Question

Anthony is a 42-year-old male who recently lost 50 pounds by increasing his exercise and eating small, frequent meals. Now that he is in a weight-maintenance phase, his trainer recommends doing exercise for 90 minutes per day, most days of the week, at what range of beats per minute?

1) 54 to 63 beats per minute
2) 252 to 294 beats per minute
3) 107 to 125 beats per minute
4) 132 to 154 beats per minute

Answer 1

Anthony's target heart rate zone for moderate-intensity exercise is approximately 89 to 125 bpm. The most appropriate heart rate range for his exercise is 107 to 125 bpm for weight maintenance based on health guidelines.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the appropriate exercise intensity for Anthony who is 42 years old, we first calculate his maximum heart rate (MHR) by subtracting his age from 220. Therefore, Anthony's MHR is 220 - 42 which equals 178 beats per minute (bpm). For weight maintenance and health benefits, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends that adults engage in moderate-intensity aerobic activity. The official guidelines suggest that for moderate-intensity exercise, individuals should aim for 50-70% of their maximum heart rate.

Calculating the lower end of the range, 50% of 178 bpm is 89 bpm, and the upper end of the range, 70% of 178 bpm is about 125 bpm. Thus, the target heart rate zone for Anthony would be approximately 89 to 125 beats per minute. Neither option 1) 54 to 63 bpm nor 2) 252 to 294 bpm are physiologically appropriate for exercise. Option 4) 132 to 154 bpm represents a vigorous intensity, which exceeds the moderate-intensity exercise recommendation. Therefore, the most accurate answer is 3) 107 to 125 beats per minute