POLAR HRM Fitness zone vs Fat Burn Zone

kaylarachellee
kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just bought a Polar FT40.
If you are in Fat burn zone, do you really burn more fat? My HRM wants my heart rate to be below 128 for fat burn zone... But after 1 minute of working out... My heart rate is averaging 150, which is in the fitness zone. Does any one believe I should watch these zones, and if i want to lose fat should I try to do lower intensity workouts and keep my heart rate low?

Replies

  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    I would ignore the 'fat burn zone'. You burn a higher % of fat but a lower total calories, so just go for the higher total. Plus it's good for your heart to hit the higher zones.
  • tryinghard71
    tryinghard71 Posts: 593
    I would ignore the 'fat burn zone'. You burn a higher % of fat but a lower total calories, so just go for the higher total. Plus it's good for your heart to hit the higher zones.

    ^^^^^^
    Agree!
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
    If your feeling dizzy you have gone to high.
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
    I also agree with the above. I am *always* in my fitness zone according to my ft7. It changes a lot too (sometimes it's 120, sometimes it's 135; I am not quite sure why).
  • msgremmy
    msgremmy Posts: 88
    As first, I was also really confused/frustrated by this, but, as has been stated, you're burning more calories in the "fitness zone." I ignore this, quite honestly-- which is disappointing because I thought it would be a cool feature.
  • smbkrn
    smbkrn Posts: 30 Member
    Your workouts should include time in both the fat burn and fitness zones. This will help you achieve the best results and is similar to High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). I am sure you will find lots of information on MFP and online if you are not already familiar with HIIT. This should however be adjusted based on what you are training for. If you are solely trying to lose weight, then I would maintain a 50/50 mix between fitness and fat burn but if you are training for a 5k then you sre going to want to spend more time in fitness since this will help to build muscle and improve lung capacity.
  • bzmom
    bzmom Posts: 1,332 Member
    If I understand correctly you are asking at the end if you are wanting to loose fat what should you try. For this to get a greater fat loss I think HIIT and heavy weight lifting would do the trick. But that is just my opinion. You may want to take a look at this website:
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/01/what-burns-more-calories-cardio-intervals-or-weight-training/
  • kaylarachellee
    kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
    Your workouts should include time in both the fat burn and fitness zones. This will help you achieve the best results and is similar to High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). I am sure you will find lots of information on MFP and online if you are not already familiar with HIIT. This should however be adjusted based on what you are training for. If you are solely trying to lose weight, then I would maintain a 50/50 mix between fitness and fat burn but if you are training for a 5k then you sre going to want to spend more time in fitness since this will help to build muscle and improve lung capacity.

    I'm trying to just lose weight... but I run 5k all the time.. and some half and full marathons. I want to lose body fat...and gain muscle mass that's my goal.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    if it's all calibrated and set up right then you may benefit from staying in the fat burning zone. At full tilt you burn zero fat, in the zone 60% fat / 40% carbs. Sure there's more calories at full tilt, but at the time none of them are from fat. So you have to rely on / hope that post exercise the fat will be used to restore the greater calories imbalance, and my jury is still out on whether this is the case over 24 hours.

    I found a treadmill analysis the showed quite clear optima for fat burn during exercise as a function of incline and speed. Excessive speed minimised fat burn, going too slow wasn't good either.
  • kaylarachellee
    kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
    Yeah... When my heart rate is like 130 or less... I feel like I am not benefiting from my workout. I love when I finish a work out and i am drenched in sweat and just want to fall over. :) I get an adrenaline rush when my heart rate is 160- 185. I feel great!!

    It's confusing. I want to lose some weight... but I dont want to burn my muscle off. :(
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    I feel like I am not benefiting from my workout. I love when I finish a work out and i am drenched in sweat and just want to fall over
    While common, I suspect this is futile. 30 minutes of C25K interval running may be more beneficial. Google "tabata".
  • kaylarachellee
    kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
    I feel like I am not benefiting from my workout. I love when I finish a work out and i am drenched in sweat and just want to fall over
    While common, I suspect this is futile. 30 minutes of C25K interval running may be more beneficial. Google "tabata".

    I do tabata in crossfit.

    That is what I am thinking. intervals. get my heart rate up... and then get it low.. then get it up. :)
  • vintageice
    vintageice Posts: 1
    Another option for working out your fat burning zone is on the website below.
    My limit is also at 128 bpm but I just don't feel like I've had a workout.

    http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1246983/
  • creamvespa
    creamvespa Posts: 14
    65% - 85% of your Max heart rate will be ideal balance for Fat / Calorie burn.

    Calculate your Max Heart Rate:
    Male Adjusted 202-[.55 x Age]
    Female Adjusted 216-[1.09 x Age]

    When you exercise, your body uses two types of fuel: fat or carbohydrate (glucose). While on nutritional Ketogenic metabolic state (0.5-3.0 millimolar), your body uses fat as main fuel (~90%) for exercise. This would be an ideal time to do HIIT (12min) followed by slow steady cardio (45-60min) You can watch Dr. Jeff Volek's lecture for more information on nutritional Ketosis: http://youtu.be/n8BY4fyLvZc
    You can achieve nutritional Ketosis through LCHF (Low Carb High Fat)-majority of your Daily Calorie Intake comes from Fat (saturated fat, monounsaturated fat (75-80%), moderate protein (~20%) and low carb (less than10%).
    Another way to achieve metabolic ketosis is through Intermittent fasting (IF). A good reference book is The Fast Diet by Michael Mosley, also known as 5:2 Diet (eating 5 days normal diet and fasting 2 non consecutive 24 hour fasting). Another method is through Leangains method ( http://www.leangains.com ) fasting 16 hours /day and have 8 hours feeding window. Whichever method works the best depends on your ability to sustain as your lifestyle not as quick fix weight loss.

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