Heart Rate - Cardio Zone vs. Fat Loss Zone

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bebe1208
bebe1208 Posts: 6
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this site and this is my first post! Can anyone tell me if it's true that if you work out in the Cardio Zone and not the Fat Loss zone, you aren't really burning any fat? I work out on the elliptical machine that has a heart rate monitor built in. My heart rate is consistently in the 150-160 bpm range and that is consideredthe Cardiovascular zone according to the diagram on the machine. Am I only getting cardiovascular benefits then and not fat loss benefits? I've been working out consistently for a while now and I'm not losing all that much wait! Would appreciate any comments on this~

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  • bebe1208
    bebe1208 Posts: 6
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    Hi Everyone,

    I'm new to this site and this is my first post! Can anyone tell me if it's true that if you work out in the Cardio Zone and not the Fat Loss zone, you aren't really burning any fat? I work out on the elliptical machine that has a heart rate monitor built in. My heart rate is consistently in the 150-160 bpm range and that is consideredthe Cardiovascular zone according to the diagram on the machine. Am I only getting cardiovascular benefits then and not fat loss benefits? I've been working out consistently for a while now and I'm not losing all that much wait! Would appreciate any comments on this~
  • mkaguiar
    mkaguiar Posts: 5
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    According to a fitness instructor - that is a myth. As long as you are within a given range (whether fat burning or cardio) you are burning fat. He says he believes it was just a "selling" tactic. You will burn more fat in the cardio zone (higher target heart rate) than in the fat burning zone. You basically don't want to exceed 85% of your max heart rate (I think this is right). Its possible that your body isn't getting enough food to sustain your exercise meaning that it will store fat because it thinks its starving.
  • slimsuccess
    slimsuccess Posts: 47
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    You should get a body fat percentage measurement. You may be gaining muscle.
  • jessneill
    jessneill Posts: 380 Member
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    If you are in the "fat burning" zone a higher percentage of the calories burned comes from fat than when you are in the "cardio" zone.

    Now, that being said, when you are in the cardio you will usually end up burning more calories overall therefore even though the percentage burned from fat is lower you will still burn a lot of fat calories.

    The best areobic workouts are to do many different kinds over your week of working out. Doing some low intensity and stay at the top of your fat burning range. Do some in the cardio and then do intervals where you alternate between low intensity and high intensity.
  • ToTheLove
    ToTheLove Posts: 357
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    http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/l/aa022601a.htm

    This is a great explaination.

    :flowerforyou:
  • everwas
    everwas Posts: 5
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    The more calories you burn the more wieght you lose. Fat burn zone is just to let people who cant hold the pulse rate to train cardio they are still doing something. Bottom line -the harder you work the more you lose. Forget about zones. Push it!
  • chiefiron
    chiefiron Posts: 305 Member
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    The more calories you burn the more wieght you lose. Fat burn zone is just to let people who cant hold the pulse rate to train cardio they are still doing something. Bottom line -the harder you work the more you lose. Forget about zones. Push it!

    PUSH IT No doubt about it that is the way to improve/loose.

    I keep a log of the settings on the machine time spent, distance and cals burned. on my next cardio day i set up the machine the same keep the same time and try to beat the distance and cals.

    if that gets to easy for you then cover up the RPM monitor. i have tried that and its really tough but i almost always go further and burn more when i do.

    Tim

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