Q: I am a 64-year-old man on a statin drug to control cholesterol levels. I do weight training every other day, walk fairly regularly and work out on an elliptical machine on non-weightlifting days. What should my maximum heart rate be when on the elliptical machine? — Bill Beard, Denver
A: Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced in the liver that travels around the body via the bloodstream. It is found in all foods of animal origin and is essential for maintaining cell health, structure and permeability. Since we need cholesterol for life, our bodies also manufacture it. Unfortunately, a couch-potato lifestyle that is rife with food high in animal products such as meat, cheese, whole milk, butter and cream — and low in fruits, vegetable, grains and beans — can elevate the blood cholesterol level to the degree that, instead of passing through the blood vessels, it sticks to the sides.
A cholesterol reading is often presented as one number. That number is then delineated into readings for low-density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and triglycerides. HDL particles are small and dense and do not stick to the walls of the arteries. In fact it often acts like a scouring pad that takes the sludge to the liver for removal. LDL particles are the sludge, as are triglycerides, which are highly saturated and make up 95 percent of the fat stored in the body. When not used for energy, triglycerides are stored in the cells as fat.
According to the American Heart Association, a total cholesterol number of less than 200 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter) is most desirable; over 240 is considered high risk. You want the HDL number to account for more than 25 percent of the total cholesterol number, at least over 50 mg/dl, but the higher this number, the better.
As for the bad fats — LDL and triglycerides — LDL should be less than 130 mg/dl (less than 100 mg/dl is considered optimal); triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dl.
The best way to move your numbers into the safe zone is through the usual diet and lifestyle changes: exercise, eating healthier foods and eating fewer calories. But in some cases cholesterol-lowering medications are prescribed to aid in the lowering process. Side effects, such as muscle pain, bowel disturbances and memory loss, can be a problem, however.
All the exercising you are doing, therefore, is far and away the best thing you can do for your overall health. As for maximum heart rate, you want to push yourself hard enough to huff and puff without gasping for air. In other words, you should be able to say, “Mary had a little lamb,” not the Gettysburg Address in one breath.
Target heart rate
Finally, if you want to find a specific number for your target heart rate, the old saw of subtracting your age from 220 is about as reliable as reading tea leaves. The best method outside of a cardiac clinic is the Karvonian Formula. First, figure out your resting heart rate (RHR). Do this by sitting quietly for five minutes, then count every heartbeat for one full minute.
Next, take 220 minus your age; subtract your RHR. Multiply that number by 65 percent (for low end of the zone) and by 85 percent (for the high end). Add your RHR to each of those numbers to find the low and high range for your target heart rate zone.
Linda J. Buch is a certified fitness trainer in Denver; linda@ljbalance.com.
