Are you exercising hard enough? Part 1

It's human nature to not push ourselves physically as much as we probably should or could, right? I would say 90% of people don't push themselves enough when they work-out. Lazy, maybe? Distracted by the TV or our I-Pod (or even kids!), possibly? Too tired or it's too hard, very likely. Most of us just don't have the will-power to really hurt ourselves! Seriously though, don't you hate it when you're working hard at losing weight, getting ready for the swimsuit season, going on a cruise and it's just not happening? Ever wondered why? I think most of us have experienced this at some point in our lives.

There are several factors, of course, that play into achieving results, but I want to talk specifically about our exercise routines and heart rate. First, you should always be aware of your heart rate. There is a simple equation below that you can do to figure out your target heart rate zone, which you should CONSTANTLY monitor while exercising. Oh, and I STRONGLY believe a heart rate monitor is the best investment you will make! Here it is:

Take 220-your age=maximum heart rate (this figure is actually your anaerobic max). Now take that number, and figure out what 65% and 85% of that number is. That is your ideal heart rate zone for burning fat and calories. Technically, the range actually goes down to 55%, but for most people this isn't even working up to a sweat. Here's an example:

220-30 (my age)=190
190x.65=123
190x.85=161
My target zone=123-161 bpm

Keep in mind that if you are extremely fit this might not be totally accurate. As you get more fit, you can push that high range out before you get "anaerobic". In comparison, the low range number might be too low as well. At this point, you can go by the "Perceived Exertion Scale", which means going by how you feel. On a scale of 1 to 10, a 10 is anaerobic meaning you're breathing so heavy that you can only maintain that pace for a short time, say 30-60 sec. A 9 on the scale, would be pushing that threshold, you're breathing heavy, but you're able to maintain that pace for a longer time, and also, talking is extremely hard and forced. Carrying a conversation at this point is difficult. So, an 8-9 should be at the high end of your target zone. If you're not breathing heavy, you're carrying a conversation fairly easy, you would be at a 5 or so, and this is ok for short periods of time, (but it's time to kick it up a notch). Staying between a 6-9 is ideal and you'll burn the most amount of calories in this range.

Hope this helps all those that are confused about heart rates and how hard they should be exercising! Stay tuned for Part 2...