How to I calculate what my target heart rate should be while doing cardio? I dont really know a lot about how to, or why you should keep a close eye on your heart rate other then if you arent training in a certain level, its not very beneficial. Any info would be great. THaks :)

A couple different methods, but for beginners -- this is a good one:

Your maximum heart rate is 220-[your age]. I am 30 years old, so my mhr is 190 (220-30=190). Generally speaking, your mhr is the fastest your heart is able to beat, it will not go faster, this is 100%. Don't go this fast!

It is good to exercise between 65% and 75% of your mhr. For me, that's 124-143 beats per minutes. So, I like to get on the elliptical and monitor my heart rate. After about 5 minutes warm-up, I settle into a pace that keeps my hr at about 135-140. That's comfotable for me. Then, I read while exercising for 45 minutes. Then I stop, covered in sweat, but I've been burning the fat (and reading).

You can do a quick search of these pages to see the debate between High Intensity Cardio (HIIT) and Low Intensity Cardio (LISS). I've used both, both are helpful in different ways, but for beginners, I definately think LISS is the way to go. 65-75% mhr for 40-50 minutes. You'll lose fat quickly and safely, though it is probably boring.

Hope this helps. Welcome to the JSF Forums. Glad you're here. What are your goals?