I always wear my heart rate monitor in conjuction with using perceived exertion while
teaching classes and for my own workouts.  I read an interesting article about the heart rate formula.
As with nutrition, there is  no cookie cutter formula with heart rate..it is a guide to start somewhere.

New Heart Rate Formula May Improve Program Design for Women

The use of heart rate to predict and monitor exercise intensity is common amongst exercisers of all types, from endurance athletes to cardiac rehab participants. Although heart rate remains the best option available for gauging intensity there remain questions regarding the validity of the many equations available to predict target heart rate for training. The maximum heart rate (HRmax) formula that currently serves as the foundation for prescribing intensity is 220 minus age. Two studies over the past decade address both gender and age-related drawbacks to this formula.

First, approximately 8 years ago, researchers at the University of Colorado reported that the HRmax formula was not valid for individuals over 40. They determined that the predicted decline in HRmax that occurs with age is considerably slower after the age of 40 than before. Hence, they developed the following formula which is believed to offer a more accurate prescription for an older population: 208 – (Age x .7).

This past month it was reported that the traditional HRmax formula results in an inflated exercise heart rate for women. In this study of over 5,400 women, participants completed a maximal treadmill test after which they were followed for a period of 16 years. The data collected from the project determined an association between risk for heart attack and abnormal heart rate readings during the previous treadmill test. Moreover, it resulted in a new formula to calculate maximum heart rate in women:

206 – (Age x .88).

Researchers determined that women who were programmed based on the original max HR formula were unable to sustain predictably manageable intensities (i.e. 65-85% max HR). The new formula predicts a lower max HR and thus lower relative HR’s for women.

This study presents an interesting challenge to fitness professionals. Although it is acceptable, should you choose to incorporate the new formula, which results in a lower relative intensity, do the client's results suffer? If so, it may be more appropriate to first use the newer formulas, continue to incorporate HR monitoring, but to include perceived exertion to modify intensity on an individual basis.

Tara Parker-Pope. Recalibrated Formula Eases Women’s Workouts. NY Times Health Update. July 5, 2010.

Do you wear a heart rate monitor when you work out?  What do you do to monitor intensity levels of your workouts?

I have had a few clients comment about choosing organic because they felt that would mean low calorie...interesting article concerning the influence of the term organic...

Consume Confuse "Organic"
with "Lower Calorie"
Just because a food is labeled "organic" doesn't mean it has fewer calories - but a "tendency to over-generalize health claims" may lead to that mistaken conclusion, according to University of Michigan researchers. They conducted two studies with college students to test whether people "assume that foods produced organically contain fewer calories than their conventional counterparts, despite the fact that the 'organic' designation entails no such claim." In one study, 114 students were shown two nutrition labels for cookies, both clearly marked as containing 160 calories per serving; nonetheless, the cookies "made with organic flour and sugar" were perceived as having fewer calories. A second study asked 215 students about a story in which a character who wants to lose weight skips exercising. Students were more forgiving if the character chose an organic dessert than a non-organic dessert - and even more than if she had no dessert. The influence of organic labeling on notions about calories was strongest among those who also otherwise most highly valued "organic" as an attribute of healthy foods. - Judgment and Decision Making

Did/do you think choosing organic means the product is healthier? What organic processed products do you eat?

 

Do you want to take charge of your nutrition?  Take some classes at Mass Bay Community College this summer.　
Visit:

http://www.massbay.edu/uploadedFiles/Corporate_and_Community_Ed/Summer_Semester_2010.pdf

EATING HEALTHY for BUSY PEOPLE- GOOD NUTRITION Do you know what carbs to eat? Do you know how to figure out how much to eat to fuel your body and your mind? Learn how to choose health foods no matter where you are.

Class One: Learn the basics of nutrition, covering macronutrients and their importance. Carbohydrates, Protein, healthy fats. We will discuss the important balance of hydration, sleep, stress, exercise, nutrition.

Class Two: Reading a food label, tips on eating healthy no matter where you are, ordering out, how to stock up on staples and what to have in your pantry. 2 days    

 

 

Framingham campus $75

 1919 WK385 TUE 7/20, 7/27 6:00PM-8:00PM

I hope to see you there!!

 

 

1 out of 3 children are obese.  What can we do about it? 
It is not just about nutrition, kids need to be active too.

What do you think we can do to help the upcoming generations with their
nutrition and fitness?  Especially with the numerous cut backs with physical education and activities....


Listen to wbur program that aired this morning. 
http://www.onpointradio.org/2010/07/childhood-obesity