10
GUIDELINES
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Include an exercise program that provides as least 300 calories or more of activity per day. This is best accom-
plished with exercise of low intensity and long duration. Many pieces of home fitness equipment give estimates
of calories burned while exercising. Remember these are approximate calories burned, exact amounts will
depend on type of exercise, your body size, intensity and duration.
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Add resistance training to your program to add muscle mass. Muscle cells are more active than fat cells and
will help you burn more calories per day.
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Include use of behavior modification techniques to identify 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 aerobic activities that use large muscle group will cause the greatest energy expendi-
ture.
If overweight or obese, you may 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.
> A Balanced Workout
All of your balanced home workouts should include three parts:
> Warm-up
> The main aerobic and/or strength routine
> Cool-down
Together, exercise and recovery comprise fitness conditioning: deny either and you invite injury and mini-
mize 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 you are pushing too much or too little. Monitoring your heart rate tells you
how much to exercise and when to rest.
> Warm-up
A good warm-up will help you perform better and will decrease the aches and pains most people experi-
ence. The warm-up prepares your muscles for exercise and allows your oxygen supply to ready itself for what's
to come. Studies show that muscles perform best when they're warmer than normal body temperatures. Warm-
up exercises include cycling, walking, skiing slowly until you begin to break a light sweat. This normally takes
about 5 to 10 minutes. If using a heart rate monitor, raise your heart rate to about 110 to 120 beats per minute
during your warm-up.
Stretching before and after exercise also serves many purposes. By promoting flexibility, it decreases the
risk of injury and soreness. It also enhances physical performance by allowing you to maintain a comfortable
position on the bicycle longer. Take a few minutes to stretch your legs,
shoulders and lower back before you get on your home equipment.
> Aerobic/ Strength Exercise
Vigorous aerobic exercise is the core of your workout program. The intensity of your exercise must be
strenuous enough to raise your heart rate into your target zone. This is usually between 60 and 90% of your
maximum heart rate. Cycling, or any exercise done in this range, is usually called aerobic exercise. It means
your body, your heart, and the various exercising muscles are working at a level at which oxygen can be utilized.
Exercising with a heart rate monitor allows you to constantly receive visible feedback (and on some models audi-
ble feedback) as to what your heart rate is while exercising, and allows you to stay within your selected target
heart rate zone.
IDENTIFYING YOU BALANCED FITNESS GOALS
