Heart Rate Monitors: To Wear or Not to Wear?
Related:

* Personal Training

Personal trainers: Do you recommend that your clients wear heart rate monitors? Why or why not? IDEA asked several trainers for their opinions.

John Platero, director of education for the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers, Newbury Park, California, requires each of his clients to purchase a heart rate monitor and wear it when they train together. Here are some reasons why.

“My client and I wear a Polar F series model so I can monitor heart rate without having to take the client’s pulse, grab his wrist or stop him from exercising,” says Platero. “The heart monitor also shows the client his average heart rate, maximum heart rate, calories expended and percentage of those calories that came from fat. This information educates the client as to what activities or positions burn the most calories, the concept of anaerobic threshold (AT), how it feels to train at or above the AT and how to determine rest periods between sets. In addition, the monitor helps me make better choices in program design. I can tell when a client has adapted to a particular mode or intensity and when it’s time to change it up. The monitor also presents a clearer picture of the relationship between volume and intensity. As intensity increases, volume will decrease. As the client’s fitness improves, I slowly add back volume while maintaining intensity.”

Mary Miriani, an ACSM health/fitness instructor at Reality Fitness, Naperville, Illinois, recommends that her post-cardiac-rehab clients and diabetic clients use a good heart rate monitor during cardio workouts as a constant reminder of fluctuations in heart rate. “I also tell these clients not to get too attached to the numbers, and I teach them to use RPE (rating of perceived exertion) along with heart rate. It is important in these populations to use both methods, given the higher risk of cardiac events and the effects of medication on heart rate.”

For other clients, Miriani does not rely on monitors as the best means of assessing intensity. “The reason I do not want my clients measuring exercise intensity solely with heart rate monitors (especially ones built into cardio machines) is that they can be inaccurate and improperly used,” she says. “Heart rate monitors often measure pulse rate for 5- to 15-second intervals and correct to the pulse rate for a minute. This method creates a small margin of error. Some people have undiagnosed dysrhythmias, such as premature ventricular contractions, and a monitor will fail to count them and give an inaccurately low number. Some people will then mistakenly increase intensity to stay at the target heart rate with dangerous results. Also, some medications alter heart rate, and I do not want clients to increase intensity inappropriately.”

When Miriani feels heart rate is important to keep track of, she also teaches RPE and common sense. “I tell my clients that even if the monitor is telling them that their heart rate is too low, they should not increase intensity if they feel their exertion is high on the RPE scale. To be at the right intensity, they should be able to say a phrase but not carry on a conversation. I use palpation for 30 seconds rather than relying on a monitor (even if my client is wearing one) during exercise testing. This method has enabled me on at least two occasions to detect possible dysrhythmias. I was able to suggest that my clients see their doctors before a cardiac event could occur. Needless to say, my clients were grateful when their conditions were caught in time.”

For perspectives from other personal trainers, please see “Tricks of the Trade” in the May issue of IDEA Fitness Journal or read the column online in the IDEA Library.

Remember to Have a Healthy Breakfast

The days are slowly becoming shorter, the temperatures are falling and our children are back at school.

With school underway, parents’ thoughts turn toward bus schedules, homework and report cards. Give your child an extra edge for better grades by helping them start their day with a nutritious breakfast.

There are many benefits to be had by eating breakfast. This very important meal can provide up to 25 percent of the recommended daily allowance for key nutrients, such as calcium, protein, vitamins A and B6, magnesium, iron and zinc.

Eating breakfast helps children perform better in school. This first meal of the day can improve attention, memory and cognitive function. Children who eat breakfast make fewer mistakes and work faster in math and number checking tests. They perform better in vocabulary and handle frustration better. School breakfast programs can lower absence and tardiness rates and improve standardized test scores. Adolescents who eat breakfast tend to have a lower body mass index.
Hectic time of day

The challenge with breakfast is it falls at a very hectic time in the day. Parents are trying to get ready for work while also getting the children up and out the door to catch the bus. This frenzy is coupled with the last-minute drama of “I can’t find my shoes” and “Where’s the library book?”

With this in mind, keep breakfast simple and plan ahead: prepare as much as possible the night before.

Breakfast should include foods from several food groups to provide the most benefit to children, both educationally and physically. You want to balance protein, carbohydrates and fat. This balance will prevent a drop in blood sugar for several hours. A drop in blood sugar can mean a decline in energy and symptoms of hunger that will distract your child from learning.

The following are some fast breakfast ideas that will help you and your child start the day off right.

* Whole grain cereal with 1 percent milk

* 100 percent whole wheat bread or English muffin with peanut butter and a piece of fruit

* Hard-boiled egg with a small bagel

* 6-8 ounces of low-fat yogurt with fresh or frozen blueberries and a 1⁄4 cup of granola

* 1-2 whole grain frozen waffles, toasted with peanut butter and sliced bananas with honey drizzled on top

* Oatmeal (made with milk) with sliced strawberries and a tablespoon of sliced almonds

* Yogurt and fruit smoothie

* On the fly: Carnation Instant Breakfast made with skim or 1 percent milk and a piece of fruit

* String cheese with a piece of fruit

* Toasted whole grain English muffin with sliced tomato and a slice of cheese melted on top

Sugar Facts & Fiction
Related:

* Consumer Education

What is it about the holidays and sugar? Decorated cookies, homemade candy, pumpkin pie–without sweets and treats, the festive season would hardly seem complete. But should you be worried about all that sugar in your diet?

The answer is yes–and no. Most nutritional experts agree that indulging in holiday treats need not be a serious concern, as long as your indulgences are moderate. After all, the holidays are a special time of year.

However, over consumption of sugar year-round is a growing problem. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Americans eat 20 percent more sugar now than they did in 1986. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says the average American consumes 20 teaspoons of added sugar a day (sugar facts show that added sugar doesn’t include the naturally occurring sugars in milk and fruit); that’s equivalent to about 16 to 20 percent of total calorie intake! This may seem hard to believe, but many two-ounce candy bars, 12-ounce sodas and one-cup servings of ice cream contain 10 or more teaspoons of added sugar. The USDA recommends adults get no more than 6 to 10 percent of their daily calories from sugar (about 6 teaspoons per 1,600 calories).

If you’re getting too many of your daily calories from sugar, you will have a hard time getting enough of the nutrients you need for a healthy, balanced diet, says nutritionist Debra A. Wein, MS, RD. Research has shown that people who eat all the recommended servings of food eat the least sugar.

How can you moderate your sugar intake? Here are some sugar facts and tips from nutritionists:

Sugar Fact 1. Be Wary of Soda. Soda contributes more sugar to our diets than any other food. Some fruit drinks and canned teas are also high in sugar content, with 20 to 30 grams per one-cup serving.

Sugar Fact 2. Eat Foods That Provide Long-Lasting Energy. While high-sugar foods on an empty stomach may give you a quick burst of energy, it won’t last. Complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, will give you energy that can stand the test of time.

Sugar Fact 3. Be Careful With Nonfat Foods. You may be substituting high sugar for fat–not the best trade-off. For example, some servings of low-fat or nonfat ice cream have 40 or more grams of sugar per one-cup serving.

Sugar Fact 4. Have Your Triglycerides and Cholesterol Checked. This is one way to determine if you’re insulin resistant, which may make sugar more dangerous for you. Although there is no evidence that sugar consumption causes the body to store more fat (as some diet plans have claimed), excessive amounts of sugar may boost blood triglycerides and insulin levels more than other carbohydrates do in insulin-resistant individuals. This phenomenon can increase the risk of diabetes or heart disease. Being overweight and/or inactive increases the likelihood of insulin resistance, although genetics also plays a major role.

Sugar Fact 5. Eat Plant-Based, Not Processed, Foods. You can greatly decrease your intake of added sugars by eating fruits, vegetables and grains rather than packaged convenience foods.

Sugar Fact 6. Watch Your High-Fat, High-Sugar Intake. Some researchers believe that certain people (more often women) actually crave high-fat, high-sugar foods, such as ice cream, chocolate and other rich sweets. This craving may be linked to endorphins, but the relationship has not been studied conclusively. Foods high in fat and sugar are generally also high in calories and can contribute significantly to weight gain.

Sugar Fact 7. Practice Portion Control. Increasingly, large dessert and pastry portions are part of the problem. Opt to split a slice of cheesecake or eat just the top of your chocolate muffin.

Sugar Fact 8. Focus on Eating the Right Stuff. Your sugar craving may indicate you’re not getting enough nutrients. Eat all the recommended servings of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein and you may be less likely to supplement your diet with sugar.

Sugar Fact 9. Eat Healthy Mini-meals Throughout the Day. These will help keep your blood sugar stable so you don’t find yourself desperately reaching for a sugar lift.

Sugar Fact 10. Don’t Make Sugar the Bad Guy. If you restrict yourself from eating all added sugar, you may foster a deprivation mentality that can trigger sugar binges. Take a moderate approach. We’re born with a natural taste for sweetness, and a little sugar is good for the soul.

So nice to have you, hope to see you again soon. If need help with equipment let me know.

Much aloha,

maria

You were so beautiful, keep smiling.

Check the knees and let me know how’s the homework coming.

Much aloha,

Maria

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Maria 808-579 9231

Let me know if we can help you get a new one, cut to fit.

Maria

Hello family, how is Julie?

here are the pictures, good job, please keep going and investing on your health, and remember the ocean has no membership fees, just a clean up everyday, at least 3 pieces of trash, dispose at home, so we can always have our sanctuary be a sanctuary…

Great to meet you,

aloha,

Maria