I hate to tell you this, but if you're not in great shape aerobically, you're probably not all that healthy either. It's as simple as that. In fact your level of aerobic fitness is probably the most important general measure of how healthy you are, it’s the foundation of metabolic health.

 

Strange isn’t it then that few doctors know how to prescribe exercise in the correct dosage and in a way that helps their customers restore poor metabolic function to good by stimulating the body’s own recuperative powers.

 

Well here’s the good news. You don’t need a doctor to advise you on your aerobic fitness training program. You can advise yourself.

 

 

For the last few months I've been using the Fitbit aerobic fitness training zone system to track how much aerobic activity I get in each training session - and over the course of a day.

 

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS

If you get your heart rate into a zone between (approximately) 60% and 75% of your estimated maximum heart rate you receive 1 point for every minute of exercise.

 

If you get your heart rate over (approximately) 75% of your estimated maximum heart date you get 2 points per minute.

 

Maximum heart rate

You're maximum heart rate is based on the formula 220 - age. It's a rough guide, with variations based on how fit you are. Plus it's a difficult thing to measure safely: you don't want to blow a gasket.

 

The aerobic fitness training formula

If you're going to train in a scientific manner, you need to have an aerobic fitness prescription that includes a dosage based on frequency (sessions per week), time (length of individual sessions) and heart rate.

 

Steps

The watch counts steps. My watch tells me I have a target of 7,300 steps a day. But, steps also need to come with aerobic fitness zone points.

 

Fitbit Sense, now available from Amazon.

 

The Fitbit Inspire 2 is also a very good smart watch with the zone system embedded in it - and even more keenly priced than the Sense.

 

FITBIT ZONE SYSTEM - foundation for a scientific exercise prescription

 

The Fitbit aerobic fitness zone system quantifies the vapid exercise recommendation of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and various heart charities, that is about as useful as a hip pocket on a singlet!

    'The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 150 minutes of exercise per week— just about 30 minutes, five days a week. More is better, but this seems to be the sweet spot. Anything from brisk walking to jogging to hightailing it up the stairs counts.'  

 

Contrary to the ACSM, the Fitbit zone points system forms the basis of an aerobic fitness prescription and tracking tool, based on (frequency) duration and intensity of exercise sessions.
 

 

You can choose how many zone points you wish to aim for each day.

 

My recommendation is

 

40 zone points a day is good: 50 zone points is better: 60 zone points is best.

 

200 zone points a week is readily achievable

 

On top of that, my Fitbit tells me

 

  how fit I am compared with other men my age

 

  my resting heart rate

 

  heart rate variability and

 

  sleep 'restoration' - how long and how much my sleeping

   heart rate is below my resting heart rate..
 

Are Fitbits medical grade devices? - well sort of

 

Although Fitbit say their devices are not of a medical grade, they're pretty close to it. But regardless, Fitbit devices are an essential tool for prescribing, measuring, managing and monitoring the path from poor metabolic (and mental) health to good.

 

You can share your results with friends and other third parties. If you know someone is 'looking over your shoulder' you're more likely to maintain a regular exercise habit.

 

If you don't have the 'tech gene', our resident SmartAlec, Jackson has prepared a video to show you how you can set up to your Fitbit so you can share your results me and with your friends.

 

In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and remember, it's a big ask expecting to stay healthy without keeping yourself fit.

 

John Miller