Question about heart rate and exercise

ohthatbambi

What is the difference b/t the fat burn and the cardio heart rate? Which is better for you? Why?

What is considered too high of a heart rate when I exercise??? I am 35, in very good shape physically. My target heart rate according to the trainer at my gym is 149-156. Pending what I am doing there are times when it goes above this, just not for super long periods of time. I guess I just need to know if that is okay. I assume it is okay b/c I don't feel bad or anything when I do, but I just wanted to make sure I was not doing more harm than good.

Any and all input welcomed! Thanks

ohthatbambi

What is the difference b/t the fat burn and the cardio heart rate? Which is better for you? Why?

What is considered too high of a heart rate when I exercise??? I am 35, in very good shape physically. My target heart rate according to the trainer at my gym is 149-156. Pending what I am doing there are times when it goes above this, just not for super long periods of time. I guess I just need to know if that is okay. I assume it is okay b/c I don't feel bad or anything when I do, but I just wanted to make sure I was not doing more harm than good.

Any and all input welcomed! Thanks

banks1850

most doctors say not to exceed 90% for any extended period. 80 to 90 is the "fat burn" area I believe, 70 to 80 is the cardio area.

Did you need to know what each area does specifically or were you just looking for ranges?

yoginimary

The target HR is based on 220 minus age times .75-.85.

Here is a more accurate HR test:
http://www.briancalkins.com/HeartRate.htm

it's called the Karvonen HR. It takes into account your resting HR.

My HR goes over sometimes too. I don't worry about it if it's under a minute. It's more worrisome if you are not in shape.

Fat burn is just a measure of what your body uses to process calories. I would go for the cardio as it's better for your heart and burns more calories.

yoginimary

most doctors say not to exceed 90% for any extended period. 80 to 90 is the "fat burn" area I believe, 70 to 80 is the cardio area.

Did you need to know what each area does specifically or were you just looking for ranges?

On most machines "fat burn" is 60-75% - I believe.

kris23

I was told if you want to burn fat keep your heart rate at 65% for 30 mins and if you want to burn carbs keep your heart rate at 85%. It could be wrong but I have lost 9 pounds in a week with fast walking and before only 2 pounds with running and aerobics and stuff like that.

ohthatbambi

Thanks for the 411. I just wanted to be sure that what I was doing was okay and actually doing my body good.

I really started paying attn to my heartrate when doing cardio a month or so ago and I try to keep it above 150 after the first minute and until cool down. I have seen some results since I started doing this...not so much on the scale but in my clothes. I quit reading while on the bike and found that I pedal much faster when I am more aware of my heartrate. Today while running on the TM my heart rate got way up there and I wanted to make sure that was okay, which was the main reason for my original post.

So thanks again for the info.

banks1850

I might have reversed the two. I'm just going off what it says on the machine. my bad if I did.

ohthatbambi

I might have reversed the two. I'm just going off what it says on the machine. my bad if I did.

No problemo! The general gist I am getting is that the higher your heartrate the better as long as you don't go too high for too long!

cmriverside

most doctors say not to exceed 90% for any extended period. 80 to 90 is the "fat burn" area I believe, 70 to 80 is the cardio area.

Did you need to know what each area does specifically or were you just looking for ranges?

On most machines "fat burn" is 60-75% - I believe.

correct.