Food provides energy to our body. Sleep recharges and
heals us. The benefits of exercise are tremendous, from improving our overall
health to stimulating our brain activity. However, many of us exclusively associate
exercise with weight loss programs because the exercise goal focuses on losing
10, 20 or 30... pounds. When we lose the weight, we achieve our goal. We are happy
about our hard work but slowly we tend to return to our old habits and several
months later, we see a familiar big number on the scale. We are disappointed
about our weight gain and we try to lose the same 10, 20 or 30 pounds again and
again (and again).
If we look at the body composition of fit people, it is
the same throughout their life. They are able to maintain the same body size
for several decades because they do not exercise to lose weight; they adopt
exercise as a part of their daily regime. Their fitness program becomes a kind
of regular hygiene, something like brushing teeth or taking a shower every day.
Benefits of Exercise
If we want to get healthy, we should stop solely concentrating
on weight loss because physical activities are much more than just a means of
losing several pounds. Exercise can bring positive emotions to our everyday
life. It also helps us with physical and mental stress relief and improves the
quality of sleep. Exercise even stimulates the brain functions.
One of the most important benefits of exercise is
prevention of disease. Moderate intensity aerobic activity for at least 2 hours
and 30 minutes a week can lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease,
type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. The Center for Disease Control and
Prevention provides this recommendation.
Moderate intensity aerobic activity is 46%-63% VO2max
training. It means that 46-63 percent of the maximum amount of oxygen is
consumed by the body during aerobic exercise. The effectiveness of exercise depends
on staying in the target heart rate zone during an aerobic workout.
The Karvonen Formula
The Karvonen Formula is a mathematical formula for
determining a target heart rate zone. It is based on a person’s maximum heart
rate (HR) and resting pulse. A simple calculation can be done to find the target
zone:
Target Training Heart Rate for
moderate intensity aerobic activity equals
resting HR + (0.40 or 0.59 (HRmax– resting HR)).
1). Resting Heart Rate (RHR) equals the pulse at rest. The best time to
get an accurate resting heart rate is first thing in the morning before leaving your bed.
Try to measure the radial pulse for a full minute, repeat this procedure for
three mornings in a row, and after that, calculate the average number.
2). Maximum Heart
Rate (MHR) equals
220 minus your age.
3). Heart Rate
Reserve (HRR)
equals Maximum Heart Rate minus Resting Heart Rate
4). Example of Karvonen
Formula Calculation
A
59-year-old male with measurements of morning pulse at rest: 60, 63, and 61
beats per minute (bpm)
Average RHR = (60+63+61)/3 = 61.3 approximately 61
MHR = 220 – 59 = 161
HRR = 161 – 61 = 100
(40% training percentage) = 100
x 0.40 = 40
(Target training Zone) = 40 + 61 = 101 beats per minute (bpm)
(59% training percentage) = 100
x 0.59 = 59
(Target training Zone) = 59 + 61 =120 bpm
The target-training
zone for moderate intensity (40%-59% of HRR) is 101 to 120 beats per minute (bpm) for 59-year-old male
with resting heart rate of 61 bpm.
It is obvious that exercise plays a big role in our
wellness. An exercise program should not be complicated. It should include a moderate
intensity activity level, target heart rate zone, regularity (3 times per week),
and a lifelong commitment. So, how do we do it?
Exercise Plan
Dr. Barnard, who is the founder of the Physicians
Committee for Responsible Medicine, provides a simple way for a person to
exercise. He suggests jogging or brisk walking that concentrates on your target-training
zone and not on distance. Before starting your exercise program, be sure to
discuss it with your primary care provider and follow his/her instructions.
Remember that you should feel comfortable, be able to maintain a short conversation,
and breathe easily during workout. Stop exercise immediately if you experience any
chest discomfort.
Start slowly and don’t push yourself too hard. It is
important to remember that exercise is beneficial for your health but it also
can cause injuries. We want to get healthy and avoid injuries at the same time.
If you are a healthy adult and in a good
shape, you can start with thirty minutes of brisk walking three times per week.
If you are not comfortable with brisk walking you can begin with a ten-minute
walk. No matter where you start, you should increase your exercise time by five
minutes each week until it increases to forty or forty-five minutes per session.
After that, you should exercise at least three or more times per week. When you
get comfortable with brisk walking, you can move to jogging.
You do not need to concentrate on distance; rather, you should focus on keeping your heartbeat in the target
zone range. When you begin your exercise plan, start with a target training
zone of 60 percent. When you get in better shape, stay within a target-training
zone of 70 to 79 percent. Remember that highly trained athletes exercise at 85
percent, but this level of heavy physical activity is not recommended for non-athletic
people. When you exercise, you can stop as much as you need but the goal is to
keep your heartbeat within your target-training zone.
In the End
Make small healthy changes today and include regular
physical activities. Small changes are realistic, easy to follow, and simple to
adopt. If small healthy changes are consistent, they can make a big impact on
our health.
Football season is here. Many of us are excited about weekend
football games. Next time we get together with our family and friends to watch
a football game, why don’t we try something new? How about baby carrots with
humus instead of potato chips with queso? By the time the Super Bowl is here
next year, regular exercise and healthy habits can transform your body and
mind. You will have a more powerful
physique, a stronger heart, and a sharper mind.
Just Go for It,
Maintain, and Don’t Ever Give Up!!!
Health, Happiness, and Harmony
Kay
References
Barnard,
N. (2013). Power Foods for the Brain.
New York, NY: Grand Central Life & Style.
The
Center for Disease Control and Prevention, (n.d). Retrieved August 24, 2017
from https://www.cdc.gov
Kenney,
W. L., Wilmore, J. H., & Costill, D. L. (2012). Physiology of Sport and Exercise (5th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
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