Cardio Intensity Question

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Krisydee103
Krisydee103 Posts: 416 Member
edited February 8 in Fitness and Exercise
I understand that to lose the most weight with a cardio workout, you have to exercise within a specific heart rate (mine is between 150 and 175) or something like that (in order to be in my "fat burning zone"). Now, When my heart rate does get to that target zone, I feel as if I'm not doing anything or working hard enough.
Before I discovered this whole fat burning zone thing I always ran, biked, or did the elliptical where my heart would be at 180-185. I had always thought, the harder you work out and the more uncomfortable you are the more fat you will burn.... So I don't see how sticking between 150-175 when I don't feel like I'm working hard at all will help me? Can anyone help me with this?
TIA!

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  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    You're over-thinking it. Don't worry about the "fat burning zone" that you think you have to be in; get your heart rate up and keep it there. Continue to work out where you are comfortable.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    You're over-thinking it. Don't worry about the "fat burning zone" that you think you have to be in; get your heart rate up and keep it there. Continue to work out where you are comfortable.

    ^This is good advice.

    There is a zone of moderate aerobic exercise where the largest proportion of calories is coming from fat. However, at more intense levels, you may be burning a larger quantity of fat.

    In any case, as long as you're eating at a calorie deficit, the number of exercise calories that come directly from fat doesn't matter; in the long run, your deficit is made up from body fat (as long as you're doing some resistance training to help preserve muscle mass).
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