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Eagle Health Challenge
***Take
The National Health Test***
Check out the home page for upcoming activities on campus that can earn you extra points!!!
What
is the Eagle Health Challenge?
A Challenge to the COS Staff Members to Get Active! Increase your daily activity, even if just by 15min. The challenge is a competition that allows you to "get points" for daily activities. You keep track of those points on a monthly "time-sheet", and at semester end, compete for great prizes!
The Challenge is open to all College of the Siskiyous Staff Members.
What
is my Body Mass Index or BMI?
BMI correlates with body fat. The relation between fatness and BMI differs with age and gender. For example, women are more likely to have a higher percent of body fat than men for the same BMI. On average, older people may have more body fat than younger adults with the same BMI.
Body Mass Index or BMI is a tool for indicating weight status in adults. It is a measure of weight for height. For adults over 20 years old, BMI falls into one of these categories:
BMI Weight Status
*Below 18.5 Underweight
*18.5 – 24.9 Normal
*25.0 – 29.9 Overweight
*30.0 and Above ObeseNote: BMI for Children and Teens is based on gender and age specific charts.
How does BMI relate to health?
The BMI ranges are based on the effect body weight has on disease and death. As BMI increases, the risk for some disease increases. Some common conditions related to overweight and obesity include.
*Premature death
*Cardiovascular disease
*High blood pressure
*Osteoarthritis
*Some cancers
*Diabetes
BMI is only one of many factors used to predict risk for disease. BMI cannot be used to tell a person if he/she has a disease such as diabetes or cancer. It is important to remember that weight is only one factor that is related to disease.
(above from CDC.gov)
What
should my Target Heart Rate Be?
**A second way of monitoring physical activity intensity is to determine whether a person's pulse or heart rate is within the target zone during physical activity.
For moderate-intensity physical activity, a person's target heart rate should be 50 to 70% of his or her maximum heart rate. This maximum rate is based on the person's age. An estimate of a person's maximum age-related heart rate can be obtained by subtracting the person's age from 220. For example, for a 50-year-old person, the estimated maximum age-related heart rate would be calculated as 220 - 50 years = 170 beats per minute (bpm). The 50% and 70% levels would be:
*50% level: 170 x 0.50 = 85 bpm, and
*70% level: 170 x 0.70 = 119 bpm
*Thus, moderate-intensity physical activity for a 50-year-old person will require that the heart rate remains between 85 and 119 bpm during physical activity.For vigorous-intensity physical activity, a person's target heart rate should be 70 to 85% of his or her maximum heart rate. To calculate this range, follow the same formula as used above, except change "50 and 70%" to "70 and 85%". For example, for a 35-year-old person, the estimated maximum age-related heart rate would be calculated as 220 - 35 years = 185 beats per minute (bpm). The 70% and 85% levels would be:
*70% level: 185 x 0.70 = 130 bpm, and
*85% level: 185 x 0.85 = 157 bpm
*Thus, vigorous-intensity physical activity for a 35-year-old person will require that the heart rate remains between 130 and 157 bpm during physical activity.(above from CDC.gov)
How
do I calculate my Target Heart Rate?
Generally, to determine whether you are exercising within the heart rate target zone, you must stop exercising briefly to take your pulse. You can take the pulse at the neck, the wrist, or the chest. We recommend the wrist.
You can feel the radial pulse on the artery of the wrist in line with the thumb.
*Place the tips of the index and middle fingers over the artery and press lightly.
*Do not use the thumb.
*Take a full 60-second count of the heartbeats, or take for 30 seconds and multiply by 2.
*Start the count on a beat, which is counted as "zero."
If this number falls between 85 and 119 bpm in the case of the 50-year-old person, he or she is active within the target range for moderate-intensity activity.
(Above from CDC.gov)
Many experts recommend that you use your heart rate to determine whether you are exercising at an appropriate level. To check whether you're exercising within your target heart rate zone, take your pulse on the inside of your wrist, on the thumb side, for 10 seconds. Use the tips of your first two fingers (not your thumb) to press lightly over the blood vessels on your wrist. Count your pulse for 10 seconds and multiply by 6 for the number of beats per minute (bpm). This number should be within your target heart rate zone. If it's too high, you're straining, and you should slow down. If it's too low and the intensity feels "light" or "moderate/brisk", push yourself to exercise a little harder.
*These figures are averages and should be used as general guidelines.
Note: A few medicines lower the maximum heart rate and, thus, the target zone rate. If you are taking a beta-blocker or a high blood pressure medication, ask your doctor what your target heart rate should be.
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