How hard are you REALLY working?

Hello fitness fans!
This week we're focusing on a simple little tool that can make all the difference in the world when it comes to what you're getting out of your time working out.

You may feel like you’re giving it your all, when in reality you need to work a lot harder to maximize your calorie burn.

Personal trainer, Angie Gallagher, swears by a heart rate monitor to keep you in the zone.

“I use it myself every work-out because I want to make sure I’m not wasting my time.”

There are several different calculations to determine your maximum heart rate and the rate at which you’re burning the most calories and fat. Our goal is between 140 and 150 beats per minute to get the most workout “bang for our buck.”

“When you use that equation with this monitor you know exactly where you need to be when you’re doing your cardio workout so that you’re not going to low or too fast and injuring yourself.”

Angie says it’s far more accurate than the “Perceived Rate of Exertion” test, in which you rate the work-out on a scale from one to ten.

“Most people rate themselves as being much higher and then when they strap one of these on they realize they’re not even close to where they need to be for the aerobic weight loss zone they want to be in.”

The most accurate heart rate monitors feature a transmitter that wraps around the chest. The most basic monitors cost about $50. More advanced models, which can include complex data analysis and computer compatibility, will set you back a couple hundred dollars.

Angie says all of them make your work-out the best it can be, “because it takes all the guesswork out of it.”

You can find heart rate monitors just about everywhere, and the staff at places like Fitness Sports or Scheels can help you pick one that's right for you.

Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com