How hard are you working to reach your weight loss goals?

To get the benefits from your cardio workouts, you need to know what level your intensity is.  This helps you to make sure you are working at a moderate to high enough intensity to get the benefit of weight loss and calorie expenditure.  Obviously, a leisurely stroll in the park does not burn as much fat and calories as swimming laps or running around a track.  Additionally, exercising at an intensity level that is too high for you can cause injury and burn out.  Depending on your goals, you may need to make adjustments to your workout routine to get the most benefits from your exercise.

The simplest way to monitor your intensity is to talk.  You should always be able to carry on a conversation while you are exercising.  If you are unable to talk, then your intensity level is, most likely, higher than 85% of your target zone.  However, if you are able to belt out songs like an opera singer during your workout, then you would probably do yourself a service by picking up the pace somewhat.  You should feel like you are working, but you don't want to feel as though you are going to need an ambulance at any minute.

If you are like me, and you want a more scientific approach to knowing your intensity level, then you may like the "perceived exertion" method of gauging your workout intensity.  This uses a scale of 1-10 that corresponds to how hard you feel you are working.  If you perceive you are working at a 1 or 2 on the intensity level, then you should most likely increase your workout level, however, if you perceive you are at a 9 or 10, which is equivalent to your lungs feeling like they might explode at any minute, then you should probably drop the level of intensity down some.  The rate of "perceive exertion" is a great tool to use as you begin to get fit and modify your program because if you started out walking 1 mile at what you perceived as a 7 intensity level, and after a month of doing this your rate now feels like it is only a 5, then it might be time for you to increase your speed or duration to account for your body adapting to a more fit lifestyle.  Below is a chart that you can use to gauge your workout intensity.

• 10 (maximum effort)  -  It's nearly impossible to continue.  Completely out of breath, sweating profusely, and you are unable to talk.
• 9 (very hard effort) -  It's very challenging, though not impossible to maintain the activity.  You can barely talk, and your breathing very hard and sweating a lot.
• 7-8 (Vigorous effort) - You're on the edge of your comfort zone.  Short of breath, heart is beating hard, you are sweating, and you can talk only in short sentences.
• 4-6 (Moderate effort) - It feels like you can keep moving for quite awhile without having to stop.  Breathing heavy, sweating, and you can talk in complete sentences and hold short conversations.
• 2-3 ( Light effort) - It feels like you can keep moving with very little effort for a long time.  Light sweat, you can easily hold a conversation.
• 1 (Very light effort) - You're doing something that requires virtually no physical effort.  Watching TV, sitting or typing at a computer.  No sweating or heart rate elevation at all.  

By using the talk test or rate of "perceive exertion," you are able to get a very valid and useful measurement of your workout intensity.  However there are ways of determining your exercise intensity in exact numerical terms to help you get even more benefit from your cardio workouts.  We will discuss how to figure target heart rates and use heart rate monitors in my next blog post.  Until then, keep working on that healthy, happy life you deserve.


WANT MY HELP TO REACH YOUR HEALTH GOALS?  SET UP YOUR FREE HEALTH ASSESSMENT AND GET A PLAN OF ACTION IN PLACE TO GET YOU TO YOUR GOALS BY GOING TO: www.coachellen.idlife.com and click on "take free health assessment" or contact me for your personal consultation.