Heart Tests

This morning, I went to the gym to get a test that will tell me what my heart rate ranges are.  After taking the test - at 5:00 am and after getting little to no sleep - I got my results.  when you plug the numbers into the standard calculation, it turns out that the heart rate zones I burn fat at is equivalent to someone who is 55 years old.  Yeah.  Right.

I read and reread what the results where and I just couldn't believe it.  So, to test the results, I wore my heart rate monitor all day today and it turns out that if those numbers are right then I should be a twig because I function at what is called zone 2.  Zone 2 is where I, according to the results, burn the most fat calories per minute.  People, I LIVE my life in Zone 2 - or at least I do according to my heart rate monitor.

Am I saying that taking a gym-administered heart rate/health test is a lot of hooey and shouldn't be listened to?  No, I'm not saying that.  On the contrary, I think that taking the test is valuable but I think that you need to treat it as you would any other test administered by a gym or even by your doctor.  If you don't understand what your test results mean, then you need to ASK.  And, if you don't think that your results are correct then you should get a second opinion.

In this case, the second opinion was using my heart rate monitor to test the results.  It turns out that because I have asthma and didn't take my inhaler, my results probably weren't correct.   I am sure that when I retest, the results will be different.  Not necessarily better, but different.