Cardio or Fat Burn?

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nickelmel
nickelmel Posts: 87
in Fitness and Exercise
I had a question about the machines at the gym. They all have the little heart rate graphs and if i'm going pretty strong my heart rate puts me in the cardio level and if I slow it down a touch i'm in the fat burn category. Which category do I want to be in? I definitely have a lot of fat to burn :wink: but I've always heard I should be in the cardio range - any ideas?

Thanks!

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  • nickelmel
    nickelmel Posts: 87
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    I had a question about the machines at the gym. They all have the little heart rate graphs and if i'm going pretty strong my heart rate puts me in the cardio level and if I slow it down a touch i'm in the fat burn category. Which category do I want to be in? I definitely have a lot of fat to burn :wink: but I've always heard I should be in the cardio range - any ideas?

    Thanks!
  • krissynicole787
    krissynicole787 Posts: 121 Member
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    I prefer to be in the cardio range. I also have alot of fat to burn but I feel I get more of a workout when I sweat like a pig and that is when I'm in the cardio range.
  • debmac63
    debmac63 Posts: 459 Member
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    some of both.
  • xsargex
    xsargex Posts: 768
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    There's no problem with switching it up. Just like lifting weights or any exercise, your body grows accustom to routine. Also, to reduce injury in a certain group of muscles...its good to walk, jog, run and use differing speeds. Typically, on my cardio days I mix it up. I'll stay in the fat burn zone for 10 minutes, cardio for 20 and sprint for 5 min. Maybe the next day, swap it all up again.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    There is no 'cardio' or 'fat burning' zone. You will always use a combination of fatty acids (fats) and glucose ('carbs') that are already in circulation. The fuel type you use more of is dependent upon your activity level, but at levels that use mostly fatty acids, you're burning few calories and there is no cardiovascular improvement. In order to get the most out of your workout, you should be working in what the machine has labeled as the 'cardio zone' so your HR is elevated enough to burn a substantial amount of calories and promote CV health improvement. But keep in mind that there is no 'zone' for just 'fat burning'.

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