Conditioning Guidelines

FACTORS IN A SENSIBLE DIET

Choose high-fiber, low-fat, and low-in-sugar foods: fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Cut back on red meat consumption; eat lean meat, white meat, and fish.

Choose healthy snacks; bring healthy foods with you to work or in the car.

Eat regular meals or mini-meals. Control your portion size—don't binge or overeat. Eat slowly.

Reduce fast food and pre-packaged meals.

Pay attention to fat content and calories.

Limit alcoholic beverages and caffeine.

Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water a day.

EXERCISE STEPS

The following nine steps for designing your exercise program were developed by exercise physiologists at NordicTrack. The actual exercise you perform is only a part of a safe and effective training program. There are many other aspects to developing a life-long commitment to physical fitness.

1

Consult your physician before beginning

any exercise program.

 

 

A medical examination or consultation with your

 

physician is essential.

 

Establish personal fitness goals.

2

 

Set attainable, realistic goals. Reward yourself

 

when you meet those goals. Remember, your

goals should act as a guide for your workout program.

3

Determine your target heart rate.

 

 

 

Your

target heart rate

(THR), is the rate at which

 

 

you would like your heart to work during aerobic

 

 

 

exercise. It is expressed as a percentage of your

 

 

 

maximum heart rate

(MHR). MHR is the maximum

 

number of times that your heart can pump during

 

 

 

one minute. To determine your approximate MHR,

 

 

 

subtract your age (in years) from 220. This is only

 

 

an estimation of your MHR—only clinical stress

 

 

 

testing can provide an actual MHR reading.

 

 

 

Once you have determined your MHR, you can

 

 

 

establish your target heart rate zone. Beginning

 

 

 

exercisers may wish to start at 60 to 70 percent of

 

 

 

their MHR. This level is called the

Health

level.

 

Exercise at 70 to 85 percent of your MHR for the

 

 

 

optimal training, aerobic, or cardiovascular level—

 

 

 

the

Fitness level. Advanced exercisers, or those

 

wishing to do sports, athletic conditioning, or inter- val training workouts should exercise at 80 to 85 percent of the MHR for short periods of time. The chart below shows Target Heart Rate Zones for Health, Fitness, and Advanced exercisers.

Be sure to check your heart rate at least twice during an aerobic conditioning session. First, check your heart rate five minutes into your workout to be sure that you are at the proper intensity. Then, check it again near the end of your workout to verify that you have maintained your target heart rate for the recommended period of time.

TARGET HEART RATE ZONES

200

180

160

Pulse 140 120

100

80

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Age

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Health

 

 

 

 

Fitness

 

Advanced

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beginner,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Optimal train-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sports, athletic

 

low-intensity +

 

 

 

 

ing, aerobic or

 

 

 

 

conditioning,

 

 

long duration =

 

 

 

 

cardiovascular

 

 

 

 

interval training

 

 

fat burning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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NordicTrack NTTL90080 manual Conditioning Guidelines, Factors in a Sensible Diet, Exercise Steps, Any exercise program