Pulse and Weight Loss: The Heart of the Matter

Resting heart rate. Varying heart rate. Maximum heart rate. Target heart rate. What is all the heart rate fuss about, anyway?  Can’t you just put in a hard workout and reap the results? Unfortunately, it’s just not that simple. Okay, we’re going to level with you here: Working out is already such a big commitment, and to have to watch your heart rate and listen to your PPT trainer tell you to “Quicken your pace”, “Maintain”, “Okay, slow down now”, “No, really, you need to slow down” can seem, well, frustrating. Sometimes you don’t want to pick it up. And other times the high of working to your full capacity is so exhilarating, who wants to be told to bring it down several notches? But did you know that monitoring your heart rate is one of the most important components of weight loss and overall health?

 

The Relationship Between Exercise and Heart Rate

Keeping your heart rate in the right zone is vital.

The easiest way to understand how your heart functions during exercise is to visualize a pump. The right side of the heart muscle pumps blood into the lungs, where it fills with oxygen. Blood then flows to the left side of the heart, where it pumps oxygenated blood out through the arteries and into the circulatory system. During exercise, muscles require more oxygen and produce more metabolic waste that the blood flow carries away. To help with this process, the blood vessels in the heart begin to expand, allowing the blood flow to increase. In this process called vasodilation, the heart beats faster. You can actually feel the increased push, or pulse, as the heart pumps increased amounts of oxygenated blood throughout your system. The harder you work out, the faster your heart pumps. Seems simple, right? Well, not exactly.

The Dangers Of A Soaring Heart Rate

Many people assume that if their pulse is high, they’re getting a better workout with the added bonus of exercising the heart muscle.  But pushing your heart rate to the max beyond a certain window of time is more than detrimental— it’s dangerous. Overexertion can lead to serious complications such as heart attacks, strokes, and even sudden death. Kind of ironic when you think about your fitness goals, isn’t it? The heart is a complex machine, and while we aren’t trying to instill fear, it’s important to highlight the dangers of pushing yourself too hard, or ignoring your trainer because you’ve been told “No pain, no gain” in the past. It’s a misleading maxim that can lead to a multitude of problems— the same problems we focus on preventing.

How Does Heart Rate Affect Your Ability To Burn Fat?

If you’ve ever worked out at a gym, you’ve most likely studied the BPM (Heart Beats Per Minute) chart on a cardio machine and tried to stay in the “fat burning zone”. More than likely, you’ve questioned how you can possibly burn calories at this low-intensity pace. Plus, if you’ve read about the importance of a varying your heart rate to lose weight,  now you’re on a whole new plateau of confusion. Ever just give up out of sheer exasperation or at least question whether you’re going about it the right way? With the plethora of information out there, it’s no wonder the majority of people are confused!

So, What’s The Answer?

Most of the time, the best way to burn fat is to stay within 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate – also referred to as the target heart rate – which you can calculate using the Karvonen method:
 

Target Heart Rate = ((Maximum Heart Rate – Resting Heart Rate) × % intensity) + Resting Heart Rate.

Make sure to calculate both the lowest number (50 percent) and highest number (85 percent) of your target heart range;  a pulse below or above those numbers will prevent you from working out in the fat-burning zone, which is usually a solid beginning for those looking to lose weight. Still you may find that it doesn’t seem aggressive enough or you’re concerned about the health of your heart and want to caution on a safer side. There are a variety of factors that can affect your target heart rate. If you suffer from high cholesterol, hypotension, or other heart-related diseases, for example, you may need to work out in a different zone. On the other hand, if you have quick recovery time (a measure of the heart’s ability to return to its pre-exercise resting rate) you may need a different zone strategy as well. The truth is, no two hearts are the same, so often time there’s just no one-rate-fits-all solution. There are many different workout routines that focus on reaching different heart-rate zones—from lower-intensity, endurance-building workouts, to higher-intensity workouts to interval training, in which you vary your pulse between high and low intensity rates. Remember, if you’re feeling unsure, a good personal trainer has had years of education and can build the right program uniquely for you. One of the many benefits of working with a trainer is his or her ability to personalize your workout on many levels—and analyzing your heart rate zone is one of them.

"What is the BEST way to do cardio?"

We get this question often: Which method of cardiovascular training is most superior for effective body fat reduction?
Is it jogging?

The elliptical?

Swimming?

The Answer: It's not the type of training that will make a difference... It is how it's performed!

Cardiovascular Defined
First, let us get straight what cardiovascular training really is: It is rhythmic, repetitive, and involves large muscles of the body moving through a big range of motion. This rules out repeated sets of bicep curls or heel raises for cardio exercise, but includes exercises that involve big, broad movements such as the elliptical or crossramp machines, walking, jogging, running, cycling, stair climbing, kicking, jumping jacks, stepping, or major movements of the arms and shoulders, such as rowing or boxing.

Desired Intensity
For those in good health without history of coronary intervention, heart or lung disease, stroke, poor circulation, or similar issues, it is generally best to train the cardiovascular system with a heart rate at 55-80% of its estimated maximum. This means that if your estimated maximal heart rate is 200 beats per minute, then you should probably find your most effective fat loss results at a training heart rate of 110-160 beats per minute. To safely estimate your maximum heart rate, please consult a Perfect Personal Trainer. This value will change over time, and should be re-estimated regularly so you are not undertraining or overtraining your aerobic system.

Which Form Is For You?
Choose cardiovascular exercises that you will find enjoyable, and feel free to go from one to another if you find yourself getting bored or having difficulty keeping your heart rate in the range described above. Also avoid cardiovascular exercises that rely on any of your joints that have caused you trouble. For example, if you have experienced hip or knee or ankle trouble, then you might be safer performing cardiovascular training that uses the upper body as opposed to the lower body. (It is generally best to consult a physician, however, if you have experienced any prolonged joint discomfort at all.)

Duration & Frequency
Now that we have defined what cardiovascular training is and an appropriate intensity, let's discuss the desired duration and frequency. After roughly twenty minutes, your body is more likely to start burning a higher percentage of fat than it did in the first twenty minutes. This percentage is scientifically shown to increase even more significantly as you draw closer to an hour of steady cardiovascular training. And, how often should this be performed? For general health, studies show that just two days per week can be somewhat beneficial, but that five days per week are more ideal for a longer life, reduced incidence of disease, and sustained fat loss.

Other Considerations
Weight-bearing cardiovascular training, such as jogging, can be either therapeutic or damaging to joints that are already unhealthy or strained. Consult a Perfect Personal Trainer to assess your medical history and risk factors. If you are currently sedentary, then you should always consult a physician and a qualified fitness professional before beginning an exercise regimen of any kind.

The Heart Wants What The Heart Wants

A common statistic within the fitness industry is the 70% dropout rate by the third month of a lifestyle-change program.  True - most fitness groups see more than two out of every three clients quit within three months.  PPT's numbers are vastly lower, generally seeing fewer than 5% abandon their programs within the first three months.

Part of what makes PPT's dropout rate so much lower than our competitors is that by embracing the science of exercise & lifestyle change, we see far better safety, efficacy and achievement. The way most of our clients see it, it is easy to stay with a program when you look good, feel good and avoid injuries!


In this article, we'll hone in on the specifics involved in building a healthy heart with a minimal risk for cardiovascular disease, America's #1 killer.  In case you're not quite sure what "cardiovascular disease" really is, it is far more than just heart failure or heart attacks.  Stroke, any form of arterial disease, inflammatory heart diseases and many other disorders fall into this category.

Reducing risk is a lot easier than you might think, even if your doctor believes there to be a genetic link.  "The Heart Wants What The Heart Wants", and below we'll outline the 5 key checkpoints that your heart wants from you, and that we can monitor regularly:

#5:  The right cardiovascular training protocol:  We've said it before and we'll say it again - studies show that most people need at least three to five days per week of cardiovascular training at at least 60% of their maximum capacity for exercise, generally for over 20 consecutive minutes.  Diabetics need more; the very athletic sometimes need less.  The bottom line is that without personalized, steady cardiovascular conditioning, your heart and lungs are at greater risk.

#4:  An appropriate body composition:  Easily monitored by your PPT provider, we compare your muscle-to-fat ratio to that of healthy norms for your gender and age.  This is a far more valuable metric than simply assessing height-to-weight, as height-to-weight will count every pound against you - even healthy weight such as bone, water or muscle tissue.  Body composition is a rare form of evaluation but has remarkably strong ties to determining tangible health outcomes for your future, and staying within the healthy range will help to make your heart much healthier than it would be otherwise.

#3:  Quality sleep patterns:  People tend to measure their sleep in terms of hours, but studies on sleep and its value in predicting health show that the depth of one's sleep is more critical than the number of total hours.  Additionally, heart health shows improvements in people who keep to a fairly regular bedtime, usually at approximately 10pm.  While sleep needs vary from person to person based on activity, stress, the environment and other factors, we find that most people need over seven hours per night to maintain healthy hormonal balance and a healthier cardiovascular system.

#2:  Hydration:  Staying hydrated is essential through every moment of your day and night.  There is not one activity that your body can perform without water, and when it has less water than it should, that activity is harder on your body.  Don't wear out sooner than you have to. Keep your heart strong by consuming the appropriate amount of water each day.  (Your PPT Client Services team have your personalized answer.)

#1:  The right meal plan:  Fruits and vegetables (organic preferred) are a big part of keeping the heart healthy, as are appropriate intake of vitamins, minerals, anti-inflammatories and healing herbs.  Your PPT team will provide specific numbers of servings to consume each day based on your weight and activity level, and studies show that the closer you get to these numbers the better off you'll be.  Stay out of the hospital and give your heart the phytochemicals and nutrients to maintain itself well as you age.

There are other critical factors as well, but these five checkpoints are manageable, measurable, and relatively straight-forward.  If you're already a client then please contact Client Services to help you better manage your personalized values so that you can make these checkpoints a reality.  If you're not yet a client, then request to become one in 2017!  Your heart will thank you for it!

How To Lose A Muffin Top By Summer in 5 Steps

The time is now.  Whether your plans for summertime involve boats, beaches, weddings or pools, losing the muffin top isn't just a health contribution anymore - it's the difference between sex appeal and self-consciousness.

So, how many sit-ups and crunches will it take to burn off this muffin top once and for all?

None.  Zero.  All the ab exercise in the world won't reduce your waist circumference or eliminate a muffin top. You can improve those muscles beautifully, but the excess fat around them isn't going anywhere without the right personalized plan. (See this video below.)

Your Muffin Top Melting Plan:

• Cardiovascular training at the right intensities for your resting heart-rate and health factors (PPT will figure these optimal intensities out for you), 4-7 days per week depending upon how bad the muffin top is, for 30-90 minutes at a time (this varies also, and your PPT professional can determine what's BEST for your body's needs and when that should change).  Without this key component, you won't burn many calories from stored fat and your heart won't be strong enough to maximize this next step:
• Muscle training that progresses properly (same intensities and duration week after week will NOT work).  All of the major muscles need to be trained moderately at first, then very heavily once the joints and heart are healthy enough.  Don't worry about stopping when you hit "the last rep"; most of your muscles need to train to the point where they can no longer safely perform another one.  Everyone's needs a specific to their physiology, but rest assured, muscle training for at least 90 minutes each week is always part of the program.
• A Meal Plan that (a) provides precisely the right macronutrients (proteins, carbs and fats) and that (b) is followed with precision.  We determine your macronutrients based on your metabolic rate, your body composition, your amount of lean tissue, and many other factors, and update them as your body changes.  It's imperative that you follow your meal plan closely, as its generally the most important part of your Muffin Top Melting program!
• Appropriate electrolytes, hydration, omega-3s and antioxidants for your body's specific needs:  You can't burn bodyfat very well without a well-functioning system.  Keeping these ranges appropriate will nourish your body and help it to be a fat-burning machine, incapable of sustaining a muffin top of any kind!
• Basically the same bed-time every night, and very deep sleep (support with melatonin and essential oils as needed) for at least six hours.  This is critical for hormonal balance and in minimizing chemical stressors.

This might seem like a lot, but there is a very bright light at the end of the hard-work tunnel:

Once you drop the top, your plan changes to the Maintenance Phase, which is tremendously easier and requires NO calorie deficit.  It's a smoother, simpler ride from there on out with more flexibility and wiggle-room for your food intake, your exercise regimen, and your lifestyle habits.

Remember, cherry-picking and "sort of" following your guidelines will lead to disappointment instead of solid success. 

Serious about melting off the muffin top and other excess bodyfat?

Then don't wait for the time to come to you (because it never will).

Instead, make the time, get focused, and know that you can burn that muffin top off forever by just following these 5 steps and staying consistent in each one of them.

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Questions about the steps to your muffin top elimination?  Contact Perfect Personal Training, comment below, or call us at (877)698-3648.  Our team can assess your health history, bodyweight, heart-rate, body composition and other important fitness factors to properly identify just exactly what you'll need to make the MOST out of the next 7 weeks (yes, that's all that's left) before Beach Season begins. That way, you avoid fruitless exercises and make the most out of every workout and every food that you put in your mouth.

Our top team of fat-loss experts is always here to help!

The Definitive 5-Part Body Toning Checklist

Getting toned can mean different things to different people.  Some presume that toning involves very heavy strength conditioning, whereas others believe that toning requires long bouts of endurance.  Below are the 5 things you absolutely must know to get toned and stay toned!


First, it's important to know that any unnecessary bodyfat should be burned off so that your muscles are better seen.  Even very thin people often have several pounds of fat that isn't necessary for their health, and that surrounds the muscles.

Secondly, it's unsafe to exercise only the muscles that you want people to see.  Your joints, bones, and gait rely upon total muscular balance to avoid injury and promote proper biomechanics throughout your days.  Aside from biceps, shoulders, calves and other "show muscles", be sure to properly condition the lesser-known and lesser-considered muscle groups as well.

And, while circuit training isn't the only way to get your body toned and defined, it is one of the quickest, and it generally comes with vast health benefits as well.  Minimal rest periods and smooth transitions from exercise to exercise, when monitored correctly, are just what the body needs to firm and define muscles while shedding pockets of fat that hide those muscles. Heart-rate, hydration, muscle responses, and other factors should be evaluated throughout each session.

A fourth item to keep in mind is that protein and dietary fat intake are also very important to the conditioning of your physique.  Without the right macronutrients at the right times, your muscles and metabolism don't open the doors to improvement that they could.  Speak with a PPT professional to determine what's best for you.

Finally, as is the case with any resistive conditioning, getting the appropriate intensity is crucial!  Too much can lead to joint injury, heart abnormalities, cramping, muscle tears, and other health issues.  Too little intensity won't produce results. For generally healthy individuals, 65-80% of a muscle's capacity is generally a safe and adequate exercise intensity for the muscles themselves.  Heart rate, breathing rate, and approximate exercise blood pressure should also be considered for ideal health.

Are you ready to make 2014 your year for fitness and body toning?  Just visit http://perfectpersonaltraining.com to view our rates and request your free in-home or on-site consultation and fitness evaluation with a degreed and top-certified PPT health & fitness coach!

Call us at (877)698-3648 ext 0 with questions! We love to help :)

Top 5 Ways To Avoid Injuries

Exercise is the most important way to prevent injuries in your day-to-day. When performed properly and with a progressive plan, you'll strengthen joints, bones and muscles to perform better and adapt to different environments and stressors. You'll even preserve your metabolism and mobility well into your golden years.

However, not all exercise plans are created (nor implemented) safely, and some exercise itself can cause injury if the right decisions aren't being made. Below are our top five ways to avoid painful & costly injuries both in and out of the exercise room:

#5:  Warm up properly.  Aside from avoiding EKG abnormalities, a smooth and gradual warmup prior to exercise will go a long way in preventing muscle and joint injuries such as sprains, strains and tears.  Gradually bring your heart rate and breathing rate up from a resting level to an exercise level (a Perfect Personal Trainer will help you determine) over 5-15 minutes (depending upon your medical history) using all of your major muscles.  Move from small ranges of motion to larger ones, and from light movements to more intense.

  #4: Select the right shoes.  It's important to spread impact throughout the foot, as opposed to localizing it into one place. Equally important is the idea of changing shoes about every 300-500 miles, even if you're not a runner. Even when you're not exercising, your footwear has a lot to do with your joint health, especially throughout the legs and spine. 

"You should look for a running shoe that isn't too high in the heel, or try a walking shoe, cross trainer or tennis shoe," suggests Price. By helping spread the impact to the whole foot, you'll prevent problems like plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, anterior compartment syndrome (a compression in the front of the ankle), lateral compression syndrome (a compression at the side of the ankle) and bunions. - See more at: http://www.mensfitness.com/training/five-most-common-gym-injuries#sthash.ATju7hSK.dpuf

"You should look for a running shoe that isn't too high in the heel, or try a walking shoe, cross trainer or tennis shoe," suggests Price. By helping spread the impact to the whole foot, you'll prevent problems like plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, anterior compartment syndrome (a compression in the front of the ankle), lateral compression syndrome (a compression at the side of the ankle) and bunions. - See more at: http://www.mensfitness.com/training/five-most-common-gym-injuries#sthash.ATju7hSK.dpuf

#3:  Relax your neck.  When exercising your upper body, keep your focus on the muscles you are conditioning, as opposed to the muscles in and surrounding your neck.  A loose, relaxed neck area is critical during shoulder exercises such as overhead press, lateral raise, or scaptions, and is also important during push-ups, rowing, and similar exercises for the upper body.  Be mindful of where your focus and stress are kept to prevent agonizing neck problems and poor biomechanics.

.#2:  Prevent back trauma.  Back injuries, in general, are triggered easily but are just as preventable:  Having
a solid, progressive, and well-planned core-exercise program will strengthen your spine (both the vertebrae and the muscles themselves) and reduce the risk of overuse or imbalance.  Squatting, stair-climbing, lunging, and other exercises that sometimes create problems for the low back are far less likely to do so if your core training is appropriate, and changes with your changing lifestyle.  Be sure to stretch daily and keep your daily movements sound as well, even when not exercising.

#1:  Minimize impact.  Exercise should be far from painful, and pushing through painful movements won't only be detrimental to your body - it'll probably slow your fitness progress down due to reduced ability.  Play it smart and reduce risk for arthritis and stress fractures by minimizing or avoiding impact activities.  Consider trading in running for low-impact exercises, replacing jumping jacks with walking jacks, and lessening the pounding created in boxing and kicking exercises.  You can keep you pulse rate in the appropriate zone even without the high impact (just as a Perfect Personal Trainer to help you).  Safer, smoother movements will generally minimize unhealthy stressors and prevent bone fractures as well as joint damage.

The information herein is general, and different recommendations will apply to different aspects of your health & fitness conditioning throughout varying phases of your program.  

Contact PPT today with questions or concerns about your own progressive fitness & wellness plan!

(877)698-3648 perfectpersonaltraining.com

Life-Saving Fitness Programs for 2015

Your exercise, nutrition and daily lifestyle habits are among the most important aspects of your being.  Health and happiness don't happen by chance - they're products of the decisions you're making each day.

If you're one of the many who believe that good health is simply the absence of immediate, in-the-now illness, then you're probably headed for some serious (but avoidable) health problems.  See this list of our top five way that a scientific fitness and wellness program can save your life!

#5:  Reduce risk for cancer and immune disorders

While cancer has its mysteries, there is no question that keeping a consistently strong immune system is key to cancer prevention. Health science shows us that a strong immune system is the result of the right doses of water, aerobic exercise, anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories. A PPT health coach and our clinical wellness team are eager to help you craft a cancer-preventive lifestyle!


#4:  Provide energy and mental clarity throughout the aging process

Is it hard getting out of bed or making it through your day?  While some occasional lethargy is to be expected in even the healthiest individuals, consistent weakness and poor energy aren't just unproductive ways to live your life, but they're signs of inefficient energy systems and heart and muscular health.  Statistically, persons with low tolerance for activity and weak energy systems generally show an increased likelihood for hospitalization later in life, as well as a higher mortality rate.


#3:  Prevent poor gait and balance problems

Healthy, safe movements perpetuate themselves:  Those who walk with long strides and a healthy posture continue to do so, whereas people with poor posture and stride perpetuate less effective and more risky daily motion.  From bone health to spinal health to heart health, it's all connected and it all relates to longer, healthier living.  Even the common balance problems of the elderly can be easily avoided with the right cardiovascular, strength, flexibility and core conditioning throughout our years.  Minimize risk for injuries and premature death with a simple but effective PPT health program - right in the comfort of your own home or workplace.



#2:  Protect your joints and spine

While our joints can't last forever, the body has an amazing ability to protect and maintain its joints (including those of the spinal column).  However, it won't be able to do so without the right care.  Nourishment, full range-of-motion exercise and appropriate sleep and hydration are essential to keeping the joints pain-free and functional.  Even in the very elderly, the right movement science and daily habits will protect and maintain even the largest, most-used articulations of the body.




#1:  Prevent heart attack or stroke later in life

Younger people rarely have concerns regarding heart health.  But, giving your heart and lungs the appropriate exercise and nutrition now will greatly influence health outcomes of the future.  Why risk your health and comfort later in life when you can make simple changes now to minimize risk?  The American College of Sports Medicine has demonstrated, through repeated clinical examination, that roughly 5-6 days of cardiovascular conditioning each week for 20 minutes or more at moderate to high intensities is part keeping the many factors of the heart strong.  But, that's just the tip of the iceberg, as sleep variables, stressors and other factors are also key.

Perfect Personal Training provides America's highest standard of wellness and fitness programming in your home or workplace.  Degreed, top-certified and peer-reviewed, we work as a collective team to bring science-based change to all types of individuals.  Learn more or request your free consultation at http://perfectpersonaltraining.com