How to calculate your heart rate zone for weight loss

I have some info that I think might help with figuring out your target heart rate for weight loss and cardio-vascular training. There are slightly differing opinions about some of these numbers but in general these are pretty average and have worked for me. If you need to know the source, I received all of this info from my person trainer at Northwest Personal Fitness in Portland, Oregon.

I posted this info previously as a response to a question but I thought that since I had seen so many posts about people buying heart rate monitors that it should be more accessible. Some heart rate monitors allow you to enter your own target heart rates and so here is how to calculate them more accurately.

You need to start by getting an accurate reading of your resting heart rate. My fitness trainer recommended that to get an accurate reading of your resting heart rate you should count your pulse for one minute the first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. Do this for three mornings and then average the readings. That should be your true resting heart rate.

example (mine is):
65+69+66 = 200
200 divided by 3 = 66.6 or 67
67 is my resting heart rate

For your heart rate zone goals:

Train at 60%-70% of your MHR (Maximum Heart Rate) for weight loss.
Train at 70%-80% of your MHR (Maximum Heart Rate) for cardio-vascular conditioning.

There is a formula you can use to figure this stuff out:

Get your Maximum Heart Rate by taking the number 226 (for women) or 220 (for men) and subtract your age.

example (mine is):
226 - 35 = 191

Then figure your Heart Rate Reserve:
Maximum Heart Rate minus your Resting Heart Rate = HHR (Heart Rate Reserve)

MHR-RHR = HHR

example: 191-67 = 124

Then use these formulas:

Weight Loss:
Lower Target Heart Rate: (HRR x 60%) + RHR =
Higher Target Heart Rate: (HRR x 70%) + RHR=

CardioVascular:
Lower Target Heart Rate: (HRR x 70%) + RHR =
Higher Target Heart Rate: (HRR x 80%) + RHR =

example:
My heart rate weight loss zone is 141-153

(124 x 60%) + 67 = 141 for my lower target zone for weight loss
(124 x 70%) + 67 = 153 for my higher target zone for weight loss

Hope this isn't too complicated and is helpful good luck!