Obese and can't reach cardio level on fitbit

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  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited August 2020
    cparsons_60 wrote: »
    Thank you Heybales and NorthCascades for your informative replies. Threads like this are why I read the comments on MFP. "You can run a 5K on glycogen but not a marathon" -- new information to me, very interesting and helpful.

    I learned at some point that all exercise starts out as anaerobic, but if you do it long enough your body switches over to burning stored fat instead of glycogen. Even a leisurely walk, if it lasts long enough, is eventually an aerobic exercise. Is this accurate?

    No.

    You already burn fat for vast majority of day. You start walking it still does, nothing changes, it just burns more of it.
    At some point though the level of exertion requires a tad faster energy source than fat so a mix of glycogen starts being used - still aerobic. Your cardio fitness level determines these changes as to sooner or later.
    Start jogging - more energy, more glycogen and higher%, and more fat.
    Start running - more energy, more of both sources but higher % glycogen again.
    Start sprinting - mostly glycogen and high energy and maybe still aerobic to some degree.
    Faster sprinting - glycogen and anaerobic and you are about to end your run.

    Here's pic of my test showing these facts. From standing.
    Blue is HR.
    Red is glycogen
    Green is fat.
    X is seconds, y is HR and % glycogen and fat to 100%

    2cd9d23uou5b.png


    ETA - wherever you are getting this info you are mentioning - start ignoring those sites/people.
    Bad info.
    Frankly sounds like typical keto mis-representation and confusion, lies by those that actually know this stuff.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    cparsons_60 wrote: »
    I learned at some point that all exercise starts out as anaerobic, but if you do it long enough your body switches over to burning stored fat instead of glycogen. Even a leisurely walk, if it lasts long enough, is eventually an aerobic exercise. Is this accurate?
    @cparsons_60

    No it's absolutely wrong!

    In addition to the excellent info that Heybales provided unless you are interested in endurance cardio it's not worth even thinking what mix of fuels your daily activity and exercise are using - it simply doesn't matter if you are either just a recreational exerciser with moderate duration and/or concerned with fat loss.
    That fat loss comes from a calorie deficit and not from trying to manipulate fuel substrate usage during exercise.
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