TRY IT: Subscribe to Health and Fitness Magazines

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Or blogs, or whatever.

One of the most important influences on me when I first started exercising was Fitness magazine.

I picked it up at the grocery store cashier line and read it while sitting on the couch eating cheetos by the fistful. I read the articles. I tore out some home workout guides. I circled some crap in magic marker. I stuck the magazine in a pile under the coffee table.

I went through several copies of Shape and Fitness with the same result.

After a few month, I noticed that I remembered tips and encouragement that I had read in the magazines when I decided what to eat and whether to work out.

Even though it took awhile, reading through those magazines kept diet and fitness in the forefront of my mind. It also made healthy decisions seem like a normal thing to do.

It’s really hard to change habits, especially when eating healthfully and exercising aren’t part of your normal routine. If you increase your exposure to healthy habits, they really start to come more naturally in your own life.

I started with Shape and Fitness, then later added Oxygen, which is more weightlifting-focused. There are lots of sport-specific mags if you want to read about running or yoga while you eat your cheetos.

Check out amazon, eBay and coupon sites for discounted subscription rates. Sometimes you can get a year of magazines for the price of just one at the grocery store.

And just keep reading them. They will work eventually.

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What health and fitness mags do you subscribe to? Do you feel that they help you stay on track with your diet and exercise? Share your experience in the comments!

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TRY IT: Stay Fit While You Travel

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I’m working on a post of fitness-related apps and websites, but since it is taking 100 years to write…

One of the biggest challenges to maintaining a fitness program is having your schedule interrupted by holiday or business travel.

This is something I go through a lot and I’ve also failed often at adapting my diet and workout routine to the road. Over time, I’ve learned some tricks that have kept me on track so hopefully they will help you on your next vacation or conference.

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Start at Home

The absolute most important part of staying on track with a health lifestyle is planning. And that means pre-deciding where and when you will exercise, and where and what you will eat.

Do NOT let things get out of hand before you even leave the house. Just because you need to pack doesn’t mean you need to skip your workout and have a cupcake.

Schedule time to pack and organize….around your normal fitness schedule.

Next, figure out a reasonable time and method of getting in exercise while you are away from home. Pack the workout clothes and gear necessary to make this happen.

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Keep It Clean on the Road

Your first temptation will be the flight/drive to your destination. Yes, there is lots of fast food available in the airport and rest stops. No, you do not need to eat it.

Even if you can’t find a healthy dining option, there is almost zero chance that you won’t have a decent option available. McD’s has cut apples (skip the caramel sauce), grilled chicken salads and sandwiches, and bottled water. Most fast food places have some version of a healthy option. Plan to get that and then actually do.

Alternatively, you can pack your own food for the trip, using a mini-cooler if necessary.

Take any opportunity to do a few laps in the airport or to take a walk around the parking lot when you stop to stretch your legs during the drive.

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…And at the Hotel

Here’s where your resolve starts to wear down a little. Room service, anyone?

While you probably can find a decent option from the hotel menu, why not get out of your room and take a walk or jog to the nearest grocery store?

Most large groceries in the US now offer fresh salad and sandwich options, not to mention yogurt and cut fruit/veg.

I also buy plain packets of oatmeal and make them using the hotel’s coffee machine. Put the oatmeal in a disposable paper cup, fill the coffee machine with water, turn it on. The hot water will cook the oatmeal and you can add berries, nuts and sweetener as you like.

And I’m positive that you booked a hotel with a gym right? Even if you forgot that detail, hop online to find the nearest park or one-day gym pass. Another option is to check out your hotel’s in-house TV network. A lot of them now offer video workouts with cardio, yoga and bodyweight strength-training options.

With a little bit of planning (ok, and some will-power), it is possible to stick to your fitness program during vacations and work trips. I’ve always thought it was kind of weird that people use travel as an excuse to pig out and skip exercise. You’re on a break from your town, not from your body!

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What are your tricks and tips for eating well and staying fit on the road? How do you curb the temptation to indulge while away from home? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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TRY IT: Use a Heart Rate Monitor for Workouts

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If you work out regularly (or hope to start), a heart rate monitor is a worthwhile investment.

And yes you actually need your own monitor. Those little metal plates on the treadmill aren’t always accurate – and you’re not supposed to be holding on anyway!

Plus, a heart rate monitor will see you through resistance training, group classes, outdoor runs and many, many years of exercise.

I have a polar monitor from 2004 that I use 5 times a week and, besides a couple of $10 battery replacements, it’s still going strong.

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A Word About Maximum Heart Rate

The maximum heart rate equation (220 minus your age) is just an estimate, but it works pretty well for setting intensity ranges. The equation plus/minus 10-12 bpm covers about 95% of people.

Over time, you will gain more experience with your heart rate response to exercise and you will probably figure out your actual maximum heart rate.

For example, my maximum heart rate is 6bmp below the estimate based on my age.

Your maximum heart rate is genetically determined and is not an indicator of fitness. It is also not an indicator of your maximal intensity.

It just means the point at which your heart will stop beating faster to keep up with demand for oxygen. Experienced exercisers can safely work past their maximum heart rate. It just means that you are really pushing yourself and that level of intensity can only be sustained for a short time.

As you get more fit, your HRmax is unlikely to change, but the work that you will be able to do at that heart rate will change dramatically.

The important thing is to think of your heart rate in relation to the exercise you are doing (how fast, how high, how long).

When running on a treadmill at 5mph takes your heart rate to 150 bpm instead of 170 bpm, you will know that your fitness level has increased.

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Setting Fitness Goals

Especially for those new to working out, a heart rate monitor is a key tool for setting intensity goals.

Once you ballpark your maximum heart rate you can set intensity goals for each of your workouts.

Your maximum heart rate should be automatically estimated by your HRM, but if not you can just subtract your age from 220.

Once you have that, you will want to vary your workouts to meet different intensity goals.

The American College of Sports Medicine (they pretty much set the guidelines for all things fitness) has the following recommendations:

• Most sessions should be from 65 to 95% of HRmax.
• Intensity should be inversely related to duration – longer workouts should be done at a lower percent of HRmax.
• For most people, 20-30 minutes at 77-90% of HRmax is ideal for health benefits (plus a warm-up and cool-down).
• Beginners can start with as little as 5 minutes of activity, building up to 20-60 minute sessions.
• Beginners should start with a heart rate percentage goal that is physically comfortable for them.

This is especially important if it has been a long time since you have exercised or if you have specific health concerns such as obesity or joint problems.

Go ahead and start with 10 minutes at 50% HRmax. Once that is easy, just keep raising the bar.

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Track Your Fitness Progress

Using your heart rate monitor, you will quickly see when your old routine is no longer challenging your cardiovascular system.

Recording the workout and your heart rate response is a pretty easy (and satisfying) way to track your progress.

Some of the fancier monitors do this for you and even send the info to your computer, but a pen and paper works pretty well, too.

The important thing is that you stay aware of when your fitness level catches up to your workout intensity.

Pushing yourself a little farther each time you progress is the key to long-term gains in cardiovascular fitness. The kind that reduce your chances of getting all kinds of nasty diseases and of neighborhood children making beeping sounds when you walk backwards.

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Do you use a heart rate monitor when you work out or have you found another way to gauge intensity? How do you know when it’s time to kick your workouts up another notch? Let me know in the comments!