Heart rate monitors have gained a lot of attention lately because of the obesity and Type 2 diabetes epidemics. This awareness has led to renewed interest in activities like walking, running, and cycling, where you increase your endurance over time.
Twenty years ago, it seemed as though the vast majority of people assumed that regular exercise was only something film stars or athletes had to bother with.
Yet it seems that very few people remember that during the 1960s, there was a national fitness craze inspired by President Kennedy, and every kid had to participate in some sort of physical activity each day at school. Plus after school, we always loved to play outside, whereas nowadays so many kids just sit indoors, playing video games or updating their Facebook profiles.
Yet at the same time I appreciated being physically active. We had six-week modules of various sports: football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, and swimming--in addition to regular calisthenics to keep us in shape. So even if you weren't good at one sport, you could always try another; and it didn't really matter if you weren't a star athlete, trying out for the football team. It was just fun to get out and play!
Finally, the pendulum has swung back again.
Numerous fitness studies demonstrate that increasing your intensity level is the ideal way to lose weight and increase muscle tone. A more healthful, regular diet (not "dieting") is important, as well, so you're not depriving yourself!
Finding the right level of intensity is the real key to fitness.
And yet that level will change over time as you become increasingly fit. So it's not easy to figure out how much you should rest in between intervals. To gauge your intensity level, a heart rate monitor can help you identify the level of intensity that's just right for your own body type and your current level of fitness.
Even people who are more focused on building strength are using a heart rate monitor, which keeps track of your intensity level while you're exercising. Keeping track of your intensity level is useful because it helps you assess your optimal recovery time.
It's important to get accurate feedback about when to slow down and when to increase your workout intensity.
Naturally, this varies from person to person. A professional athlete who's been competing in a sport for many years will have a different pulse than someone who's only just started to get active again.
A heart rate monitor can help you determine when to ease up and for how long before you increase your intensity level again. Recovery is an essential element of getting into shape. During periods of rest (which includes sleep), you body repairs itself and even grows stronger. Without enough recovery, you won't reach your optimal fitness. A heart rate monitor can help you find and maintain just the right pace; then as you get more fit, you can gradually increase your intensity over time.
So if you've been thinking about getting active again, but you weren't sure where to start--a heart rate monitor can help you measure your progress and keep you motivated!
Rik Isensee, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist in San Francisco. He has worked for many years with people who are striving to live a healthier lifestyle, but who don't want to deprive themselves of the good things in life!
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