A 2% Investment Can Change Your Life!

Reduce Stress
Feel better
Increase Your Energy Level

This sounds like a great advertisement for one of those energy drinks that’s full of caffeine and sugar – but its not. And the 2% investment has nothing to do with money.

Did you know that you can have all of these benefits for FREE by exercising 30 minutes a day? Did you know that 30 minutes is equal to 2% of your day?

You don’t belong to a gym? You don’t have exercise equipment?  Hmmm, let’s go for a walk.  If you simply make a brisk 30 minute walk part of your daily routine… within one month you will:

• Loose weight
• Look better
• Feel better
• And live longer!

We’ve all seen Jared, the spokesperson for the sandwich shop who lost a tremendous amount of weight by changing his diet – by eating the healthy sandwiches. This is a great ad campaign and it sends a very positive message to all of us.  I am, however, quite confident that Jared didn’t loose all that weight by simply changing his diet. I’ll bet you one of those sandwich’s that Jared, in addition to his change in diet, started exercising about 30 minutes a day… A program that has changed his life for ever.

Exercising Tips

First and foremost if you are under the care of a physician, and / or if your are taking medication for diabetes or blood pressure, consult with your doctor before beginning a new lifestyle change such as an exercise program.

Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. It’s important to feel good.  Believe it or not, your 30 minutes of exercise a day should be ENJOYABLE!  Exercise is probably the only selfish thing that you can do… and feel good about it. Consider your 30 minute exercise program a birthday gift that you receive every day.

Don’t over-do it – it’s important not to tire too quickly. The benefits of your exercise program will disappear if you throw in the towel after 15 minutes.

Pace yourself – it’s especially important to start off quite slowly if you haven’t exercised in awhile. All great journey’s start with one step.

Measure your fitness level and monitor your progress while you exercise. To measure your fitness level – measure your pulse while you are exercising. Your ‘target’ heart rate should be within 50% to 85% of your maximum heart rate.

Your Maximum Heart Rate

According to the American Heart Association, your maximum heart rate is determined by your age.  The following table shows maximum heart rates and it shows the estimated target heart rates for the different age categories.

Look for your age category and read across to find your target heart rate:

Age	Target HR Zone 50-85 %	Average Maximum Heart Rate100 %
20 years	100-170 beats per minute	200 beats per minute
25 years	98-166 beats per minute	195 beats per minute
30 years	95-162 beats per minute	190 beats per minute
35 years	93-157 beats per minute	185 beats per minute
40 years	90-153 beats per minute	180 beats per minute
45 years	88-149 beats per minute	175 beats per minute
50 years	85-145 beats per minute	170 beats per minute
55 years	83-140 beats per minute	165 beats per minute
60 years	80-136 beats per minute	160 beats per minute
65 years	78-132 beats per minute	155 beats per minute
70 years	75-128 beats per minute	150 beats per minute

Your Target Heart Rate

The American Heart Association calculates Target Heart Rate by subtracting an individual’s age from 220. Let’s look at an example, Sally is 38 years old and wants to get into shape and she wants to loose weight. Sally has high blood pressure so she consulted with her physician before starting her new exercise program. Sally calculated her maximum and target heart rates:

Maximum Heart Rate: 220-38 = 182 beats per minute.

50% Target Heart Rate: 182 x .5 = 91 beats per minute.

85% Target Heart Rate: 182 x .85 = 155 beats per minute.

So, in this example, Sally should shoot for a heart rate of 91 beats per minute for the first three or four weeks of her exercise program. She should gradually build up to 137 beats per minute, which is 75% of her maximum heart rate. After exercising regularly for over 6 months, Sally can safely exercise and reach a target heart rate of 155 beats per minute – which is 85% of her maximum heart rate.

Note:

According to the American Heart Association: A few high blood pressure medications lower the maximum heart rate and thus the target zone rate. If you’re taking such medicine, call your physician to find out if you need to use a lower target heart rate.

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