Polar HRM: fitness mode vs. fatburn mode

YaGigi

Yesterday I received my Polar HRM F7 and started using it right away. I got like 20 kilos to lose (44 pounds). So I'm on a diet and do some cardio. Trying my best to do it every day. I usually do 40-60 minutes of elliptical and 20-40 minutes of bicycle.

Polar F7 shows heart rate, calories and fitness mode/fatburn mode. And the last got me really confused. Today I was on elliptical for 60 minutes, and Polar showed 44 minutes of fitness mode, 6 minutes of fatburn mode , 776 calories burn, 160-172 heart rate.

Does it mean I train only my heart for 44 minutes and didn't get my fat burn? that's pretty much a bummer.

I thought if I lose so much calories in an hour, I lose my fat too? Am I wrong?

Please advise!

YaGigi

Nobody can help?

EvgeniZyntx

Don't worry about that. Fat burn mode just means that a larger percent of energy is coming from fat 60% vs 40%. However, in fitness mde you still burn more calories so even that 40% is a total higher burn from fat than the fat burn zone.

You had a great burn!

invisibubble

Don't worry about that. Fat burn mode just means that a larger percent of energy is coming from fat 60% vs 40%. However, in fitness mde you still burn more calories so even that 40% is a total higher burn from fat than the fat burn zone.

You had a great burn!

Quite. Don't worry about it, you did amazingly.

desirea2006

The difference is that in Zone 2 (Fat burning mode) you burn less calories but the calories you do burn are spent more efficiently. In Zone 3, you are pushing your body harder and its kinda burning what ever you just ate rather than what you ate last week. I got some great advice on this subject from my trainer a year or so ago. Basically, Zone 3 puts your body into fight or flight mode, which produces large quantities of cortisole. Cortisole is the big contributing hormone to belly fat. Those of us that carry alot of weight in our bellies should try to avoid zone3. Instead do yoga or a brisk walk but keeping your heart rate in zone 2.
There is some great internet reading if you google aeorobic vs anarobic. Its just a difference in how your body burns its fuel.

Also read up on heart rate training... It feel almost ineffective in the beggining but after 6-8 weeks of doing it you will see HUGE results the next time you actually run...

My target is between 141 and 150 so I run until my heart rate hits 150, then I walk until it goes back to 140 then run again til 150... Eventually you train your body to burn most effectively in this heart rate range. It builds stamina, endurance and you recover much faster after doing this than you would just our running every other day for weeks on end. It makes the training purposeful. I'm sorry if my info is kinda jumbled but when you start googling these terms it will make perfect sense...

Good Luck!! And PS I LOVE LOVE LOVE my hrm and it has helped me so much in my previous weightloss journeys... Unfortunatly its not attached to my body 24/7 and thats why I'm back here doin this again!! LOL

Azdak

The "zone" names are more marketing gimmicks. The intensity level at which you exercise can affect the percentage of fat that is utilized as fuel, HOWEVER.........

the percentage of fat used as fuel has NO EFFECT on loss of stored body fat.

A balanced workout plan should include both lower-intensity endurance workouts and higher-intensity workout. The HRM and the labels can help you to keep the easy days easy and the harder days hard--but any references to "fat burning" should be ignored.

YaGigi

Thank you so much everyone for the replies!

I have not been exercising for too long. But I usually do elliptical with high intensity (from 150 to 175 heart rate) and bicycle with low intensity (from 125 to 135 heart rate). Bike is very easy for me and I thought it didn't give much and was surprised to see good calorie burn and the "fat burn mode" on my HRM.

I guess it means I do it the right way.

Later I hope incorporate some of strength activities. But as I understand strength activities help build the muscles and cardio helps to lose fat. Not sure if I should start the strength if I am still so far from weight loss goal.

AZKristi

This has to do with your heart rate zones. Higher intensity exercise burns more calories overall, but a smaller percentage of these calories will be from fat. Moderate intensity exercise burns fewer calories overall, but a higher percentage of these calories come from fat. Both types of exercise are important for overall fitness.

Intervals are a great way to train your heart AND burn fat. Some days do short super intense intervals (near your anaerobic threshold) with long periods of moderate intensity rest between. Mix it up... other days you can do less intense work intervals with higher intensity rest intervals - the ratio of work to rest time will increase on a workout like this.

What the previous poster said about the types of exercise not having an effect on stored fat is absolutely true.

heybales

Later I hope incorporate some of strength activities. But as I understand strength activities help build the muscles and cardio helps to lose fat. Not sure if I should start the strength if I am still so far from weight loss goal.

Actually, heavy strength training will burn more fat than cardio.

Because with strength the calorie burn during the workout is less, you you can eat back less calories. But the recovery and repair from lifting burns more fat.
But cardio, while you are doing it, is easily 60 - 90% carb burn depending on your intensity. But there ain't much if any after burn at all.

If you have time for either, time is best spent on heavy for you lifting to burn the fat.

Then you use that fat-burning zone the day after to make sure you are getting an easy enough cardio workout to allow muscles to repair and recovery.

Lean Body Mass goes up, hopefully muscle is retained, metabolism goes up, and fat burning goes up.
Best combo.

YaGigi

Just to make it clear as English is not my native language and I have some troubles with the terminology.

Heavy strength training is the work out on the machines, like this for example? I'm planning to use them at the gym but they are often the most occupied by big guys and I'm kind of intimidated. http://www.gymsource.com/strength

Or do you mean big things like these? These ones I doubt I can use. http://www.gymsource.com/free-weights

Sorry for the confusion.

desirea2006

When I said "what you ate last week" I was just simplifying a larger process. It is true that the types of exercise doesn't have an effect on stored fat. I was just trying to explain the heart rate zone.

DavPul

The difference is that in Zone 2 (Fat burning mode) you burn less calories but the calories you do burn are spent more efficiently. In Zone 3, you are pushing your body harder and its kinda burning what ever you just ate rather than what you ate last week. I got some great advice on this subject from my trainer a year or so ago. Basically, Zone 3 puts your body into fight or flight mode, which produces large quantities of cortisole. Cortisole is the big contributing hormone to belly fat. Those of us that carry alot of weight in our bellies should try to avoid zone3. Instead do yoga or a brisk walk but keeping your heart rate in zone 2.
There is some great internet reading if you google aeorobic vs anarobic. Its just a difference in how your body burns its fuel.

Also read up on heart rate training... It feel almost ineffective in the beggining but after 6-8 weeks of doing it you will see HUGE results the next time you actually run...

My target is between 141 and 150 so I run until my heart rate hits 150, then I walk until it goes back to 140 then run again til 150... Eventually you train your body to burn most effectively in this heart rate range. It builds stamina, endurance and you recover much faster after doing this than you would just our running every other day for weeks on end. It makes the training purposeful. I'm sorry if my info is kinda jumbled but when you start googling these terms it will make perfect sense...

Good Luck!! And PS I LOVE LOVE LOVE my hrm and it has helped me so much in my previous weightloss journeys... Unfortunatly its not attached to my body 24/7 and thats why I'm back here doin this again!! LOL

Please don't anybody listen to this. I don't blame the poster as it's obviously from her trainer, who needs to be drawn and quartered. I mean, almost every word of this post is the opposite of what you should be doing. Okay, I changed my mind. Everybody read and remember this post and place everything here in the DON"T section of your brains.

I repeat that I don't mean to disrespect the poster. She trusts her trainer and is doing and repeating his advice. His horrible advice. Please ditch this trainer.

Sarauk2sf

As has already been said - do not worry about 'fat burning zone' as it is really a misrepresention.

You should start strength training as soon as possible. If you have access to a gym, look into Starting Strength or Stronglifts - they are programs designed to be appropriate for beginners (and intermediates). This uses free weights (barbells). If you are a little nervous, you may want to look into New Rules of Lifting for Women as it seems as though that one eases you into it a little more. I am not sure if it comes in other languages or is available where you are, but it is available in eBook.

heybales

The difference is that in Zone 2 (Fat burning mode) you burn less calories but the calories you do burn are spent more efficiently. In Zone 3, you are pushing your body harder and its kinda burning what ever you just ate rather than what you ate last week. I got some great advice on this subject from my trainer a year or so ago. Basically, Zone 3 puts your body into fight or flight mode, which produces large quantities of cortisole. Cortisole is the big contributing hormone to belly fat. Those of us that carry alot of weight in our bellies should try to avoid zone3. Instead do yoga or a brisk walk but keeping your heart rate in zone 2.
There is some great internet reading if you google aeorobic vs anarobic. Its just a difference in how your body burns its fuel.

Also read up on heart rate training... It feel almost ineffective in the beggining but after 6-8 weeks of doing it you will see HUGE results the next time you actually run...

My target is between 141 and 150 so I run until my heart rate hits 150, then I walk until it goes back to 140 then run again til 150... Eventually you train your body to burn most effectively in this heart rate range. It builds stamina, endurance and you recover much faster after doing this than you would just our running every other day for weeks on end. It makes the training purposeful. I'm sorry if my info is kinda jumbled but when you start googling these terms it will make perfect sense...

Good Luck!! And PS I LOVE LOVE LOVE my hrm and it has helped me so much in my previous weightloss journeys... Unfortunatly its not attached to my body 24/7 and thats why I'm back here doin this again!! LOL

Please don't anybody listen to this. I don't blame the poster as it's obviously from her trainer, who needs to be drawn and quartered. I mean, almost every word of this post is the opposite of what you should be doing. Okay, I changed my mind. Everybody read and remember this post and place everything here in the DON"T section of your brains.

I repeat that I don't mean to disrespect the poster. She trusts her trainer and is doing and repeating his advice. His horrible advice. Please ditch this trainer.

Well, it should have been put into context, and the context of the OP was not about endurance running as sport, but weight loss.

The HR training info is somewhat correct on that except for the explanations. But it's a lousy way to loose the weight as well as it could be lost anyway.

Actually, some of those explanations are way out there, fight or flight, only burning what you last ate? huh.

heybales

Just to make it clear as English is not my native language and I have some troubles with the terminology.

Heavy strength training is the work out on the machines, like this for example? I'm planning to use them at the gym but they are often the most occupied by big guys and I'm kind of intimidated. http://www.gymsource.com/strength

Or do you mean big things like these? These ones I doubt I can use. http://www.gymsource.com/free-weights

Sorry for the confusion.

Free weights, dumbbells would be great for you if uncomfortable with the bar and weights. Definitely better than the machines.

Do one of these programs. Read instructions at bottom of page.
Click on the muscle, look at the dumbbell workouts for it, and view proper form.

http://www.exrx.net/Workouts/Workout1ULUL.html

Omi_16

You really want to be in the fitness zone. You'll burn more calories during your workout, but also you'll be getting fitter and burning more calories when you're not exercising. I try to always workout in the fitness zone!!!

Sarauk2sf

You really want to be in the fitness zone. You'll burn more calories during your workout, but also you'll be getting fitter and burning more calories when you're not exercising. I try to always workout in the fitness zone!!!

What is this fitness zone?

Weezoh

You really want to be in the fitness zone.

What is this fitness zone?

fitness is how Polar labels Zone 3 as opposed to fat-burning on the HRM.

To the original poster who asked about "heavy" lifting. Usually when people say lift heavy they are referring to however much weight you can manage to lift about 5-8 times before your muscles cannot perform any more. Whether that's 5 pounds or 50 depends on you.

Sarauk2sf

You really want to be in the fitness zone.

What is this fitness zone?

fitness is how Polar labels Zone 3 as opposed to fat-burning on the HRM.

To the original poster who asked about "heavy" lifting. Usually when people say lift heavy they are referring to however much weight you can manage to lift about 5-8 times before your muscles cannot perform any more. Whether that's 5 pounds or 50 depends on you.

This fitness zone should be ignored - see other posts above as to why.

heybales

This fitness zone should be ignored - see other posts above as to why.

and it's a totally sketchy zone too on Polar's, it'll flucuate depending on the types of workouts you do.

If I used it for many cardio sessions in a row that happened to be Active Recovery HR zone (better name than fat-burning zone) the day after lifting, so I did want a low HR, it would lower that line for fat/fitness down to like 128.

First workout back in Aerobic or higher zones, it would pop-it back up higher to mid-40's, which is just bottom of Aerobic zone based on LT HR.

Crazy, not sure how it was basing it on anything.