Zone 2 training for metabolic health
Low heart rate training
I have recently rejoined Instagram(@Sharonbullardpt) and I follow two women(Dr. Mary Claire Haver and Dr. Vonda Wainwright) who are medical doctors specializing in menopause. They talk about Zone 2 training being extremely beneficial for metabolic health especially during peri-menopause and menopause. I have gone down a rabbit hole trying to learn more about this type of exercise training especially since I am now menopausal, and I work with people who have gone through menopause as well.
Let’s start with metabolic health. There are 5 factors that help determine your metabolic health. These factors include blood sugar, waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Optimal measures include:
Blood sugar levels between 70-100 mg/dL
Waist measurement of less than 40 inches for people assigned male at birth and less than 34.6 inches for people assigned female at birth
Blood pressure at or below 120/80
LDL as low as possible, HDL equal or greater than 40 mg/dL for people assigned male at birth and 50 mg/dL for people assigned female at birth
Triglycerides below 150 mg/mL
When all of these factors are within these ranges, you are typically better able to avoid developing diabetes and heart disease. You’re also less likely to have a stroke.
What are ways to improve your metabolic health?
Exercise
Reduce sugar intake
Eat more plant-based foods
Develop healthy sleep patterns
As a physical therapist, I’m not fully educated on the nutrition piece, but I can definitely speak to the exercise piece! Zone 2 training has been shown to be very effective in improving metabolic health and reducing belly fat that is typically associated with menopause.
Zone 2 training looks like this:
exercising at 60%-70% of your maximum heart rate
for fat loss and mitochondrial health (how well your cells produce energy), complete an endurance activity of one hour. The better the health of your mitochondria within your cells, the better chances you have of living a longer life
minimum of 45 minutes 2-4 times per week
Calculating your heart rate range without fancy equipment to know when you’re exercising in Zone 2 (there are 5) involves using this formula:
First, calculate your maximum heart rate- HRmax= 208-(0.7 x age)
Then, calculate your heart rate range between 60% and 70% by taking your maximum heart number and multiply by 0.6 for the 60% range and multiply max heart rate by 0.7 for the 70% range
If you don’t monitor your heart rate when you exercise, you can also monitor these:
Can you easily talk while you are exercising? If so, you’re probably in Zone 2
Can you breathe through your nose with your mouth closed and no gasping for air? If so, you’re probably in Zone 2.
Being in Zone 2 with exercise training allows your slow-twitch muscle fibers to work for endurance and use fat for energy. Training in higher Zones 3-5 uses different forms of energy, not fat, for fueling the body during higher intensity workouts.
I’m going to give this a try and see how it goes! Want to join me?
Take good care,
Sharon