Heart rate for burning fat.

cturbyfill21
cturbyfill21 Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When I do cardio on the elliptical, my heart rate is usually in the 150's. I worry that I am not burning fat. According to the calculation, my fat burning target heart rate is 120 ( based on weight, age)
I am 31 and about 200 lbs.
I just don't feel like I am just in an aerobics state when in the elliptical and not burning fat. I feel I have a lot of muscle, just cover with a lot of fat. I'm so confused how to get the best fat burning workout from an elliptical.
Suggestions?

Replies

  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    edited January 2017


    If you eat 2500 calories in a day and your TDEE is 3000 calories you burn 500 calories of Mass off your body some Fat some muscle.

    The Fat burning zone is a MYTH!!!

    This guy explains it pretty well

    http://www.builtlean.com/2013/04/01/fat-burning-zone-myth/
  • vespiquenn
    vespiquenn Posts: 1,455 Member
    Michael190lbs wrote: »
    Burning Fat is a Eating deficit NOT a HR calculation..

    This. Heart rate zones have basically been debunked. Unless you're training for an endurance like event, HR won't mean much in weight loss.

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    The HR you exercise is totally irrelevant to your fat loss - that's a function of a calorie deficit over a prolonged period of time.
    Exercise at the HR that suits your capabilities and fitness goals.
  • cturbyfill21
    cturbyfill21 Posts: 4 Member
    Thanks all!!!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,052 Member
    Yes to all of the "don't worry about it, just work" that was written above.

    Also, most of the methods for estimating your maximum heart rate (thus your "target zone") aren't especially accurate anyway. That's just another reason not to worry about it. (Testing for max heart rate is more accurate, but I wouldn't want to be testing for it until basic fitness is in place - and as noted by others, it really doesn't matter for weight loss anyway).

    Just challenge yourself, work hard, eat at a calorie deficit (that's the most crucial) and you'll lose weight just fine.

    And if you do have plenty of muscle under the fat, you'll look plenty rockin' good when the fat is gone. :)

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