Night Elf Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 What do you think about this? I've been trying to figure out what my target heart rate zone is if all I'm doing is walking for heart health. DH found this chart. Maximum heart rate is 220 - age. Do you agree with this chart? So if am wanting to walk for heart health, I only need to do 50% to 60% of my max heart rate? I've been currently exercising at 77% of my max heart rate. According to this chart, that is too hard for the results I'm looking for. 50-60% of max: Light exercise (healthy heart maintenance) 60-70%: Weight loss (burn fat and calories) 70-80%: Aerobic base (increase stamina & endurance) 80-90%: Conditioning (Fitness conditioning, muscle building, and athletic training) 90-100%: Athletic elite (athletic training & endurance) I do know how to tell intensity. I believe I'm currently exercising moderately. I'm breathing quickly but i'm not gasping, I can talk but I can't sing, and I develop a light sweat, enough to make wet spots on my shirt and have it run down my hairline and neck. If I'm walking for heart health only, do I need to be working this hard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 The chart is a guide. Someone who is extremely fit will have a lower heart rate. Someone who is not fit will usually have a higher heart rate. If you are comfortable working at this rate then I think it is fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 The chart is a guide. Someone who is extremely fit will have a lower heart rate. Someone who is not fit will usually have a higher heart rate. If you are comfortable working at this rate then I think it is fine. My problem is that I hate exercise because I seem to work so hard. Right now I'm working so my heart rate is averaging 135ish but according to that chart, my weight loss zone is really 105 to 122. I could slow my treadmill walk and likely feel a bit better about having to walk at all if my top rate is only 122. It's just so slow that it has me worried it's not enough and I'm losing the point, and benefit, of the exercise. But DH says if I work too hard, I'm out of the heart rate zone for weight loss and into the range that burns glycogen. Everything for me is so complicated. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad 4 Boys Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I think you're making it too complicated. Just pick out a pace that you feel is slightly strenuous and do at least 30 minutes of that as many times per week as you can. Obviously, the pace will need to be increased as you get in better shape and lose weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I think you're making it too complicated. Just pick out a pace that you feel is slightly strenuous and do at least 30 minutes of that as many times per week as you can. Obviously, the pace will need to be increased as you get in better shape and lose weight. This. If you want read this book. It's a great book and very informative. According to the doctors/scientists the author interviewed measuring heart rate is not necessary and not a good guideline as every person is different. Go off how you feel and forget heart rate. IMO, you can't work your heart/lungs "too hard" unless you have a specific heart/lung medical condition. Your body will make you stop if you're pushing too hard. If you vomit after a workout it was probably a bit too hard. If you pass out that's a sign you're pushing too hard (and perhaps not drinking/eating enough). If you fall to the ground not able to move or speak while running you might have been pushing too hard. ;) Short bursts of pushing hard with active rests in between is a great exercise for heart and lungs. Tune in to yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 If you hate exercise, I'm guessing that you don't do it regularly and are probably out of shape. (This is just a guess, so please don't get mad at me if I'm not correct!) If so, your heart rate is going to be on the higher end. If having it be higher makes you feel faint or out of breath, then slow down. If you still feel fine, I wouldn't worry about the higher rate esp. since it is still in a safe zone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 Seriously, I make everything more complicated than it needs to be. With exercise, I truly want to expend as little effort as possible because I loathe it so much. I do know about monitoring intensity, but monitoring heart rate is just as valid. I feel my workouts are hard whether my heart rate is at 120 or 160 and that is a huge difference. No, I don't aim for the higher end of course. I was doing interval running and didn't realize just how hard I was working myself. No wonder I was hating it so much. I'm much more of a strolling kind of person. My heart health needs more than that though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I truly ignore the heart rate thing. As you get into shape it should become less loathsome ( truly, I wouldn't have believed it either but it's true). If walking is that suckish maybe you should try biking, dancing, swimming....you should , if not enjoy it, at least not hate exercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 There are other formulas to calculate maximum heart rate, but none of them may be perfectly accurate for any one person. This might be helpful. http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/9156.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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