| Many people today have been bitten by | | | | alcohol, lack of sleep and blood sugar |
| the fitness bug. | | | | levels. |
| However, it is vitally important for | | | | While it is necessary to push the limits |
| your health to get the right guidance | | | | of your body to increase fitness you |
| when partaking in any physical training. | | | | must pay attention to your heart rate. |
| It's easy to see the body becoming | | | | In doing so, the body will work to |
| slimmer and the muscles becoming more | | | | optimum ability, becoming fitter and |
| defined but what we don't know is what | | | | stronger much quicker. |
| exactly is going on inside. | | | | Another factor affecting the heart rate |
| The heart is the most important muscle | | | | is the state of your emotions at that |
| of all and requires the most care but | | | | time. Anger and stress will raise the |
| many people underestimate just what it | | | | heart rate even on resting whereas |
| goes through when we push ourselves into | | | | depression will lower the heart rate. |
| stringent fitness regimes. | | | | If you don't listen to your body and |
| Gone is the mantra of fitness experts of | | | | your emotions and continue to push the |
| days gone by - no pain, no gain. If you | | | | body to extremes, you are making |
| have pain then you've done too much. | | | | yourself susceptible to heart disease. |
| Up to date equipment in public gyms have | | | | The heart, as a muscle, works much more |
| devices to monitor heart rates and work | | | | efficiently if you work within its day |
| out calorie usage etc. However, they are | | | | to day boundaries. |
| susceptible to external influences such | | | | It is very important to understand how |
| as power surges and humidity. As this is | | | | prolonged emotional stress, perhaps due |
| the heart and this is what we need to be | | | | to something such as mental abuse, over |
| aware of. | | | | a period of time will cause the heart |
| Personal heart rate monitors are much | | | | rate to stay elevated. Exercise is |
| more reliable and will be tailored to | | | | always good for mental well-being but |
| the individual wearer. A close eye can | | | | wearing a heart rate monitor will ensure |
| be kept on calorie expenditure and heart | | | | you are aware of any unseen problems. |
| rate giving a good indication of | | | | It is also imperative to know that you |
| progress being made. | | | | are relaxing properly in between |
| However, it is important to understand | | | | exercising so that your body works as |
| that readings will vary from day to day, | | | | efficiently as possible. It is |
| with good reason. Many factors will | | | | relatively easy to sustain an increased |
| influence heart rate and if you are | | | | heart rate through stress while sitting |
| wearing a monitor you can allow for | | | | perfectly still and it pays to be aware |
| these fluctuations and alter your | | | | of this through a personal monitor. |
| workout accordingly. | | | | Many insurance companies will reduce |
| Heart rate will alter quite drastically | | | | premiums if you can show you are |
| in relation to heat, cold, altitude and | | | | actively pursuing a healthy lifestyle so |
| air quality. Drugs, whether they be | | | | you can save money as well as saving |
| prescription or otherwise, will strongly | | | | your health. |
| influence the heart rate as will | | | | |