Fat burning zone

WeightWatcherCindy

I am wondering about the fat burning zone . I walk my boxer most every day . I manage just over 15 minute miles . I walk 4.26 miles. My heart rate stays between 107-112 . My monitor says I'm not in the zone at all during the walk . When I go to the gym and do the elliptical my heart rate stays between. 140 and 150 . I am in the fat burning zone the entire time . Ok , so is walking useless for burning fat ? I'm confused . Help . Thanks .
Cindy

aelunyu

You're thinking about "acute" vs "passive" fat burning. (I walk my two Aussies in the morning too!) So, when you walk your dogs, you're probably burning fat, especially if you haven't been walking those same 4 miles for the last five years, and your body has not adjusted to this new walking stress. However, if that is the case, it's possible that your body is comfortable with that walk. And as a rule of thumb, anything your body is comfortable with now, is probably not something that's going to make it want to lose any weight.

Ok, so this zone you're referring to is actually a measure of oxygen uptake as it relates to fat oxidation (fat burn). The 130-155 (there are many proposed values for the range of this actual zone) heart rate is where VO2 (oxygen uptake) and fat oxidation are sort of in a "sweet spot". you're burning fat actively, or during the duration of this task. That's why it's called acute...because the fat burn is mostly happening while you are on the machine, and declines greatly once you finish.

Passive is probably the preferred way to burn fat. At rest, when you're watching TV, you're burning fat. When you're doing dishes or reading a book, your body's furnace is metabolizing nutrients so that you can stay healthy. There are definitely ways to alter your passive metabolism. The main way would be to increase muscle density per ratio of muscle to fat. The more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn at rest, in a passive state. It has to do with repairing tissue, building stronger bones and joints, refilling your muscle fiber with energy and all those little things that add up and need calories to achieve.

The dog walks aim to be the acute version, but they do not require enough exertion to be in the "optimal" zone of maximum VO2 vs fat oxidation...therefore it falls out of the optimal fat burn zone. But worry not, even if it's not optimal, doesn't mean it's not working.

WeightWatcherCindy

Wow ! Thank you so much for the awesome explanation !
Cindy

phjorg1

fat burning zone is myth. ignore it. you goal should be to always workout harder for longer.