EXERCISE

Most of us are aware of the advantages of being fit. We want to be in better shape and in step with the active world. We may have bought running shoes and exercise clothes. We tried, quit, maybe tried again, but for most of us, our inactive lifestyles were too comfortable to change.

The secret lies in knowing how to exercise for maximum fitness without pain or discomfort. You don’t have to be an athlete to get health benefits from physical activity. You can start with walking and later ease into other types of aerobic activities. This article will help you take the first step, get over the hump, and make aerobics a fun part of your life, a habit you’ll want to keep.

Enhance your well-being...
Aerobic exercise helps you relieve stress, have more energy, be more productive and even feel more relaxed and self-confident.

Strengthen your heart...
A fit heart is more efficient and pumps more oxygen-rich blood through your body. Aerobics helps lower your risk of heart attack, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Burn fat...
Burn more fat with the extra oxygen and fat-burning enzymes you get from aerobic exercise.

To maximize the benefits of exercising, it is important to exercise with the proper intensity. The proper intensity level can be found by using your heart rate as a guide. For effective aerobic exercise, your heart rate should be maintained at a level between 70% and 85% of your maximum heart rate as you exercise. This is known as your training zone. You can find your training zone in the table below.

During the first few months of your exercise program, keep your heart rate near the low end of your training zone as you exercise. After a few months of regular exercise, your heart rate can be increased gradually until it is near the middle of your training zone as you exercise.

To determine how fit your really are, check out how fast your pulse returns to normal after aerobics. The more fit you are, the faster you recover. To check your recovery rate, take your pulse 3-5 minutes after you finish aerobics. Walk slowly while your pulse drops (it should now be below 100 beats a minute).