Maximum Heart Rate

Since we have started using the EA Sports Active2 at our home there has been a lot of discussion on the topic of Maximum Heart Rate. We did the subtraction, 220 - age to calculate my MHR and 226 - age for my wife (it's different for females). So my MHR calculates to 156. The recommended workout range is 50%-90% depending on what your goals are. The problem is that I when I am at the peak of my workout I have short bursts as high as 170 or more. My wife was concerned that I was going to have a heart attack by working out too hard. Well, I did the research and I found that it is a fact that you can't hurt a healthy fit heart with exercise. You can only make it stronger. I also found that everyone has a different MHR depending on their level of fitness. I've been exercising for 2 years now so my MHR is going to be different. I also found that really fit athletes will more than likely have a lower MHR as their hearts are much healthier and more efficient. They get the job done with less effort.
BTW I found most of this information on the Cleveland Clinic Webstite. It's a great place to research health questions.

Maximum Heart Rate

I have been struggling with this all month. It started with the purchase of the EA Sports Active2 with the heart rate monitor. Now I know what my heart rate is during my workouts. So what do I do with this information?
I did the calculations to see what my max rate should be, i.e. 220-64=156.
I checked my numbers during my workout and for short periods I was way over that number. I noticed that as I increased my heart rate with each exercise my HR stayed at a higher level. When I was in the middle of my routine I hit 170 and higher for short bursts. Is this too much?
When I googled this I found that if you are healthy enough to hit that range that's OK for brief periods.
It wasn't a struggle to complete the workout and I'm still breathing!
I guess it's OK! 

The Calcium Factor Study

The Calcium Factor
The findings of this study add to mounting research that suggests dietary calcium intake increases fat loss.  Because all participants in the study reported low dairy intake before beginning the study, the high protein – high dairy group’s enhanced outcomes may be due to the increased dietary calcium intake.  Some studies suggest dietary calcium, particularly from dairy products, may bind to dietary fat, lower its absorption in the digestive tract and/or decrease fat storage. With increased dietary calcium, lipolysis, the breakdown of lipids including fat, increases. However, not all calcium is created equal; a separate study found that calcium from supplements did not have the same effect as calcium from diet

Another Good Article about Choices

Sometimes my creative juices stop flowing but thanks to all the feeds I get I usually can come p with a decent post. here's one from Paige Waehner. It's all about choices.
Enjoy!

http://exercise.about.com/b/2011/09/28/making-the-choice-to-exercise.htm?nl=1

Staying Motivated

It happens to all of us.

We are hitting our workouts every day and seeing results when suddenly something changes.  You have days when you don’t want to start your workout and you think that maybe you can let it slide for a day or two.

Don’t let it happen!

Here are some suggestions on staying motivated.

1 – Make an investment -Join a gym, you may feel obligated to use what you are paying for. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate upscale gym. See if your town has a Y. They usually very well equipped and you get the bonus of working out with others. That can be motivation in itself.

2 – Make a List – I like workout lists! It’s a good way to view your workout in smaller chunks.  Tape it to the wall close to your workout area. You can put together a few variations of your routine. Take a look at them before you start. 

3 – Fill Your In-box – Sign up for as many e-newsletters on fitness and health as you can. Read them every day stay in the zone. See what Jillian Michaels or Paige Waehner say about staying in the zone.

4 – Don’t Diet – Instead of going on a rigid diet adopt a healthy lifestyle. Make sure that everything that goes in your body is healthy. 

Navigating a Busy Week

This was a busy week for me. If I allowed myself to hesitate I could have missed several workouts.

Monday was an normal day and I was able to do a WII Yoga set and then 23 minutes of EA Active.

Tuesday was an 08:30 start time for work. and a dress up day as we had visitors from the Lincoln Division. The Meeting was at 10:30 AM with the Lincoln guy, lunch at 12:00 and then back to the hotel for the monthly organizational meeting. I was able to get in a 30 minute run and some yoga in the morning.

No workout on Wednesday, I had to work a 12 hour shift for the month end sales close. Back to normal on Thursday morning but.....I couldn't remember what my last workout was, running or circuit training.

I wasn't sure what to do and I hesitated and almost decided to not do anything.

I thought about it for a while and decided to go through my daily WII routine as I normally would.

Good move as by the time I finished I had decided to get on the treadmill and do the Livestrong Weight Loss program. That's 30 minutes of varied speeds and inclines on the treadmill. It's very good sweat.

Friday was WII and hen EA Active.

I didn't miss a workout. I just adjusted my course. All I have to do now is stay on course for the holiday weekend.

A Quest For a Six-Pack

No, I am not talking about Coors Light!

We are talking about the one physical feature that every exercise fanatic seeks either consciously or subconsciously, 6 pack abs.

There are so many ads everywhere that try to sell you on the next generation ab system. Here are a few truths that you should be aware of before you begin your quest.

First, You need to know what your body fat percentage is and I'm not talking about BMI. You need to go to a gym or spa or anywhere that you can have an accurate measurement of your body fat. There is a formula that uses measurements of select points on your body. Ask your doctor for advice on how to find your numbers

 If you work out 5 - 6 times a week and do enough cardio and follow a strict low-fat diet you will probably come in around 20% body fat. There are several ways to measure body fat. There are scales that will calculate your body fat by sending an electrical current through your body. They are somewhat accurate but it can be used as a starting point. .

The reality is that if you want to get to a six pack it's going to require 10% body fat in a male and 14 -16 % body fat for a female.

That's a big commitment. I work out 6 hours a week and my body fat is around 19%. I would need to add at least another 4 hours and some really strict dietary changes to get to 10%.

I'm going for it......How about you?