How can I get my heart rate up?

Leave it alone! That is an athletic heartbeat. It shows you have capacity. People would kill for that. Be proud.
Why do you want it up? Are you trying to burn more calories? Wear arm wrist weights.

I want to burn calories. I cycle loads. I have been cycling this morning, as fast as I could and I could not get it past 108. Then I stop and skip and it goes up, but goes back down very quickly. My boyfriend said I should be impressed with it, but surely, I won’t lose much weight with a good heart?

If you use your arms above your head it might go up. Aerobics or zumba. But, honestly, I would not worry about getting your heart rate up. Don’t go by some chart for burning calories, you are burning calories. Are you out of breath? Or, are you able to cycle for a long time? If you want to lose weight what you eat is the most effective way, not a little bit more burn in your exercise.

Weight loss happens in the kitchen. Fitness happens in the gym.

If all you do is cycle, though, you need to switch it up. Your body will get used to using those same muscles in the same way and you’ll stop seeing results. Do some interval training or kickboxing and see if you like it.

Are you lifting, too, or just doing cardio? I ask because the more lean muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Oh, and because being fit is way better than being skinny, and skinny does not equal fit.

I’m far from skinny. I don’t care if my heart is fit or not. It is how much I weigh that matters to me. I cycle for 3 hours a day, when I’m not at work. I just do cardio, I have no interest in weights. I used to but didn’t like the results.

@Headhurts You might as well have said, “I don’t care if I’m healthy, as long as I’m skinny.” And in that case, I have no interest in helping you.

@livelaughlove21 That’s ok. Thanks for replying.

@Headhurts Are you hypothyroid by any chance? When I am undermedicated my heart rate is very slow. Especially my resting heart rate. Doctors always said it was good and I must be athletic, but at night especially I felt like I was going to die in my sleep.

to burn calories what you need is cardiac output. Cardiac output = Heart Rate x Contractility (strength of the heart). By being athletic, the contractility of your heart has increased. Thereby, it can operate at a lower heart rate.
If you are excercising vigorously, you are burning calories.

@drhat77 I wear a Polar heart rate monitor and an hours indoor biking, I lose around 150 calories, which isn’t much. If I cycle outdoors, the same time is around 250 calories, which I accept. I know I should probably run, but I feel stupid running. My body needs something else, but I would prefer something that I can do indoors. I have started kettlebell swings, which I enjoy, and they do get my heart up slighty more, but I do not want to build muscle.

@JLeslie GA. I don’t know to be honest, how would I know the answer to that?

<== can’t wait to show how f’ing smart he is

1 (dietetic) calorie = 4180 Joules. 1 joule = the amount of work it takes to exert 1 Newton of force x 1 second. 1 Newton = the amount of force needed to accelerate 1 kilogram 1 meter/second^2. gravity accelerates things roughly 10 m/s^2 in a downward direction, so conteracting gravity is an upward acceleration of 10m/s^s. Via these handy calculations you can calculate how many calroes you are burning just by doing things!
@JLeslie he she sounds way too active to be hypothyroid. It wouldn’t hurt to ask your doctor, but it sounds to me based on my exhuastive trans-internet exam that you do not have hypothyroidism

@drhat77 I’m a girl

@Headhurts I would assume you aren’t, I was just asking if you already know you are. Other symptoms people with that conditions have are very dry skin, dry hair, hair falling out, dry eyes, high blood pressure, needing more sleep, depression. Some people are not very symptomatic, other people have all of those and more. I doubt you are undiagnosed hypothyroid since you exericise so much.

@JLeslie I am going to make an appointment to see my doctor. I have a few of thing you mentioned. I would like to rule this out. Thank you very much for mentioning it.

@Headhurts If I remember correctly you have a pschychiatric diagnosis; the doctor who prescribes for you, if you take medication for it, most likely ran thyroid tests. Thyroid disorders often cause similar symptoms to depression and anxiety, so they test for it to rule it out. It’s a blood test. If I confused you with someone else ignore what I said. It’s worth asking the doctor if you are going for some other reason anyway.

@JLeslie Very interesting. Yes you are correct, but I have never had a blood test.

@Headhurts Here is a list of exercise activities and how many calories they burn in an hour.

Get smashed, then get smashed…If you know what I mean…. ;D

The cardio regimen on my gym’s treadmills essentially and gradually raises the steepness of the ramp’s slope. Works wonders for getting your heart rate up.

If you try wrist weights do not go more than half a pound. You will be amazed at how much extra energy they cause you to burn. The first day you wear them you will be wiped out. Every motion you do all day will be a little bit harder: eating, typing on the keyboard. combing your hair., washing the dishes, etc. You will be exercising without giving it a thought.