subject: Your Fat Burning Zone [print this page] There is a lot of dogma and myths in the fitness industry populated by dumb trainers and so called experts regarding many issues. Such issues are weight loss, nutrition and muscle building. However, today I am going to be talking about the myth of your fat burning zone and if its really necessary to lose fat this way.
Let me start off by saying that this article might get a little technical. Just stay with me as I splurge all my exercise physiology knowledge that is still fresh in my mind from graduate school.
Science has shown and demonstrated that when someone exercises at a constant heart rate of 65% of their max, the body primarily burns fat to fuel the exercise. This is true and there is no disputing this. However, if you dig a little deeper into human physiology, you see this is not the most optimal way to lose weight.
When you exercise at this intensity, especially when you are out of shape, it will take longer for your body to start burning the fat as compared to being in shape. The better shape you are in, the faster your body can start burning the fat. The average time this takes is 20 minutes. There are numerous hormonal pathways that the body has to go through such as releasing epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Also, because the intensity is not that high, you will not be burning that many calories or causing a severe shift in homeostasis. When you stop this type of exercise, your metabolism will automatically drop down to baseline levels. Also, over time, the body will adapt faster to this type of exercise. You will burn less and less calories each time. This is a big no no when it comes to losing weight.
Now what should you do when it comes to cardiovascular exercise and losing weight? Simple, it is to perform interval styles of training. When you perform interval training, the primary fuel used is carbohydrates stored within the body, however, you will burn more total calories and your metabolism stays raised for hours on end after you stop exercising, unlike traditional cardio. This is great because even though you are resting, you are still burning calories. Also, it is very hard for your body to adapt to this type of exercise because you can change it up in so many ways. You can run faster, decrease rest periods, run up hill. The choices are endless.
Remember, slow, boring cardio is pointless when trying to lose weight. Perform interval work 2 to 3 days a week and watch the fat just melt off right before your eyes.
I give away more interval style programs in a free fat loss manual that you can grab at my blog.
