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. Include an exercise program that provides as least 300 calories or more of
activitv per dav. This is best accomplished with exercise of low intensity and
long duration. ManV pieces of home fitness equipment give estimates of
calories burned while exercising. Remember these are approximate calories
burned, exact amounts will depend on tvpe of exercise, Vour bodv size,
intensitv and duration.
. Add resistance training to your program to add muscle mass. Muscle cells
are more active than fat cells and will help Vou burn more calories per day.
. lnclude use of behavior modification techniques to identifv and eliminate
bad diet and eating habits
You should strive to burn between 300 to 500 calories per exercise session
and 1000 to 2000 calories per week in exercise. Remember that sustained aer-
obic activities that use large muscle groups will cause the greatest energv
exoenditure.
lf overweight or obese, Vou mav want to keep the intensity even lower
than 60 percent of maximum heart rate to keep the risk of orthopedic
injuries at a minimum. Nonweight-bearing
activities such as stationary
cycling may be considered for this group, or for those who suffer from
orthopedic or arthritis problems.
I A Balanced Workout
All of Vour balanced home workouts should include three parts:
- warm-up
- The main aerobic andlor strength routine
- cool-clown
Together, exercise and recovery comprise fitness conditioning: denV
either and you invite injury and minimize benefits. Our bodies and minds
become stronger and more efficient in response to their use and exercise.
overuse and overload will cause breakdown. You don't want too much,
but just enough.
The secret is to know when Vou are pushing too much or too little.
Monitoring vour heart rate tells you how much to exercise and when to rest.
I Warm-up
A good warm-up will help you perform better and will decrease the aches
and pains most people experience. The warm-up prepares Vour muscles for
exercise and allows your oxygen supply to readv itself for what's to come.
Studies show that muscles perform best when thev're warmer than normal
body temperatures. Warm-up exercises include cycling, walking, skiing slowlV
until Vou begin to break a light sweat. This normallv takes about 5 to 10
minutes. lf using a heart rate monitor, raise your heart rate to about 110to 120
beats per minute during your warm-up.
stretching before and after exercise also serves manv purposes. By promot-
ing flexibility, it decreases the risk of injury and soreness. lt also enhances
physical performance bV allowing you to maintain a comfortable position on
the bicycle longer. Take a few minutes to stretch your legs, shoulders and
lower back before vou get on vour home equipment.
I Aerobic/Strengfth Exercise
vigorous aerobic exercise is the core of vour workout program. The
intensitv of Vour exercise must be strenuous enough to raise Vour heart rate
into vour target zone. This is usually between 60 and 90% of your maximum
heart rate. cvcling, or any exercise done in this range, is usually called aerobic
exercise. lt means your bodv, Vour heart, and the various exercising muscles
are working at a level at which oxvgen can be utilized. Exercising with a heart
rate monitor allows vou to constantlv receive visible feedback {and on some
models audible feedback) as to what Vour heart rate is while exercising, and
allows Vou to stav within your selected target heart rate zone.
In addition to aerobic exercise, the AcsM recommends that healthv adults
perform a minimum of 8 to 10 strength exercises involving the major muscle
groups a minimum of two times per week. At least one set of I to 12
repetitions to near-fatigue should be completed during each session.
These recommendations
are based on two factors:
. Most people aren't likelv to adhere to workout sessions that last more than
60 minutes. The regimen outlined above can be completed in 30 minutes or
less, and when combined with 30 minutes of aerobic activity and flexibility
gives you a balanced workout.
. while more frequent and intense training is likelv to build greater strength,
the difference is usuallV very small.
I Cool-Down
The cool-down enables your body's cardiovascular
system to graduallV
return to normal, preferably over a 5 to'10 minute period. Bringing Vour work-
out to an abrupt halt can cause light-headedness,
since blood will pool in your
legs if you abruptly stop working. Lower your exercise intensity
gradually over a period of a few minutes. when your heart rate has returned
to below'110 beats per minute vou can stop exercising on whatever piece of
equrpmenr vou are on.
Alwavs keep in mind that warm-up and cool-down are just as important as
the activity phase. Both can prevent manv common injuries from occurring.
tr How To Determine Your Maximum Heart Rate
The best way to determine your maximal heart rate is to calculate your
target heart rate zones. simply record your heart rate several times when you
are putting out a maximal effort, such as when Vou are going all out on
a stationary hicycle, or during a hard session of stair climbing.
The easiest option is to estimate vour maximum heart rate based on a
formula which has been well-established
for reliabilitv: take the number 220,
and subtract Vour age. For example, a 45 Vear old would have an estimated
maximum heart rate of 175 1220 - 454 = 1751. The target heart rate zone for
aerobic training would be 105 to 149 beats per minute (60 to 80 percent of
the maximum).
N Target Heart Rate TraininX! Zones
There are three primary heart rate training zones. The first is often
referred to as the "fat burning zone", because the intensity is moderate
enough to require Vour body to primarily use fat as the fuel source for the
exercise. You should exerclse at 50 to 65 % of vour maximal heart rate to
achieve this level of intensitv. While Vou workout in this and the other zones,
vour heart rate should fall somewhere between these two figures. People just
starting out on an exercise program or who want to lose weight should con-
centrate on maintaining their heart rate in this zone for 20 to 30 minutes per
dav, 3 to 5 davs per week.
The second zone discussed above is known as the "aerobic exercise zone"
or is shown on manv charts as the "target heart rate zone." In this zone Vou
should exercise at 60 to 85% of vour maximal heart rate. Training in this zone
helps vou build aerobic endurance and constructs a base upon which Vou can
llrogressivelv
add more demanding workouts as your cardiovascular
I tfiress increases.
A higher level oftraining can help increase both your speed and tolerance
rof the buildup of lactic acid, the primarv waste product of anaerobic metabo-
lr,,rlr in your muscles. This type of workout from 85 to 100% of maximum heart
r rr{, usLrallV
consists of short, hard sprints or repeated hill running and is
I 1, ,r r cd to as "anaerobic training."
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