FitSugar

Should You Get a Heart Rate Monitor?

FitSugar — Tue, 08 May 2007 04:00:00 PDT

You've heard me talking about them and you've probably seen them on people at the gym: Heart Rate Monitors. Duh, duh dom.

I know they can seem scary and you may be thinking my heart is fine, I don't need to monitor it. True as that may be, heart rate monitors are used as a training tool more than a heart health monitoring device. They are not only for people with known heart conditions, everyone can benefit from wearing a heart rate monitor but some people will benefit more than others.

OK, so is it right for you? If you've ever thought one (or more) of the following, then I'd say you'd benefit from a heart rate monitor:

"I think I am getting a great workout, though I don't seem to be breaking a sweat."
"How do I know if I am really working out?"
"When I try and take my pulse, I often feel like I miscount or miss a beat."
"I want to try to use a variety of machines, but I am worried that I am not going to know if I am getting an effective workout from machine to machine."
"Sometimes I think my heart is going to pop out of my chest because it is beating so fast -- How do I know if it's beating too fast?"
"I have a really hard time holding on to those sensors on the machine while I am exercising and they never seem to really work anyway."
"I would like to shorten my workouts once a week by training really hard for a shorter period of time, but I am not sure how I will know if I am accomplishing this."
"I love this beginner group class I have been taking for a few months now, but should I move onto the intermediate level?"
"How do I know if I am warming-up or cooling-down?"

A heart rate monitor really takes the guessing out of working out. All you have to do is know where you would like your target heart rate to be and keep on keeping out until it gets there. Once you get there, keep it there. Can't get it there, work harder. Simple, eh? Not sure what your target heart rate should be? Check out Fit's Calculator to find out. There are lots of great heart rate monitors out there, but a good one to start is the Polar SF3.

3 Things to Monitor During Every Workout

Leta Shy — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:03:02 PST

Maintaining a workout routine can be mostly about having the motivation to get up and get out. Even so, you should also have a plan for what you should watch out for while you're sweating. To get the most of your workout, make sure that you're monitoring these stats while you exercise.

Heart rate: You should monitor your heart rate so that you are reaching your cardio goals, such as the right level of intensity in your workouts. It also helps to know what your max heart rate is so that you don't continuously overwork yourself - you should normally be working out at 60 to 90 percent of your heart rate unless you are sprinting or otherwise doing interval training. If you don't want to invest in a heart rate monitor, you'll have to do the math to find out your heart rate manually. Just make sure you're using the newer formula for determining your maximum heart rate; the old school "220 minus your age" formula isn't optimized for women. Learn how to calculate your maximum heart rate more accurately.

Read on for more stats you should be monitoring with every workout.

4 Surprising Things You Don't Know about Calories

Prevention — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:12:55 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Only 12 percent of Americans can estimate the calories they eat in a day! Find out why we're so clueless and get easy ways to stop calorie confusion.
By Mara Betsch, Prevention

You know what calories are, and you probably know that if you eat too many, you’ll gain weight. But do you know how many are in your favorite deli sandwich? Or how many calories you should really eat each day? Most Americans don’t. Only 12% can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day someone their age, height, weight, and physical activity, according to a 2010 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. So what is it about calories that keeps us baffled? Here are 8 reasons you’re confused about calories and the simple steps that will help you do the math.

8 Healthy Foods That Help Fight Disease

1. Portions Sizes Are Out of Control
You’ve all heard about the rapidly expanding serving sizes of restaurant and fast food portions, but just how bad are they? Portions sizes in restaurants may contain double or triple the calories of home-cooked meals, and studies show eating out is associated with a higher BMI. Unfortunately, those portions affect our waistlines. When there’s more food on the plate, people eat more-up to 30% more, according to an analysis of several studies.

Stop the confusion: Use this cheat sheet of portion sizes. We know it’s hard to look at your plate as decks of cards, tennis balls, and all the other, so start by measuring out your food servings at home and take a good look at what a half-cup of pasta looks like. Until the serving sizes are engrained in your brain, when dining out, aim to eat half of your meal, saving the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Comfort Food That’s Actually Good for You

2. Serving Sizes Are Deceiving
"There really aren’t standard serving sizes for packaged foods, which makes them confusing," explains Elisa Zied, RD, author Nutrition at Your Fingertips. She gives the example of cereal. A standard serving size of breakfast cereal is approximately 50 g, but depending on the cereal, that could mean a cup and a half of flakes or half a cup of heartier granola. Depending on the type of cereal you’re eating, just eyeing how much you put in the bowl, like most people do, can lead to inaccurate calorie counts.

Not only that, but larger-than-life snack foods may seem like single servings even though they often contain two to three servings per packet. Buy a 16-ounce bottled Coca-Cola, and the nutrition label reads 100 calories . . . for one of the two servings in the bottle. Drink the whole thing, as many people do, and you’re really getting 200 calories. Eat the whole bag of Austin Zoo Animal Crackers, commonly found in office vending machines, and you’re getting 230 calories, nearly two servings, instead of just one.

Keep reading to learn even more about calories!

Your Most Popular Exercise Myths Debunked

Leta Shy — Thu, 12 May 2011 11:55:58 PDT

Earlier this week we asked you which exercise myth had you convinced for way too long, and you weren't too shy to let us know! We already debunked the myth that muscle turns into fat, but here are the most popular myths that you believed and why they are so completely untrue!

Myth: Strength training makes you bulk up.

You said: "[I believed] that strength training would make you bulk up - [but] it's HARD for women to put on tons of muscle without really trying!!" - Gabriela Une Vie Seine
Fact: Many of you said you believed the bulking myth. In reality, however, building huge muscle requires testosterone coupled with a serious weight-training regimen (not to mention a protein-filled diet), so you aren't going to sculpt a bodybuilder physique unless you really want to. Strength training is an important part of any exercise routine; the more muscle mass you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate will be. And while the rate of muscle building depends on your body type, not only will strength training give you a higher calorie-burning rate, but it'll make you more defined as well (as celebrity trainer Jackie Warner says, "Would you rather have fat under those jeans or a little bit of tone?").

Myth: You can eat whatever you want as long as you exercise.

You said: "[I believed that] if I work out everyday I could eat whatever I wanted. Duh!!!!" - Facebook user Brighty
Fact: Whether or not you gain or lose weight is all about the math. Losing pounds happens when you have a caloric deficit, meaning you eat fewer calories then you burn. Whether you want to maintain, gain, or lose weight while you exercise, having your metabolic rate checked and wearing a heart rate monitor can help you know exactly how much you should be eating. What you eat is also important, especially if you're training for a race; it's important to find the perfect balance of fats, protein, and carbs that will keep you fueled and energized.

Find three more popular myths debunked after the break!

10 Tips to Improve Your Running Technique

Shape — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:58:44 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape, here on FitSugar.

Don’t Run Heels First. Avoid striking the pavement with your heels - save that for your power walks. "When you walk, you keep one foot in contact with the ground, while running has a moment of weightlessness in the stride," says Alex Figueroa, a running coach and creator of Priority1 Wellness in Miami Beach. Running with a heel landing can contribute to back and knee pain.
Do Land on the Midsole of Your Foot. Landing on your forefoot (instead of your heels) allows your muscles to catch the weight of your body in flight, reducing the effects of impact on the joints and bones, says Figueroa.
Don't Use a Long Stride. Leaping forward while you run is inefficient and an energy drain. Instead, stand tall and lean forward, and when you feel like you are going to fall, step forward just enough to catch yourself. This should be the length of your stride. It takes less energy to fall than to reach your foot in front of you.

Read on for seven more tips to improve your running technique.

Gear Review: Nike+ SportWatch GPS

Susi May — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:05:35 PDT

It was only a matter of time before Nike created a GPS sports watch. The company introduced the Nike+ system five years ago, so adding a new component to the system seemed the right way to celebrate the half decade mark. And following its tradition of innovative design, this watch is good looking. Much more stylin' than other GPS watches out there with a relatively slim profile and easy-to-read face.

The company sent me a Nike+ SportWatch GPS ($200), and I've been testing it out. New gear always helps me step up my workouts. Yep, I've been running a bit more these days. The watch comes with a Nike+ foot pod and charging cable, which you will likely never use since the watch has a USB plug integrated into the band. Meaning you can plug the watch directly into your laptop to upload your workout data to the Nike web page while charging the battery of the watch, too. This is super convenient and the coolest feature of the watch, in my opinion.

The Nike+ SportWatch has the most simple user interface of any GPS watch or heart-rate monitor I have ever used. It only has three buttons. One to scroll up. One to scroll down. And one to press enter. You use the Nike website, which opens up automatically after you plug in the watch to your computer, to program your personal data: age, weight, etc., as well as preferences (sound off/on, splits, create interval workouts).

Keep on reading for more details about this watch.

DrSugar Answers: Running and High Heart Rate

DrSugar — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:00:12 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's answering a runner's question about her heart rate.

Dear DrSugar,
I am worried that my heart rate is too high when I am running. I am fairly fit and work out three to five times a week. My resting heart rate is around 70, but when I start running it shoots up to 168 and I am not even moving fast. I am running an 11 plus minute mile to warm up. It stays up pretty high during my entire run and sometimes gets over 170 when I push my pace a bit. I am 35 so I know my max heart rate is only 185, so my heart rate seems kind of high to me since I am not even sprinting or anything. Is this normal? Is there something wrong with my heart? Should I make an appointment with my doctor?
- Hearty Gal

Thank you for having the insight to ask this very important question. I’m certain you are not the only FitSugar reader who has faced this issue. To see my answer, just

Before I begin, I encourage you and all FitSugar readers to always consult your primary care physician if you are concerned about your health. Whether you have actual signs and symptoms of a problem, or just a gut feeling, a complete history and physical examination by a physician is of utmost importance to rule out a medical condition.

Getting back to the question at hand, there are three factors that should be discussed when it comes to heart rate and exercise. These factors are: basal (or resting) heart rate, maximum predicted heart rate, and target heart rate. There are many different equations that can be used to calculate one’s maximum predicted heart rate. An equation that is generally used for healthy young adults is the formula 220 minus age. Just as you had stated in your question, at age 35, your maximum predicted heart rate is 220 minus 35, which equals 185 beats per minute.

It is not recommended to exercise above 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. You gain the most benefits and lessen cardiovascular risks when you exercise in your target heart rate zone. According to the American Heart Association, your target heart rate zone is when your exercise heart rate is 50-85 percent of your maximum heart rate. It is possible for your heart rate to get above 90 percent of the maximum heart rate during vigorous exercise, but usually this is during interval training with rest/recovery periods that allow your heart rate to return to the acceptable 50-85 percent level. Monitoring heart rate during exercise is a great way to determine your exercise intensity and can be done manually or by investing in a heart rate monitor.

It is also very important to measure your basal (or resting) heart rate. According to the Mayo Clinic, the normal resting heart rate for a healthy adult is 60-100 beats per minute. For a well-trained athlete, a normal resting heart rate may be as low as 40-60 beats per minute. Tachycardia (the medical term for a fast heart rate) is generally defined as a resting heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute. Some people with tachycardia have no symptoms at all, but some may experience dizziness, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, palpitations (a physical feeling of skipping heart beats), chest pains, or fainting.

A number of conditions can cause a rapid heart rate and tachycardia symptoms, including hyperthyroidism, congenital disease of the heart, high blood pressure, heavy alcohol or caffeine use, or imbalance of electrolytes in the blood. There is a very big possibility that you are just fine and your heart and health are completely normal, but because you are concerned, I would recommend seeking consultation with a physician to rule out a medical condition. A simple blood test can determine if you have hyperthyroidism and your physician may choose other tests to perform based on your history and physical exam.

Take care of yourself, know your limitations, and see a medical professional for an evaluation. Even if everything turns out to be normal, the peace of mind will help you keep your stride!

Have a question for DrSugar? You can send to me via private message here, and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.