You heart rate can be an invaluable tool in your quest to lose weight. Knowing that exercise is an important part of the weight loss equation, many people leap right in without a plan, and they may not be getting the best benefit of their hard work. The contribution of exercise is the calorie burn, and tracking your heart rate can allow you to achieve better results by working smarter instead of harder.
Step 1
Take your pulse when you have been resting for at least 10 minutes by using your index and middle finger to feel the pulse on your inner wrist or the side of your neck. Count the number of beats in six seconds and multiply it by 10. The result is your resting heart rate, which may decrease as you become more fit.
Step 2
Find your maximal heart rate by subtracting your age from 220 for men, or 226 for women. This number is your extreme uppermost limit, and you should never exercise at more than 90 percent of this number or risk a cardiopulmonary event.
Step 3
Multiply your maximal heart rate by .50 to find the bottom end of your target heart rate zone.
Step 4
Multiply your maximal heart rate by .80 to find the upper end of your target heart rate zone. Keep your heart rate between these two numbers for the duration of your exercise session.
Step 5
Begin the aerobic exercise of your choice, keeping your heart rate around 50 percent of your MHR for the first 10 minutes. This is your warm up, which gets your body primed for more intense work.
Step 6
Increase your pace until your heart rate is between 60 and 70 percent of your MHR. This is the fat burning zone, where 85 percent of the calories you burn come from fat. Maintain this pace if you are new to exercise, or continue to increase your pace.
Step 7
Increase your pace until you are working at 70 to 80 percent of your MHR. Although only 50 percent of your calories burned come from fat, you will actually burn more overall calories. This is the endurance zone, where your body learns to sustain your exercise pace for longer periods of time.
Step 8
Sustain your pace for 30 minutes to an hour. The faster your pace, the shorter your session can be. If you cannot sustain your fast pace, alternate periods of fast and slow. This will result in a higher average heart rate for the session, and will allow you to burn more calories than you would had you maintained the slower pace throughout.
Step 9
Slow your pace to about 50 percent of your MHR for the last 10 minutes of your session. This is your cool down period, which allows your body to calm down gradually. When your heart rate returns to your resting heart rate after your session, it means your body is fully recovered.
Tips and Warnings
- Once you have reached the point where you can maintain 70 to 80 percent of your MHR without too much discomfort, add some intervals at 80 to 90 percent of your MHR. This will boost your overall calorie burn even more.
- Always consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program, especially if you are new to fitness.
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