Fat burn mode vs. Cardio mode

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scottjoh
scottjoh Posts: 77 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
The machines at my gym have a couple of modes and I don't know which one I should be using. I'm wanting to lose weight. The fat burn mode is meant to keep your heart rate lower(114 for my weight and age) while cardio mode raises your heart rate(141 for me). I started using the fat burn mode and noticed small weight decreases but then I switched to cardio and the weight started coming off quicker. Is the fat burn meant to keep your heart rate down so you can go longer? I'm just confused by the different settings. Obviously since I'm losing quicker on cardio, that's what I've been doing, but is that right?

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  • nyboer
    nyboer Posts: 346 Member
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    Bump - I'd love hear the answers for this too! Thanks for posting.
  • uneik3
    uneik3 Posts: 68 Member
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    It has to do with percentages. You burn a greater percentage of fat vs. carbohydrates at a lower intensity, but you burn more calories overall, including more fat, at a higher intensity. If you can swing it, you're definitely better off going hard.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    i'm in no way an expert - you'll probably get a better answer soon.

    from what i've heard though, the higher intensity (cardio) is better for shifting the vascular (bad) fat and like you say i think the other mode is just so you can keep plugging away.
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
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    It has to do with percentages. You burn a greater percentage of fat vs. carbohydrates at a lower intensity, but you burn more calories overall, including more fat, at a higher intensity. If you can swing it, you're definitely better off going hard.

    Definitely this.
  • TriShamelessly
    TriShamelessly Posts: 905 Member
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    It has to do with percentages. You burn a greater percentage of fat vs. carbohydrates at a lower intensity, but you burn more calories overall, including more fat, at a higher intensity. If you can swing it, you're definitely better off going hard.

    Basically this ^^^ (without doing research). You'll also notice more sizeable fitness gains with higher intensity.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    What you're really talking about is the "after burn" and if you believe in it or not.
  • scottjoh
    scottjoh Posts: 77 Member
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    I just ordered a new HRM and it is supposed to have a fitness v. fatburn mode, so that is what really got me wondering about the differences.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    You should ignore those programs completely. For these reasons:

    1. There is so much variability in max heart rate (and thus heart rate response to exercise) that there is about a 1 in 3 chance that whatever heart rate the machine chooses for you will be significantly inappropriate.

    2. Even if you do manage to choose the correct heart rate level, the machine will likely gradually degrade the quality of your workout. Why? Because of something called "cardiovascular drift". During a cardio workout, heart rate will gradually increase without any increase in workload. This is due to physiological changes that I don't have time to explain. You aren't working harder, you aren't burning more calories--your heart rate just "drifts" higher.

    Since the machine is controlling your workload based on your heart rate, as the heart rate drifts higher, the machine reduces the workload. You end up with less of a training stimulus and you burn fewer calories.


    If you want to use a program that automatically changes the workout challenge, use a "random" or a type of "hill" program. I recommend against using a HR-interactive program.
  • scrapjen
    scrapjen Posts: 387 Member
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    It seems I read that the "fat burning" mode was popular a few years back. Current trends seem to push the higher intensity ...

    I say do whichever will get you exercising!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    In the "high intensity vs lower intensity" discussion, most people will get the best results from doing some of both.

    Higher intensity exercise is great for increasing fitness level, and extended higher-intensity tempo workouts burn a lot of calories.

    Endurance exercise helps with recovery, builds a strong aerobic base, and can also enhance your high-intensity workouts. It is not advisable to keep beating your head against a wall doing nothing but high-intensity workouts. (that's a current popular fad, but it is still not advisable).
  • rassha01
    rassha01 Posts: 534 Member
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    Your "fat burn" zone is a targeted heart rate that is meant to just burn calories and have no other specific goal. Aerobic zone will help with cardiovascular health, help your body use oxygen more efficiently, and build aerobic endurance. Anerobic Threshold zone is a zone that is used mainly for high intensity training. At this threshold your body will start creating lactic acid faster than the blood can take it away, this is where the burning in the muscles is felt. When working in this zone you will tire more quickly and have to rest. Also, your heart rate is only a good indicator of calorie burn for steady state cardio so when it comes to doing weight training these zones do not really apply.

    You need to tailor the work out specific to your goals. If you are just out to lose weight the lower zone is fine but you will burn more calories at higher intensities. You may also want to add in some strength training to ensure that you retain the lean mass that you currently have while burning up a higher percentage of fat.

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