So, following on from the first two columns, you should now be exercising regularly and also starting to see the new routine as less of a chore. But you started this whole exercise routine for a reason, right?

Regardless of what you want to achieve, you need to be working hard enough to ensure that you achieve it. Therefore, the next step is to look at how hard you are actually working in the sessions you perform. There are many different ways of monitoring intensity (how hard you are working), some scientific and others more simplistic. Today, we are going to look at two ways: firstly the scientific and relatively accurate way and secondly, a way which is much more simple and easy to understand.

The first way involves monitoring your heart rate whilst exercising (usually walking, running, cycling etc), which is usually done using a heart rate monitor. Now for the scientific part: everyone has a theoretical maximum heart rate (MHR) which is calculated by taking your age away from 220. So, if you are 40, your MHR would theoretically be 180 beats per minute. Now you have calculated your MHR, you need to find a target heart rate range; most people with no underlying conditions can usually start around 65%-70% of their MHR (117-126 beats per minutes for our example 40-year old). You would then increase this every 1-2 weeks by around 5%. There are various ways of calculating your target heart rate range – some more accurate than others. Your local Gym Instructor or a Personal Trainer can help more with setting target heart rates.

The second way is much more simple, but isn’t always as accurate as the heart rate methods. Whilst exercising (walking, running, cycling etc), try to say five or more words out loud. If you can only say three or four words before taking a breath, then you are working around the right intensity. If you can keep talking past five words without taking a breath then you need to work harder, usually by increasing your speed. On the other hand, if you can only manage one or two words, you may need to slow down a little. It’s that simple. Any of the above methods are a good starting point to help ensure you are getting the maximum benefits for your workout time. So, you now have your regular exercise routine which you enjoy and you’re working at an intensity level that will help you achieve your goals. But one aspect of achieving your goals that we haven’t yet discussed is food. So, what about food?