How...why...huh? need an explanation

impudentputz

Im still relatively new to this whole weight loss thing, granted ive lost a few pounds but certain things boggle my mind...for instance, i got a HRM, and according to that I am supposed to stay around 128ish heart rate. Ive used the HRM twice now, the first time i did what i always do and my Heart Rate was around 140-150ish for the entire session (*45 mins on the elliptical*) and burned 690 calories. The second time i tried staying closer to the HR that they wanted, however I wasnt really burning that many calories so i was alternating between 130ish and 150ish to keep the calories burned up (621 calories burned with the same time frame*). My question is... to lose weight, you have to burn calories... so why would I workout at a slower pace and burn less calories? Hopefully that made sense...

cmriverside

Work out as hard as you can. You don't have to stay in any zone. The "Fat burn" zone is a minimum, not a "stay here or else" number.

astrampe

Why do you HAVE to stay at 128ish? You will burn more calories if your HR goes higher, and it's better cardiovascular exercise too...
Unless you have heart or other medical problems there is no reason to keep your heart rate that low...My resting HR (female 44 years old) is between 62 and 64 - I go to 128is just doing a little moderate weight training - my average HR on a 10km run (long slow run) is around 159...
I can't see any reason why you need to keep it that low -....

Rae6503

There is no reason to exercise at a lower weight, unless you are a weight lifter and trying to not sabotage recovery (high intensity cardio when combined with weight lifting can inhibit your recovery from the lifting).

impudentputz

i dont know why id have to stay at 128, both the machine i use and the HRM beep at me when i stay over the 128 HR for too long, i just didnt know if there was something to that that i wasnt understanding. just seemed odd is all. I didnt know why there would be a "Fat Burn Zone" and a "Fitness Zone" and why i would want to stay in the fat burn instead of fitness...what has 2 thumbs and feels like an idiot.... << this guy. thanks for the responses

9jenn9

On some hrm, you can silence the alerts (like the one that beeps at you when you heart rate goes above the zone). I think I got through one work out before I pulled out the instruction manual to silence that bugger.