Exercise is a critical aspect of losing weight. Although it is possible to shed pounds without being active, low activity levels can make your goals much more difficult to achieve. Some people may be unable to lose weight without exercising regularly. But the type of exercise you perform matters. Certain effects on the body are achieved by different workout intensities. One of the most effective ways to gauge this intensity is by tracking your heart rate.
Training Zones
Heart rate training zones are used by many athletes and coaches to create training workouts, according to the effect the exercise will have on your heart rate. Rather than goals relating to time or distance, training zones allow you to focus on achieving and maintaining various heart rates. These zones are divided into four basic categories: recovery, aerobic, anaerobic and red line. Of these, recovery is the zone best suited for warming up and cooling down. Red line is a rare exercise zone used only in short-term, high-intensity exercise, and anaerobic exercise is best for building muscular strength and size. When it comes to losing weight, your best bet is aerobic exercise.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise elevates the heart rate and breathing rate. According to BrianMac.co.uk, the aerobic zone of exercise constitutes between 70 and 80 percent of your heart rate's maximum output. Aerobic exercise can be maintained for a long period of time, which serves as a way to burn hundreds of calories and promote weight loss. Aerobic exercise also has numerous health benefits to the heart and circulatory system.
Calculating Your Range
Determining your own personal aerobic zone is an easy process. Subtract your age in years by 220 to determine your max heart rate. Although this is only an estimate, it still works for the purposes of the formula. Subtract from this number your resting heart rate, taken after you have been sitting down for 10 to 15 minutes. Multiply this difference twice, once by .7 and once by .8, then add each of these numbers separately to your resting heart rate. The resulting two numbers constitute the low and high ends of your aerobic zone.
Considerations
Aerobic exercise should be performed most days of the week for periods of 30 minutes or longer. However, depending on your own physical condition and health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor about the safety of aerobic exercise. You may be limited to how much you can perform or restricted to certain activities that place less strain on the heart and/or your body.
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