HRM fat burning zone?

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Hello.

Is there really an optimum. HR. To burn fat, or is any excerise as long as it gets you warm enough to burn fat and loose weight

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  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    What's considered Zone-1 is what's typically referred to as the "Fat Burning" zone because of the length and intensity of cardio typically used; it will use more fat as a fuel source. However it's a little misleading because Zones 2 and 3 will actually burn more overall calories which is more important and effective in losing weight. To calculate this for yourself use, 220-Age for your max heart rate. Then take that number and multiply it by...

    zone-1: .65 (min) .75 (max)
    zone-2: .80 (min) .85 (max)
    zone-3: .86 (min) .90 (max)

    For instance I'm 37 so my max rate would be 183 and my range for zone-1 would be between 119 and 137.

    I hope that helps.
  • turnercherrie
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    Thanks Sam, that makes perfect sense.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    What's considered Zone-1 is what's typically referred to as the "Fat Burning" zone because of the length and intensity of cardio typically used; it will use more fat as a fuel source. However it's a little misleading because Zones 2 and 3 will actually burn more overall calories which is more important and effective in losing weight.

    Agreed.

    HR zones do have their place in training for some people with very specific goals, but for most people who are simply looking to lose some weight, look better, and improve health/fitness, worrying about HR zones is pretty unnecessary.

  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    jacksonpt wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    What's considered Zone-1 is what's typically referred to as the "Fat Burning" zone because of the length and intensity of cardio typically used; it will use more fat as a fuel source. However it's a little misleading because Zones 2 and 3 will actually burn more overall calories which is more important and effective in losing weight.

    Agreed.

    HR zones do have their place in training for some people with very specific goals, but for most people who are simply looking to lose some weight, look better, and improve health/fitness, worrying about HR zones is pretty unnecessary.

    I wouldn't not use the training zones, but I would use them for a different reason. Ideally, used them to improve your aerobic and anaerobic capacity; basically use them to get in better shape. At the beginning use zone-1 and then graduate into intervals of zones 1 and 2, and then eventually use some intervals of 1, 2, & 3.