Heart rate zones

I’m not a huge heart rate training fan, but since it’s February (heart health month) I thought it was the perfect time to dive into some facts about heart rate training.

You’ve probably seen the charts for finding your target heart rate either online or on cardio machines.

FACT: Most charts are oversimplified and don’t take into account your fitness level. With some (fairly) simple math, you can figure out the right zones for you.

NO WORRIES: I have a real-life sample below! This is easier than it looks.

You just need two things:

1. A calculator and

2. To know your resting heart rate (which is your pulse before getting out of bed in

the morning). If you use an activity tracker you probably already know this.

First: Calculate your maximum heart rate (MHR) with this formula:

220 - your age = maximum heart rate (MHR)

Second: Calculate your heart rate reserve by subtracting your resting heart rate from your max heart rate (MHR above):

MHR - resting heart rate = HRR (heart rate reserve)

Then, simply multiply your HRR by your target zones ... and add your resting heart rate number back in.

(HRR x target zone percentage) + resting heart rate = target heart rate

TIP: The American Heart Association recommends a target heart rate of:

● Moderate intensity: 50% to 70%

● Vigorous intensity: 70% to about 85%

So ... let’s say you are 40 years old and your resting heart rate is 65. Here is how you’d calculate your zones:

220 - 40 (age) = 180 (or, MHR)

180 - 65 (resting heart rate) = 115 (HRR)

For moderate intensity (50% to 70%): (115 x .50) + 65 = 122

(115 x .70) + 65 = 145

For vigorous intensity (70% to 85%) (115 x .70) + 65 = 145

(115 x .85) + 65 = 163

Some meds (like certain blood pressure drugs) can interfere with your heart rate, so it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor before kicking up your intensity, especially if you have any heart disease risk factors, or are over 45 (for men) or 55 (for women).

Do you pay attention to your heart rate during your workouts??

Your checklist to get back on track!

How are YOU doing on your goals? If you’re struggling or they are a distant memory, I have 6 solid tips for you In this post.

And … if you’re on-track, these tips will help snowball your efforts.

Tip 1. Go on a positivity diet! Read inspirational books … watch motivational videos … and interact with people who motivate you forward toward your goals – which can include curating your social media feed with people who make you feel more POSITIVE about life ... not plant seeds of fear and negativity. 

Tip 2. Surround yourself with like-minded people. This can be in Facebook groups or online forums, or at the studio!

If you’re not part of my Facebook community, you can join it by responding to this post with “Transformation”

Plugging into a community and feeling connected and supported is a HUGE advantage in getting back on-track and staying accountable. 

Tip 3. This one sounds counterintuitive, but if you are coming out of a slump or layoff, thank it!

This is because the slump likely gave you two important pieces of info: 

First, it might have highlighted something that wasn’t working for you. Why did the slump happen in the first place? 

Now you know what led to it – you have powerful data that can help you change things up!

And second, that slump also helped you realize how important it actually is to you to stay on-track, which can add real fuel to your fire.

Tip 4. Raise your energy level.

This applies to both your mind and your body. I’m talking about simple actions like going for a walk, getting some fresh air, reading some inspiring quotes, or listening to a motivational audio.

The idea is to bring some fresh and positive energy into your day, every day! Being intentional about this and seeking out that positive energy can be a game-changer. 

5. Shake up your routine. Most of us like a little novelty in our lives – doing the same old, same old all the time doesn’t feel super exciting. It can make you feel like you’re in a rut.

If this sounds like you, try something new!

This new thing doesn’t have to be elaborate. It can be something simple like jogging between every other telephone pole during your walk, or buying an exotic fresh fruit at the grocery store. 

Just do something a little different, because it can reignite the fun factor.

6. Consider hiring a coach/mentor There’s nothing like getting a fresh perspective to help you refine, refocus, and refuel your motivation toward your goal! 

A coach can save you valuable time and effort, and also help you find options when roadblocks inevitably pop up along the way. This can be huge!

BONUS TIP: Track your progress! TRACK YOUR PROGRESS! Not every day, maybe not even every week, but for sure every two weeks, which is what I do with all my clients. Give us just enough time to put adjustments to work and allow you to get into a rhythm before making mana or changes or giving up and completely throwing in the towel. The consistent assessment will help with quick wins and build momentum 🔑

I hope these tips help get you psyched to double down on your 2021 goals. There’s still plenty of time to make them a reality.

A look into 5 major factors (you control) that play role in how fast or slow your metabolism is…

Here’s a fast look at 5 major factors that YOU control that play a role in how fast or how slow your metabolism is:

FOOD CHOICES – Eating a balanced, whole-foods-based diet with enough protein and fiber can help boost your metabolism and keep you feeling full. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day will also make a big impact!

EXERCISE – Nearly all workouts can help you burn more calories, but strength training and high-intensity interval training workouts can give you some bonus burn after your workout is over.

STRESS – When you are stressed, it can affect your body’s hormones, which can in turn make your body burn fewer calories (and store fat).

SLEEP – Not getting enough sleep also affects your hormones. You can end up feeling extra hungry AND burn fewer calories (this is why I talk about sleep so much!).

OTHER ACTIVITY – This is a secret weapon for metabolism! Basically, the more active you are OUTSIDE your workouts, the more calories you burn all day. It can add up fast.

Here’s the best thing that no one talks about when it comes to those 5 components: when you get them working together, not only does your metabolism rev up … but you also FEEL GREAT.

You’ll feel more energized, lighter on your feet, and you might even start to hear people comment on your healthy “glow!”

Lots more to come in the coming weeks. We’ll dive in deeper with actionable advice and pro tips to help you fire your metabolism up and keep it there!

Foods That Boost Your Metabolism:

Protein-rich foods: Eating foods high in protein (meat, eggs, fish, legumes, tofu, etc.) rev up your metabolism because it takes your body more energy to digest them.

This is called the thermic effect of food – different foods require more energy than others.

Fun fact: Protein can boost your metabolism by 15% to 30%, carbs can boost it 5% to 10%, and fats between 0% to 3%.

A bonus with protein is that if you’re losing weight, it helps you hold onto more of your muscle, which also can help you keep your metabolism humming along.

Legumes: On top of containing plenty of plant-based protein, legumes (lentils, black beans, kidney beans, etc.) also contain resistant starch. That’s a form of fiber your body can’t digest.

Resistant starch can help improve your metabolism because it helps stabilize blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity, both of which are key in fat storage.

Coffee and tea: The amount of caffeine in an average cup of coffee (around 100 mg) appears to boost your metabolism by up to 11% for up to 2 hours.

Also, studies suggest the antioxidants and catechins in green tea (especially green tea extract) appear to rev up your metabolism by 3% to 4% (and as much as 8%), over the course of a 24-hour period.

Ginger: One study found that adding a heaping teaspoon (2 grams) of ginger powder to hot water and drinking it after breakfast raised metabolism – people burned about 43 extra calories AND they didn’t feel as hungry for the next three hours.

Apple Cider Vinegar: In mice studies, apple cider vinegar was found to promote the production of an enzyme called AMPK, which lowers the rate of fat storage and boosts the rate of fat burning.

(Tip: try combining ginger and 1-2 tbsp of organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar in hot water for a refreshing morning drink.)

Water: Drinking 2 cups of cold water temporarily boosts your metabolism by as much 30% for up to 40 minutes after you drink it. Much of the increase has to do with how hard your body works to warm up the water.

Chili peppers: Add some red pepper to your dinner to fire up your metabolism! Many studies have investigated supplements containing capsaicinoids, which is the component that gives chili peppers their “heat.”

You can get some of the same benefits from food by adding the spicy peppers to your recipes. Yum! Throw them into some chili with black beans and ground turkey for a 1-2-3 metabolic punch.

It’s important to know that none of these foods will suddenly make your body burn hundreds of extra calories a day ... but it’s pretty surprising how quickly layering in small, consistent changes can rev your daily burn!

10 steps to conquering your goals

These are not just for new year resolutions, this is for your LIFE’s solutions! Let’s jump in…

1- FOCUS & DECIDE. Instead of choosing several goals to work on all at the same time, focus energy to your top 1-2 main goals. Which are you most

2-BIGGEST WHY. Which are you most emotionally connected to?
3- COMMIT (No, Really) Commit the right amount of resources (time, energy, Finances, attention) to make your goals reality.

4- MAKE A PLAN. Every Sunday, set aside 15-30 minutes to plan out your week and make sure you have what you need on-hand and ready to go.

Then every night take 3-5 minutes to make sure you’re in track for the next day. This makes a huge difference 🔑

5- TAKE ACTION. This is actually the most important step of all. You won’t reach your goals without consistent action.

DO SOMETHING EVERYDAY THAT MOVES YOU CLOSER TO YOUR GOAL.

6- GET SUPPORT/ACCOUNTABILITY. Tell trusted friends and family members what you’re working toward. Or even better, work with an experienced coach who will help you get (and stay) on track with a proven program.

7- SET DEADLINES. Don’t skip this one. Without having a specific date to shoot toward, you dint have urgency to take action. When you feel a clock ticking down toward your goals, it will help you light a fire of motivation.

8- GIVE YOURSELF A REWARD. When you meet milestones along the way toward your goals, reward yourself with a healthy payoff! New shoes, workout gear, a book, or a massage are great choices!

9-MANAGE EXPECTATIONS. Making changes and going after goals can take time and effort. Be patient and stay the course! (You’re changing lifetime habits)

10- REEVALUATE. Do a quick evaluation of where you are every few weeks.
Are you killing it and staying on track? ✅

Are you following the plan?✅

Are you following the plan and it’s not working? 🤔

This is where a coach or accountability partner can make a big difference- because they have an experienced, big-picture view of your goals and can help you accelerate your results.

Trust the process. Keep going

When your results are taking forever!! 😩😩

Let’s say you’re following a proven plan to get the results you want. Except you feel like you aren’t getting those results!

 What should you do if that happens? 

It can be so tempting to push even HARDER into your plan by cutting things out of it or changing it up … 

…. or to start all over again with a completely different plan that your coworker or friend can’t stop raving about.

I’ve got THREE THINGS to check before you take any action!

First: Are you really SURE you aren’t getting results? [For example, if you are working towards losing weight but the scale hasn’t moved … know there are other methods to track your results beyond the scale, like your bodyfat% or skeletal muscle, how your clothes fit, or my favorite progress pictures. Our bodies are finicky and don’t always respond in a straight-line manner.]

Second: Have you given your plan enough time to work? [Especially for women, it can take a week or two for the results to kick in.] 

We have been programmed by reality TV (and a little social media) to expect instant and dramatic results, but the reality is, that’s not a healthy or sustainable approach.

The goal is to get results you can maintain for a lifetime, right? Those take a little time.

OK, so now for the third tip, which could be the most important. 

Ask yourself … 

Are you REALLY following your plan? By that I mean, are you switching things up or making adjustments here and there? 

This is a really common issue and it can quickly stall your progress. 

Do a review and make sure your actions align with your plan .. and then if you need to, readjust!

OK … so let’s say it’s been 2 or 3 weeks and you’ve been following the plan and you’ve gotten NO RESULTS. 

What should you do?

First, if you have a coach, definitely work with them on all of this.

Because this is when you should think about changing ONE THING in your plan to help nudge your results along!

What that thing is, depends on you and your particular goals. If you change too many things all at once, you won’t know what actually made the difference!

And then give it a week to see the changes. 

And then you just keep repeating.

This process can help you over the long-run because it helps you create real, healthy habits that will help you maintain all those hard-earned results!