• Exercise is a key part of weight loss – combined with a sensible diet, it helps burn more fat and less lean body tissue.
• Regular exercise keeps your metabolic rate high for up to four hours after you finish – that’s why it’s especially important for weight maintenance.
• Different forms of exercise burn calories at different rates – whatever type of exercise you select, the important thing is to keep moving and exercise

• Be sure to incorporate 5-10 minutes of low-level exercise before and after your exercise session, such as:
  • Walking
  • Walking in place
  • Low-level biking
• Then follow with slow smooth stretching. Hold each stretch for 10-15 seconds.
• The warm-up gets your muscles ready for exercise and helps prevent soreness and injury.
• The cool-down helps prevent soreness and helps in getting blood back to the heart so you don’t feel dizzy or lightheaded.

First

• Calculate your maximum pulse rate capacity. Do this by subtracting your age from 220.
• Then, multiply that rate by 60 percent to determine a safe target pulse rate for a moderate activity level.

As your personal fitness increases, you can increase your target pulse rate to 75 or even 85 percent of maximum pulse rate capacity.

For example:
If your age is 40:
220-40 = 180
x .60 = 108
Target Pulse Rate for Moderate Exercise = 108

Second

– Learn how to count your actual pulse rate:

1. Put two fingers high up on one side of your neck, just under the jawbone, where you can feel the carotid artery pulsing.
2. Count the heartbeats you feel for 15 seconds, then multiply by 4 to get your pulse rate count per minute.

Third

– To begin exercising effectively, monitor your pulse rate at five or ten minutes into the activity, making sure that it does not exceed 60 percent of its maximum capacity. A safe minimum activity level at this rate includes at least three 20-minute sessions per week.

Fourth

– Continue to exercise regularly and challenge yourself to increase your fitness level along with your target pulse rate from this starting point.

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