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CONDITIONING GUIDELINES
The following guidelines will help you to plan your
exercise program. Remember that proper nutrition
and adequate rest are essential for successful results.
EXERCISE INTENSITY
Whether your goal is to burn fat or to strengthen your
cardiovascular system, the key to achieving the
desired results is to exercise with the proper intensity.
The proper intensity level can be found by using your
heart rate as a guide. The chart below shows recom-
mended heart rates for fat burning, maximum fat
burning, and cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise.
To find the proper heart rate for you, first find your age
near the bottom of the chart (ages are rounded off to
the nearest ten years). Next, find the three numbers
above your age. The three numbers are your “training
zone.” The lowest number is the recommended heart
rate for fat burning; the middle number is the recom-
mended heart rate for maximum fat burning; the high-
est number is the recommended heart rate for aerobic
exercise.
Fat Burning
To burn fat effectively, you must exercise at a rela-
tively low intensity level for a sustained period of time.
During the first few minutes of exercise, your body
uses easily accessible
carbohydrate
calories for
energy. Only after the first few minutes of exercise
does your body begin to use stored
fat
calories for
energy. If your goal is to burn fat, adjust the intensity
of your exercise until your heart rate is near the low-
est number in your training zone as you exercise. For
maximum fat burning, adjust the intensity of your
exercise until your heart rate is near the middle num-
ber in your training zone as you exercise.
Aerobic Exercise
If your goal is to strengthen your cardiovascular sys-
tem, your exercise must be “aerobic.” Aerobic exer-
cise is activity that requires large amounts of oxygen
for prolonged periods of time. This increases the
demand on the heart to pump blood to the muscles,
and on the lungs to oxygenate the blood. For aerobic
exercise, adjust the intensity of your exercise until
your heart rate is near the highest number in your
training zone.
HOW TO MEASURE YOUR HEART RATE
To measure your heart
rate, first exercise for at
least four minutes.
Then, stop exercising
and place two fingers
on your wrist as shown.
Take a six-second
heartbeat count, and
multiply the result by 10 to find your heart rate. For
example, if your six-second heartbeat count is 14,
your heart rate is 140 beats per minute. (A six-second
count is used because your heart rate will drop rapidly
when you stop exercising.)
WORKOUT GUIDELINES
Each workout should include the following three parts:
A warm-up
, consisting of 5 to 10 minutes of stretching
and light exercise. A proper warm-up increases your
body temperature, heart rate, and circulation in prepa-
ration for exercise.
Training zone exercise
, consisting of 20 to 30 min-
utes of exercising with your heart rate in your training
zone. Note: During the first few weeks of your exer-
cise program, do not keep your heart rate in your
training zone for longer than 20 minutes.
A cool-down
, with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching. This
will increase the flexibility of your muscles and will
help to prevent post-exercise problems.
WARNING:
Before beginning
this or any exercise program, consult your
physician. This is especially important for
persons over the age of 35 or persons with
pre-existing health problems.
