Fat Burn/Cario Exercise Difference?

Bobanji

So I am very new to the gym and saw a personal trainer. I told her my goal is weight loss. She has me doing a "Zone 1" work out zone on the elliptical where I stay in the Fat Burn zone with a heart rate no more than 144. Keeping my heart rate at 144 is hard because it seems so slow and my calorie loss seems so low too. I thought the more calories burned the better. When I'm breathing hard and have a much higher heart rate, I feel like I'm getting a better work out and burning more calories in the same amount of time. So I guess my question is which is better for weight loss? Working out in the Fat Burn zone or the Cardio zone? What is the real difference? I usually do the elliptical for an hour.

arneslammer

I like the talking test--can you carry on a conversation in short sentences during your workout? You shouldn't be gasping, but you shouldn't be able to ramble or sing a song, either.

robmill315

Keep in mind that I'm no doctor or fitness expert. But I've always understood it to be that staying in the "zone" as you are, that is where a higher percentage of your calories burned will be fat calories. And when you said weight loss is your goal, I'm assuming the trainer is targeting "fat weight". However, you WILL burn more overall calories with a more intense workout. It may be that the percentage of those calories that are fat is lower...but again, you will still burn plenty of fat calories because it's more overall.

That being said, if you aren't finding the workout all that invigorating, I'd suggest trying to raise the intensity a little bit. It's a better cardio workout and if you end up enjoying it more, you'll want to keep up the workouts.

Mokey41

Work hard and lose the trainer if that's the best she can offer. The whole fat burning zone is a pile of crap. If you never push yourself you'll never improve your fitness level.