Your Target Heart Rate Zone

When performing cardiovascular exercise, your heart rate should be maintained within your target heart rate zone (calculated below) for a minimum of 20 minutes and a maximum of 60 minutes for at least 3-5 days a week to achieved a maximum cardiovascular benefit. 

Cardiovascular interval training is one of the best ways to keep your heart rate within your target heart rate zone for an extended period of time. It also allows you to burn the maximum amount of calories in the shortest amount of time.

Weight loss is achieved when the # of calories you expend is greater than the # of calories you consume. By creating a daily deficit of 500-1000 calories, you can lose 1-2 pounds per week. For example, if your body requires 3000 calories per day just to stay the same weight, then by eating 250 calories less per day and by burning 250 calories through exercise each day(for a total deficit of 500 calories/day), you can achieve a 1 pound weight loss in one week.

Believe it or not, that is not hard to do. Replace calorie filled drinks with water and you are halfway there! Eat fruit for you snacks instead of calorie filled processed snacks and you are even closer.

Here is how you determine your target heart rate zone:

Max Heart Rate = 220-Your Age:
      Max Heart Rate = 220 - 34 = 186 bpm


Target Heart Rate (Lower) = Max Heart Rate x (70%):
      Target Heart Rate(lower) = 186 x (.70) = 130bpm

Target Heart Rate (Upper) = Max Heart Rate x (85%):
      Target Heart Rate (Upper) = 186 x (.85) = 158bpm

My Target Heart Rate Range = 130bpm-158bpm

So my heart rate should stay up in the 130-158 beats per minute range the entire time I am exercising. Make it easy on yourself and figure out your 15 second count so you take up less time checking your heart rate while exercising. Better yet, get a heart rate monitor!

A New Beginning

I have returned! My husband and I were away for a long weekend and its taken some time to get back on track with my blog. I must admit, I have some guilt. Vacations usually throw me off of my workout schedule and this vacation was no different! I am happy to tell you that I did not lose any ground, but sad to say I did not gain any ground either. No matter, that week is  but a blip on the radar and I am back! I have already begun my workout program again.

Today was interval cardio day since I taught my boot camp this morning. I love workouts like that because you burn a LOT of calories and workout all of your muscle groups in one session. tomorrow I am planning to rest and the following day will be more interval cardio or a circuit weight training day. I like to keep my options open in case I am not in the mood for a particular workout that day. The important thing for me (and that keeps me in the game)  is knowing that I only get to rest one day between workouts, then there are no excuses for the following day. Its a good rule to follow...."Never go two days without working out". If you keep an every other day approach to fitness its easier to stay on your program. After all, fitness isn't something you do to get fit and then you stop.........healthy living requires a  LIFESTYLE change that includes adopting habits that will keep you on track year round. Its ok to take breaks, its ok to have a bad day or even a bad week, but knowing that your goal is to be healthy consistently is the key to actually being consistent.

One other rule that I love to follow is the "Don't Drink Your Calories" Rule. If you are trying to lose weight, this rule is very important. Ever wonder how your weight sneaks up on you so quickly? Take a look at what you are drinking. Chances are, you are taking in far more calories than your body can burn because of those drinks. So one or two here and there......not a big deal. Drinking calorie filled drinks like soda, juice, coffee drinks, shakes, beer, wine, etc. EVERY DAY will add on the calories like nothing else. Keep track of your eating AND drinking habits for a week and you'll see what I am talking about. There is a calorie log on my website for you to use if you'd like to give it a try.