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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What is a safe heart rate for 49 year old for weight loss?

    I'm a 49 yr old woman and have been overweight most of my life.

    I started losing weight in February this year using a Weight Watcher's diet and regular exercise.

    I'm now within the healthy weight range for a woman my height.

    I frequently get my heart rate up over 170 - sometimes up to 173, according to the heart monitors on the exercise machines at the gym.

    Is this dangerous? Should I buy my own heart rate monitor? What is a safe heart rate for when I'm exercising vigorously?
  • Find a professional to answer your question

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    Vangel Rizos

    HealthShare Member

    Hi,
    170bpm is to high.  gyms can be very competative,  and motivating and you might go over your THR without you knowing.   The training heart rate for every one is  170 less your age. and  + or - 10%,  so you should train at about 120bpm, + or - 10%.  so between 110 and 130bpm.   Yes get a 2nd read out, but you should not buy one. dont rely on a machine,   as this limits your ability to do it yourself when ever you feel you should.    Its easy to take your pulse rate,    take when resting and during exercise often to get use to it,   find your pulse at the side of your neck or on your wrist, find a clock and take it for 6 seconds and times it by 10.  or take it  for 30 seconds and double it.    The read outs on some gym machines are not reliable.  
    Well done getting to your normal weight.  you should exercise every day, to maintain it for the rest of your life.   With your history and age,  to prevent any risk of a heart problem,  in the future,   I would suggest  less then 10 minutes of training to your  THR level twice a day rather then one long session every 2nd day.  ( which puts your heart under stress )   Once in the morning and then in the afternoon or evening.    Now that your at your correct weight  start working on improving your body shape so improve the part of your body thats still a bit of a problem,  example,  if your tummy is still abit flabby,  and you cant hold it in for hours at a time,  with a good strong posture,   you  should start doing more core work. 

    I only help obese and over weight ,  lose weight 

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