What's Your Heart Rate?

Appetizer

Guess LESS. Huh? What I mean is don’t rely on guessing when it comes to figuring out how hard you should be pushing yourself during a workout. If you’re serious about getting the body that you want, you need facts & figures – not hunches & hopes.

The easiest way that I’ve found to manage a cardio workout is using a heart rate monitor. This may sound like something fancy or expensive, but it doesn’t have to be either. It’s a basic tool that all workout fiends should have. Yeah, I know, you don’t consider yourself a fiend (yet), but I’m using positive imagery here, so work with me.

My personal faves are Polar Heart Rate Monitors because (1) they’re generally pretty easy to use, (2) there are many different options for every price range, and (3) most of the cardio machines in the gym are compatible with Polar monitors. I use the Polar M61.

Main Course

So now that you have your heart rate monitor, what are you supposed to do with it? The monitor will come with 2 parts – the wrist receiver that you wear like a watch and the chest strap transmitter that you wear around your chest. The instructions included with the monitor will tell you how to set it up. And don’t worry – it’s easy.

How does a heart rate monitor work in scientific terms? The chest strap has electrodes in contact with the skin to gently & safely monitor the electrical voltages in the heart. When a heart beat is detected a radio signal is sent out which the receiver uses to determine the current heart rate. In other words, you just put the strap around your chest (under the bottom band of your sports bra usually works best for the ladies), and start working out. Your heart rate will appear on your watch.

There are lots of different kinds of receivers, and most come with some sorts of advanced features, including average heart rate during the workout, amount of time spent in a specific heart rate zone, calories burned, and detailed logging that can be downloaded to a computer or PDA.

What should you be aiming for? Ideally, your heart rate should be beating at 50-75% of its maximum. This is called your Target Heart Rate Zone.

Why do you need to workout in your Target Zone? It ensures that you’re getting the most out of your workouts. If you push yourself too hard, you could burn out or hurt yourself. On the other hand, if you don’t work hard enough, you will not burn enough calories to make your workout worth your time.

The table below shows estimated target heart rates for different ages. Look for the age category closest to yours, and then read across to find your target heart rate.

Age...............Target HR Zone 50-75%....................Ave. Maximum Heart Rate 100%
20 years.......100-150 beats per minute..............................200 beats per minute
25 years.........98-146 beats per minute..............................195 beats per minute
30 years.........95-142 beats per minute..............................190 beats per minute
35 years.........93-138 beats per minute..............................185 beats per minute
40 years.........90-135 beats per minute..............................180 beats per minute
45 years.........88-131 beats per minute...............................175 beats per minute
50 years.........85-127 beats per minute...............................170 beats per minute
55 years.........83-123 beats per minute...............................165 beats per minute
60 years.........80-120 beats per minute...............................160 beats per minute
65 years.........78-116 beats per minute...............................155 beats per minute
70 years.........75-113 beats per minute...............................150 beats per minute


Dessert
After taking a 90 minute Indoor Cycling class at 8:30am today, I was starving and felt like I deserved a special treat. I really wanted the first of my beloved P’s (Pancakes, Pizza, Pasta, & Popcorn), but I didn’t want to undo everything I had just done at the gym because, according to my heart rate monitor, I burned just over 900 calories (Woohoo!).

So, I decided to compromise - whole wheat pancakes with Smuckers Sugar Free Syrup (my fave).


All in all, the meal was good enough to satisfy my cravings, but man…I sure do wish I could chow down into some original buttermilk pancakes drenched in maple syrup…not the 100% maple syrup from Vermont (too bitter), but the regular, cheap grocery store syrup. You know what I’m talking about, right? Just plain ol’ Mrs. Butterworth’s or Aunt Jemima. Mmmm…OK, let me stop now.

Seeing as I am a self-described pancake connoisseur, here’s a tip for my fellow pancake lovers. The best pancakes ever made on this planet are served (very cheaply) at K&W Cafeterias. It’s not a cute place – nothing fancy – but their pancakes create a sense of euphoria that seems to last for days. Or at least until the next time I get hungry. Think it’s not possible? Hmmph! Just taste ‘em.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.