at higher intensity (up to 90 percent of your max heart rate). A heart rate monitor can tell you if you are exercising hard enough –– or too hard –– to burn stored fat.
For tips on what to look for in a heart rate monitor and how to buy the right heart rate monitor for you, click on the link below and read Part IV.
http://www.marathonguide.com/training/articles/HeartMonitorTraining.cfm
Friday, April 3, 2009
Wanna be Starting Something...
What motivates you…
I’ll admit I’m an exercise addict. I’ve been getting up at 4 AM to work out for as long as I can remember. But ask me to clean my house or organize my files and I want to retreat to my bed and hide under the covers. So for me to conquer the laundry or quit procrastinating about writing a new story, I ask :
“In the past, how have I motivated myself to do the things I enjoy?”
“What is distracting me from doing what I need to do?”
“How can I use this to motivate me to do what I don’t think I’ll enjoy?”
Motivation and performance work together. So where do you start…? Motivation begins with establishing the direction you want to follow. To start this:
Set some goals (or basically, think about what you want to do)
Figure out one or two reasons to start exercising or “pump up” what you are already doing. Once you identify a benefit or two, decide if they are realistic. These could be as simple as being able to walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded or finally buttoning your jeans. You might want to walk or run in an upcoming race or increase your bone density to avoid osteoporosis. Set a goal that’s achievable in the short term at first. Achieving even a small goal more quickly can motivate you to keep on working toward your larger, more difficult goals. You need to take small steps to where you’re headed or you’ll just go in circles.
Lower Your Expectations
I know you’re saying, “What? How is lowering my expectations going to push me?” Oftentimes, when we expect too much of ourselves, it only undermines our motivation. Sometimes it even keeps us from starting to exercise. Go back to your goals (reasons) and keep your focus on the small achievements. Sometimes what we think we want and what we think others expect of us is so big that it creates too much pressure. We also need to gauge how we are feeling when we start and again, be realistic about what we think we need to achieve.
Think about what you really enjoy
It‘s very easy to motivate ourselves when the workouts we are doing are enjoyable. However, we can also find ways to motivate ourselves in activities that are a necessary part of our fitness program, but not as much “fun”. Sometimes getting a friend, spouse, or even a trainer can help you “gripe” your way through the difficult elements of your workout. Whether it’s a pat on the back or someone to complain to, having a “partner in crime” can help pull you through the tough days when you want to give up.
Control your surroundings
Be aware of the types of things that keep you from what you want to achieve. Whether you are working out at home or in a gym, try to keep yourself free from distractions that can sidetrack your workout. Set aside specific time for your home workout and turn off your phone. Don’t try and do housework between exercises and focus on your workout plan. In the gym, limit the conversation time( Just a sidenote here. I received quite a few comments from people who know me well about limiting conversation in the gym. OK, so I am working on focusing more and talking less. It's advice I want to pass on to others!!!) and don’t leave until you have completed your planned workout. (See…”A Man (Woman) with a Plan…”)
Reward Yourself
Setting realistic goals should result in a pay off. Sure, the biggest reward is that you’ll feel better and look better, but rewarding yourself for achieving something you have set out to do is an important part of planning. Encourage yourself - small changes are OK. Keep a record of what you are achieving. Seeing how far you have come can be a factor on its own in increasing motivation. Do a timetable for yourself and give yourself a small reward at each milestone. New workout clothes, new music, flowers, a pedicure; anything that makes you feel good and doesn’t add extra calories that would blow all the hard work you’ve put in!
I’ll admit I’m an exercise addict. I’ve been getting up at 4 AM to work out for as long as I can remember. But ask me to clean my house or organize my files and I want to retreat to my bed and hide under the covers. So for me to conquer the laundry or quit procrastinating about writing a new story, I ask :
“In the past, how have I motivated myself to do the things I enjoy?”
“What is distracting me from doing what I need to do?”
“How can I use this to motivate me to do what I don’t think I’ll enjoy?”
Motivation and performance work together. So where do you start…? Motivation begins with establishing the direction you want to follow. To start this:
Set some goals (or basically, think about what you want to do)
Figure out one or two reasons to start exercising or “pump up” what you are already doing. Once you identify a benefit or two, decide if they are realistic. These could be as simple as being able to walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded or finally buttoning your jeans. You might want to walk or run in an upcoming race or increase your bone density to avoid osteoporosis. Set a goal that’s achievable in the short term at first. Achieving even a small goal more quickly can motivate you to keep on working toward your larger, more difficult goals. You need to take small steps to where you’re headed or you’ll just go in circles.
Lower Your Expectations
I know you’re saying, “What? How is lowering my expectations going to push me?” Oftentimes, when we expect too much of ourselves, it only undermines our motivation. Sometimes it even keeps us from starting to exercise. Go back to your goals (reasons) and keep your focus on the small achievements. Sometimes what we think we want and what we think others expect of us is so big that it creates too much pressure. We also need to gauge how we are feeling when we start and again, be realistic about what we think we need to achieve.
Think about what you really enjoy
It‘s very easy to motivate ourselves when the workouts we are doing are enjoyable. However, we can also find ways to motivate ourselves in activities that are a necessary part of our fitness program, but not as much “fun”. Sometimes getting a friend, spouse, or even a trainer can help you “gripe” your way through the difficult elements of your workout. Whether it’s a pat on the back or someone to complain to, having a “partner in crime” can help pull you through the tough days when you want to give up.
Control your surroundings
Be aware of the types of things that keep you from what you want to achieve. Whether you are working out at home or in a gym, try to keep yourself free from distractions that can sidetrack your workout. Set aside specific time for your home workout and turn off your phone. Don’t try and do housework between exercises and focus on your workout plan. In the gym, limit the conversation time( Just a sidenote here. I received quite a few comments from people who know me well about limiting conversation in the gym. OK, so I am working on focusing more and talking less. It's advice I want to pass on to others!!!) and don’t leave until you have completed your planned workout. (See…”A Man (Woman) with a Plan…”)
Reward Yourself
Setting realistic goals should result in a pay off. Sure, the biggest reward is that you’ll feel better and look better, but rewarding yourself for achieving something you have set out to do is an important part of planning. Encourage yourself - small changes are OK. Keep a record of what you are achieving. Seeing how far you have come can be a factor on its own in increasing motivation. Do a timetable for yourself and give yourself a small reward at each milestone. New workout clothes, new music, flowers, a pedicure; anything that makes you feel good and doesn’t add extra calories that would blow all the hard work you’ve put in!
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