Vol. 3, No. 10
Oct 15, 2006

As the days become shorter and the air a bit nippier, we know what's next: people wearing masks coming to your door asking for handouts and blood-curdling screams shattering the night. If you live in New York, it's just another day. For the rest of us, it's Halloween. 'Tis the season we can now justify the candy corn, chocolate bars and all the other dietary delights this time of year. The good news: the miniature-sized chocolate bars are perfect portion control at about 100 calories a piece. The bad news: they add up fast. Go easy and enjoy the night…

Linda

"Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen." -- Mark Twain

The Great Heart Rate Debate

Back in the days of leg warmers and high-impact aerobics, instructors posted colorful heart rate charts for participants to monitor their exercise exertion. Bright columns of green, red and yellow "zones" indicated whether you were in the aerobic zone, the fat-burning zone or the (heaven forbid!) anaerobic zone. In more recent times, heart rate monitoring remains a hotly-debated issue: How important is it to track your heart rate, and how can doing so help you reach your fitness goals?

Have a heart First off, know that maintaining a healthy heart is one of the most important reasons to exercise. And, since the heart is a muscle, regular exercise increases the heart's capacity to deal with new tasks without strain - much like strengthening skeletal muscles. Your heart rate gives you a play-by-play account of your body's responses to changes in your physical activity. It also determines whether you're working hard enough to get the results you desire or if you're not allowing enough recovery time after your last workout (your resting heart rate will be higher than normal).

In order to find your best zone for your goals and activity, you must first know how to calculate your maximum heart rate. The following formula offers a rough baseline: 220 minus your age = maximum heart rate (MHR).

Pick a number

For endurance training and general aerobic conditioning, calculate 50% to 65% of your maximum heart rate if you're a beginner, 60% to 75% for intermediate level exercisers and 70% to 85% for established aerobic exercisers. For example, if you're a 45-year-old beginner with no known health issues, your maximum heart rate is approximately 175 beats a minute. Fifty to sixty-five percent is 87 to 113 beats per minute; this is your starting point for cardiovascular activity. This amounts to light to fairly light exercise. For weight loss, use interval training to burn the most calories. Short bursts of high intensity (reaching 80% to 85% of your maximum heart rate) followed by lower intensity recovery periods (50% to 65%) burns more calories than exercising at a consistent level of exertion for the same amount of time.

Your heart rate can also help you keep tabs on your progress: Take your heart rate 15 to 60 minutes after exercising, and compare these numbers over time as you get in better shape. The numbers decrease as your heart becomes stronger. Keeping track of your heart rate during exercise assures you that you’ll get the most bang for your exercise buck.

(An abbreviated version of my fitness column appearing in 9/28 issue of OC Metro)

Breakfast to Go

Regularly eating breakfast -- the most skipped meal of the day -- may be your key to weight loss. People who eat breakfast weigh less than non-breakfast eaters, according to research. If you have no time for a sit-down bowl of whole-grain cereal and low-fat milk with fresh fruit, try the following on-the-go suggestions, portioned out the night before:

• Hard boiled eggs

• Celery sticks with peanut butter

• Low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese – Breakstone makes portion-sized, portable versions

• Turkey or chicken slices in a wrap

• Lowfat yogurt and fruit

• Whole-wheat bread or English muffin with peanut butter or fruit spread

• Sliced fresh fruit in baggies   

Exercises You Can't Do Without

(Source: The American Council on Exercise)

We asked 17,000 ACE-certified Fitness Professionals to name the one exercise they couldn't do without. The overwhelming winner was the multi-purpose squat, which strengthens all of the major muscles of the lower body, including the gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves. Here are the rest of the top choices, which can be used together to create a challenging and effective fitness program:

1. Squats

2. Running

3. Abdominal exercises

4. Lunges

5. Walking

6. Push-ups

7. Yoga

We offer this article on a nonexclusive basis. You may reprint or repost this material as long as Linda Melone's name and contact information is included.

Thanks! LM