If you really want to make the most of your HRM this is a good book. Especially if you want to improve what you can currently achieve.

http://www.amazon.com/Total-Heart-Ra...6776196&sr=8-3

The guy explains how working off max heart rate isn't necessarily the best way of working out - he bases everything around your lactate threshold.

Don't be scared by the fact the guy writes books for pro tri-athletes. Its actually quite easy to get into.

I hope there's not a heart rate that makes me lactate!

(thanks for the link though)

Excersise does all kinds of weird things to the body, I try to avoid it.

...........and if you are in the slightly older age group (like me) please talk to your doctor first before you start any type pf exercise programe at a Gym..

How does one figure one's lactate threshold? lactic acid in muscles-> pain, but ....

Another issue that women in particular have is that severe caloric reduction can just send your metabolism into a slump. That's the slump I'm trying to climb out of -- my body thinks I'm being starved, so it makes me sluggish in an attempt to conserve calories to keep on having babies....

He suggests several methods for working out what this is in the book. If I recall it does require pushing yourself pretty hard for half an hour, and then using your average heart rate over the last 20 minutes. Something along them lines. He then has tables for what each zone is based on this, for each activity.

Its only a rough figure, but its a lot more accurate then what the heart rate monitors use - which is your maxium heart rate - normally based on 220 minus your age - this is unliklely to be accurate for your max heart rate, and to work out your max heart rate is even harder then finding out your lactate threshold.

Anyway this is not to say the standard setup of a HRM won't work. They can be great tools for motivating you.

The theory being that the first ten minutes would push you to the point of lactic acid buildup in your muscles causing you to slow up to dissipate some of that lactic acid and therefore exercising at just below the rate where lactic acid builds up (last 20 minutes you'd have to slow to something you could bear)?

Tell your body to take it out of your butt (not you personally, but any woman ), that's why we're reckoned to survive better in a siege etc.

ok ok i am in dire need of help!!!

today, got up at 4.30 ate a kitkat!
watched the news,
booked a flight to go to washington DC for the day tomorrow with my niece ... sightseeing.. great idea at the time..now ..hmmmm especially as i have no idea how to get from dca to the lincoln memorial and how do i get to the cemetry???
6am got the kids up for school, ate another kitkat!!
kids went to school at 7,
ordered stuff off amazon.. first time i have done it hope it works.
craving for food any food... just food, pie looks good on the counter.. but that is gross.. blueberry pie at 7am... damn....
I pottered around the house,
ate a packet of crab delights with dressing.. that thousand stuff..
looked at the kitkat nr 3.. didnt eat it!!
went and walked 3 miles in the park froze my ass off... although super skinny me said jumping in a cold pool makes u lose weight more... walking in the park sub zero temps must work too... reminder to self... tread mill on santas wish list!
came home.. paced the room wanting to eat the kitkat..didnt.
Looked in the pantry for something to snack on.. felt guilty..wanted to put my fingers down my throat... didnt...
ran a bath
sat and wrote a stinking letter to the newspaper about a severance pay the superintendant got for taking a promotion ( he got promoted why did they pay him for that)
got up and ate a slice of ham..
writing this....
then getting into cold bath!!

ok wots wrong with me.. i would normally say its pmt.... but it cant be.
i def have to stop buying the kitkats!

This is one of the biggest problems I have here, I can't find a gym worth going to. The one I went to in the UK was really nice, but all the gyms around here are shite.

not sure if you really need this, but if you do....

A cab would work, but alternatively if you don't mind a little bit of walking you can get the metro, probably best to get out at Smithsonian on the blue/orange line - from the airport take the Yellow line to L'Enfant Plaza and change.

I would then suggest going back to Smithsonian and getting the blue line to Arlington and that line will take you back to the airport as well. Alternatively you can walk from the Lincoln, its not that far, but its blimin cold at the moment so probably best to get the subway.

Stay away from the kit Kat....

eat some fresh fruit...or even a baked potato....something thats going to fill you up without having loads of calories....

Clearly you have zero self control. I'm not judging - neither do I. If there's chocolate or icecream in the house, I'll eat it, diet or not.

So the only option is to stop buying crap that'll make you fat. No more KitKats, and no more "pie on the counter".

Stock up with real low calorie snacks. Rice cakes (there are some great flavored ones now), low calorie crackers, crisp breads, some low fat spreads to go on them (Marmite's great!), baby carrots and other veg that can be snacked on, popcorn... anything, really, that's genuinely low calorie and low fat.

Sound like moi...so I don't buy all the goodies I love to eat.

My problem is I hate exercising...I particularly hate getting all wet and sweaty. I have a good range of fitness equipment at home...but use it in fits and starts.

Those flavored or even natural Craisins by Ocean Spray are good-dried cranberries.