Putting Your Heart into Your Workouts
The human heart is one of the most miraculous organs in the body. In one day your heart beats 100,000 times, or, roughly 35 million times a year. The human heart can create enough pressure that it could squirt blood at a distance of thirty feet, yet it weighs less than a pound. Even at rest, the muscles of the heart work hard--twice as hard as the leg muscles of a person sprinting. It needs that strength because, in one day, the blood travels a total of 19,000 km (12,000 miles)-- that's four times the distance across the US from coast to coast. Perhaps its most amazing attribute is that we don’t even have to tell it to work!
As we increase the physical load on the body, the heart increases its pumping action to fuel our skeletal muscles with oxygen. The American Heart Association recommends that all healthy adults ages 18 to 65 years need moderate-intensity aerobic activity for at least 30 minutes five days/week or vigorous-intensity aerobic activity for at least 20 minutes on three days/week. Moderate-intensity physical activity is equivalent to a brisk walk and noticeably accelerates the heart rate, and vigorous-intensity activity is exemplified by jogging, and causes rapid breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate.
To calculate an estimated heart rate for this range use this formula:
220-age= #
# x .65= moderate heart rate level
# x .85= vigorous heart rate level
But, that isn’t all there is to putting your heart to work when it comes to getting and staying in shape. Putting your heart (now we are talking to the center of emotion) into your workout will give you the stamina to make your program a long term way of life. Here are some suggestions:
- Write down the main reason you want to get fit and some landmark goals you would like to reach. This is your WHY, and your motivator when things get tough.
- Journal about what your life will be like once you have achieved your goal(s). You could even write this as though your body could speak in the first person as a way to keep it light and fun.
- Make a plan about how you will set aside time and resources to achieve your goals. A recent study shows that people are 76% more likely to stay on their walking program if someone else is counting on them. One of the best ways to keep moving is to schedule a time to workout with a friend, spouse, or buddy.
- Consistently review your goals and find ways to measure your progress. Some people use a scale, others use a particular item of clothing they want to have fit a little more loosely. After all, when you put your heart into something, you want to feel it change you, right?
Ultimately, you have to decide to make your body an expression of the passion you have for your life. Now, who wouldn’t mind a little more passion with results for a change?!
Nicole Irlbeck began Restoration Fitness out of her love of exercise and her desire to see women making the choice to love their bodies. She incorporates her Masters degree in exercise science, passion for authentic beauty, and athletic performance & rehabilitation experience with women (and buddies!) of all ages and levels to deliver a fun and effective wellness programs. Nicole can be reached through her website at www.restorationfitness.net or by phone at 303.482.6290.
