The Importance Of Wearing a Heart Rate Monitor For Efficient Fat Loss and Cardio-Respiratory Fitness A Heart Rate Monitor is the key to optimum efficiency during cardiovascular exercise. The objective is to work smarter not necessarily harder. Think of a heart rate monitor as a tachometer (a device that measures RPM) for your body. For example, the speedometer in your car tells you how fast you are moving but does not reflect how hard the engine is working. The tachometer on the other hand, tells you exactly how fast the engine is turning at any given speed RPM (Revolutions Per Minute). The same is true with a heart rate monitor. Although it does not tell you how fast you are walking or running, it does indicate how fast your heart is beating BPM (Beats Per Minute) WHY DO I NEED TO KNOW HOW FAST MY HEART IS BEATING DURING EXERCISE? In order for fat to burn efficiently once it enters your muscles a constant and steady supply of oxygen must be present at all times. If your heart rate and/or level of exercise intensity is too high, your muscles will tend to rely more heavily on sugar instead of fat due to a lack of oxygen (also known as the oxygen debt). If on the other hand your heart rate and/or corresponding level of exercise intensity is too low, you will most likely make inefficient use of your time, slow your rate of fat loss and decelerate the development of intra-muscular changes needed to “Reprogram” your body to be fit and lean for the rest of your life. HOW DO I KNOW HOW FAST MY HEART SHOULD BE BEATING WHILE I AM EXERCISING? Perhaps the most efficient way to determine your recommended Target Heart Rate is to use the Age Predicted Maximum Heart Rate Formula. This formula is simple to use and works as follows; subtract your age from 220, then multiply that number by a percentage depending on what your current level of fitness is combined with your desired health and fitness goal. General guidelines for training sensitive zones are provided below however, caution needs to be taken not to exceed your fat burning zone if you are just beginning an exercise program*. Fat burning Zone     60% to 75% of maximum heart rate Fitness Zone     75% to 85% of maximum heart rate Performance Zone     85% to 100% of maximum heart rate. Freestyle Heart Rate Monitors are recognized by INTRAFITT as the most comfortable and easy to use on the market. *It is highly recommend that you comply with your recommended INTRAFITT Cardiovascular Exercise Guidelines or seek the advise of a certified INTRAFITT Technician to help you determine your recommended training sensitive zone.