Heart Rate Monitor Question (Polar ft7)

monbeaucher

Can someone explain to me what the difference is between fitness and fat burning mode? I mean, how do I know when I'm in each mode? What heart rate am I trying to stay at so I'm in a certain mode/how can I find out? I just got the HRM yesterday and the manual didn't help me much, haha.

Thanks in advance!

halleymw

The idea of the "fat burning zone" seems to have lost favor. The reasoning was that if you burned calories in this zone, then more of the calories burned would be from fat stores. However, if you burn calories at the higher heart rate, you burn more TOTAL calories, thus burning more FAT calories. HIIT (High intensity Interval Training) seems to be the current best way to burn fat, but I would recommend if you are just starting out you work up from regular cardio before you start doing that.
Mike

monbeaucher

Thanks, Mike. I'm not sure what my "fat burning" heart rate is, so I'm not sure if I'm there or not.
It's probably just me not knowing how to read the watch properly, though. I'm not sure. :P

halleymw

There are many calculators online to help you figure out your target zone. The maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age, so yours would be 200. Then there are various percentages of that for the different zones.
From the Livestrong Website:

Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.60 to find the bottom of your fat burning zone, known as Zone 1. This is 60% of your maximum heart rate. For example, if you are 20 years old, your maximum heart rate is 200, and 200 multiplied by 0.60 is 120. So 120 bpm is the bottom of your fat burning zone.

Step 3
Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.70 to find the middle of your fat burning zone, or Zone 2. This is 70% of your maximum heart rate. If you are 20 years old, your maximum heart rate is 200, and 200 multiplied by 0.70 is 140 beats per minute, thus 140 is the middle of your fat burning zone.

Step 4
Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.80 to find Zone 3, or the top of your fat burning zone. This is 80% of your maximum heart rate. If you are 20 years old, your maximum heart rate is 200, and 200 multiplied by 0.80 is 160 beats per minute. Your fat burning zone, therefore, from 60% to 80% of your maximum heart rate, is 120 to 160 beats per minute. If you stay in this zone while exercising you will be burning fat as your primary fuel source.



Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/76963-fat-burning-zone/#ixzz2IPV7xD4C

Good luck.
Mike

monbeaucher

Thanks again mike! That helped a lot

Mokey41

I ignore all the zone junk and just go for it. Seems ridiculous to spend a workout barely moving in order to stay in some zone when I could be increasing my heart rate and cardio endurance by actually working hard. I really doubt that your body decides at some random heart rate to switch fuels.

monbeaucher

I just don't want to work my heart too hard and have it be for nothing.... I notice a lot when I'm doing certain cardio my HR is sometimes between 160-180 and I am afraid that I'm doing the work for nothing if it's not burning calories. :x