The following lifestyle activities show how many calories are burned in a 10 minute time period.
| Body Weight | 175 pounds | 250 pounds |
|---|---|---|
| Walking downstairs | 78 | 111 |
| Walking upstairs | 202 | 288 |
| Making beds | 46 | 65 |
| Washing windows | 48 | 69 |
| Dusting | 31 | 44 |
| Washing floors | 53 | 75 |
| Gardening | 42 | 59 |
| Weeding | 68 | 98 |
| Push mower | 52 | 74 |
| Preparing a meal | 46 | 65 |
| Washing or dressing | 37 | 53 |
| Shoveling snow | 89 | 130 |
| Painting your house | 40 | 50 |
| Chopping firewood | 84 | 121 |
In order to determine your training heart rate, you need to first take your pulse. Take you first two fingers, (don't use your thumb) and press lightly on your radial artery. That's the artery located on the inside of your wrist close to the bottom of your thumb. Count the number of beats for ten seconds. Multiply this number by six. The number you get for your answer is your base heart rate.
The chart on the next page will give you your training heart rate based upon your age. The maximum heart rate is listed as well. In order for our bodies to be in good cardiovascular condition, we must exercise at our training rate for a minimum of 20 - 25 minutes 3 to 4 times a week.
During your exercise session, take your pulse before you start, and when you notice an increase in your breathing. Then take it every 5 to 10 minutes. It is important that you do not exceed your maximum heart rate. If you go over your training heart rate, you are no longer burning fat, but are burning lean body mass!
| Age | Maximum heart rate - BPM | Training heart rate range - BPM |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 200 | 140-170 |
| 25 | 195 | 167-166 |
| 30 | 190 | 133-162 |
| 35 | 185 | 130-157 |
| 40 | 180 | 126-153 |
| 45 | 175 | 123-149 |
| 50 | 170 | 119-145 |
| 55 | 165 | 116-140 |
| 60 | 160 | 112-136 |
The following chart shows you how many minutes are required in order to burn 320 calories. This is based on a 130 pound person. Remember to use your calorie multiplier to find out how long you personally must exercise to burn 320 calories!
| Exercise Activity | Minutes Required |
|---|---|
| Aerobics | 41 |
| Badminton | 57 |
| Basketball | 40 |
| Cycling (6 mph) | 92 |
| Cycling (12 mph) | 43 |
| Handball | 38 |
| Hiking with a pack | 55 |
| Ice skating | 59 |
| Jumping rope (70 times a minute) | 34 |
| Racquetball | 31 |
| Rowing machine | 46 |
| Running (10 minute mile) | 34 |
| Running (12 minute mile) | 41 |
| Skiing cross country (4 mph) | 38 |
| Stationary cycling (10 mph) | 51 |
| Step aerobics | 36 |
| Swimming | 43 |
| Tennis (singles) | 50 |
The simplest way to get back into exercise is to walk. By following the suggestions below, you will start out slow and work your way up to a beneficial amount of cardiovascular workout.
At least three exercise sessions per week are recommended.
| WEEK | WARM-UP | EXERCISE | COOL-DOWN | TOTAL TIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (WALK SLOWLY) | (WALK BRISKLY) | (WALK SLOWLY) | ||
| 1 | 5 Min. | 5 Min. | 5 Min. | 15 Min. |
| 2 | 5 Min. | 7 Min. | 5 Min. | 17 Min. |
| 3 | 5 Min. | 9 Min. | 5 Min. | 19 Min. |
| 4 | 5 Min. | 11 Min. | 5 Min. | 21 Min. |
| 5 | 5 Min. | 13 Min. | 5 Min. | 23 Min. |
| 6 | 5 Min. | 15 Min. | 5 Min. | 25 Min. |
| 7 | 5 Min. | 18 Min. | 5 Min. | 29 Min. |
| 8 | 5 Min. | 20 Min. | 5 Min. | 30 Min. |
| 9 | 5 Min. | 23 Min. | 5 Min. | 33 Min. |
| 10 | 5 Min. | 26 Min. | 5 Min. | 35 Min. |
| 11 | 5 Min. | 28 Min. | 5 Min. | 38 Min. |
| 12 | 5 Min. | 30 Min. | 5 Min. | 40 Min. |