My Target Heart Rate seems to be BS

Options
snookumss
snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So... my target heart rate range seems to be that if I am working out anywhere between 100 and 150bpm, then I should lose weight. When I am doing cardio, 110 seems so easy, how does that actually help me lose weight? I tend to do intervals on the treadmill, so my heart rate shoots from about 130 to almost 170 so far. This will help me lose much more weight than working out on the low end of the target heart rate range I've found. Is it really true though, that if I walked slowly with my heart rate only about 100 or so, that I will lose any weight? Doesn't that seem bogus?



In case somebody wonders, I am 21 yo, and from the conflicting hr sources I found, it was 10?-149bpm.

Replies

  • SusanneWhittington
    SusanneWhittington Posts: 339 Member
    Options
    nope, works really good. I loose more weight staying between 120 and 135 than when I am above 140. But I guess a part is also that I can go longer with the lower HR than with the higher HR. The lower HR is for fat burning, the higher HR is for getting better in physical shape, you burn calories too and raise your fitness level, while with the other you burn calories, but only minimally raise your fitness level.
  • NiciS72
    NiciS72 Posts: 1,043 Member
    Options
    Depends, what is your resting heart rate? That is where the range comes in. If you are using a HRM, I would try and redo your resting heart rate. It is recommended that you take it when you wake up in the morning BEFORE you get out of bed.
  • Krific
    Krific Posts: 2
    Options
    Heart rate is a good indicator of calorie burn rate, at higher rates you burn more faster, but at lower rates it will take you longer to burn the calories. A good rule of thumb is that you burn about 100 calories for every mile you walk or run. If you walk the mile in 20 minutes, you burn about the same as if you ran the mile in 10 minutes. (or 12 minutes, as in my case!) Your heart rate will be slow on the walk and fast during the run. It gets complicated when your HR gets too high, in the anaerobic range. Everyone is different, but if you can't carry on a conversation and if you could only maintain that pace for a short time, then you are probably anaerobic. This is the highest calorie burn to time ratio, but you also end up depleting all your energy and you'll want to eat more afterwards. It can be counterproductive. There are lots of good books and sites out there on heart rate training that help figure out your best range for optimal calorie burn and building up fitness. Good luck!

Categories