Unhealthy fatty heart This picture is an ugly reality of what excess body fat does to our vital organs.

A fatty heart is no joke and it’s a reality for so many people. When we overeat and don’t exercise, we are making our heart work so hard to keep us alive. No food is worth that. Being comfortable now on the couch isn’t worth being bound to a couch for the rest of your later life. We have to fight for our health.

We can’t be who God created us to be if we aren’t around or in good enough health to be a blessing to others. A number on a scale or pants size is just a tiny part of fitness. LIVING a healthy life is more valuable than riches or abs. At the end of your life, you are not going to regret not having abs. You’ll regret not taking care of your life or regret not being able to keep up with your grandkids, etc. Health is #1.

10 HEART HEALTHY TIPS:

1. Lose weight and keep it off

2. Limit sodium intake (season with herbs & spices)

3. Eat a healthy low-fat diet (healthy fats vs fried food)

4. Avoid and/or limit processed carbs and sugars

5. Nourish your body with quality vitamins and minerals

6. Rest, relax and reduce stress in your life (adaptogens are awesome for helping reduce the effects of stress & anxiety)

7. Eat more fish

8. Maintain a high-fiber diet

9. Lift weights – Yes! It works more than just muscles!

10. Exercise your cardiovascular system

Notice how I included lifting weights AND cardiovascular exercise? Did you know thut pumping iron does more than just pump up your muscles?

CARDIO VS WEIGHTS

Studies have shown that resistance exercises produced a different pattern of blood vessel responses than the aerobic exercise, suggesting that the former may have important and unique benefits for cardiovascular health. The resistance exercise produced greater increases in blood flow to the limbs—even though it also caused small increases in central arterial stiffness. In contrast, aerobic exercise decreased arterial stiffness—but without an increase in blood flow.

Resistance exercise also led to a longer-lasting drop in blood pressure (as much as 20 percent) after exercise, compared to aerobic exercise. (Resourse: Great article in Men’s Health)

GET IN THE ZONE

You can predict your Maximum Heart Rate by subtracting your age from 220. It’s called the Maximum Predicted Heart Rate (MPHR). An MPHR, for example, for a 50-year-old is 220 minus 50, or 170 beats per minute. But your MPHR can vary by as much as 10 to 15 beats per minute compared to your actual Maximum Heart Rate. Invariably, an exercise tolerance test is a better predictor of your actual Maximum Heart Rate.

TRAINING HEART RATE

Your Training Heart Rate is the range in which your heart should be beating during exercise to get optimum aerobic conditioning. Where are Polar Heart Rate Monitor for best results.

Moderate intensity -Training Heart Rate is 60 to 75% of your Maximum Heart Rate.

Vigorous intensity – Training Heart Rate is higher than 75% of your Maximum Heart Rate.

Product Spotlight

Heart Shake Booster – This is a brand new supplement that my nutrition company just came out with. Heart Shake Booster is a blend of science-supported ingredients that may reduce the risk of heart disease and support overall cardiovascular health. (Free of artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners.) 5 Calories per Serving.