A Colorful New Way To Track Your Progress While Working Out

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Exercise and heart rate go hand in hand, but how hard should you work out without overdoing it? There's now a colorful new way to track your progress.

The creators of "Orange Theory Fitness" say it's the most effective workout, ever.

It targets different heart rate zones, each represented by a rainbow of colors.

CBS2's Alex Denis stopped by one of the classes to see how it works.

First, everyone straps on a heart rate monitor. As they exercise their numbers are displayed on overhead screens. Colors change when they reach a certain zone.

Most work is done in the moderate zone.

"Maintain for 20 to 30 minutes, it's challenging but doable," the trainer told the class.

Next they take it up a notch.

"Push pace is where you move into that orange zone, we spike that metabolism and you really start to condition your heart," the trainer said.

The trainers say if you reach the orange zone, and stay there for a certain amount of time, your body will burn more calories even after your workout. With the monitors, the trainers are able to make sure everyone's where they need to be.

That theory is based on a science known as EPOC, which stands for excess postexercise oxygen consumption.

"That's really the reason why we breathe faster after we've had a period of strenuous activity. for several hours afterwards you continue to have a really high metabolism and that's what turns into losing weight," cardiologist Dr. Jyoti Sharma said.

The creators of the program say that extra calorie burn leads to more energy and visible toning.