I have an HRM question....

amymrls
amymrls Posts: 1,673 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Sorry this question may seem stupid but I have been working out with my HRM for about a year and still don't know the difference between Cardio and Fat burn on my HRM I usually have about 40 min of Cardio and 20 Min of HRM but really have no idea what it means.

If I am burning more fat when I am working so much less should I be dumbing down my exercise to burn more fat. I Don't understand if I am working harder and burning more calories why I wouldn't be burning fat. My whole goal is to get rid of the tummy fat.

Today I did yoga and almost the whole workout I was in fat burning mode. I am just not sure if the high impact cardio works best or yoga... I am just confused.

Replies

  • fab50G
    fab50G Posts: 384 Member
    I really only pay attention to how many calories my HRM says I burned.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    Wait. What?????

    I have a real simple HRM that I use and the only thing I concern myself about is getting my HR in the zone and above what my "max" in that zone is as well as how many calories are burned.

    Fat burning/non fat burning range I don't really pay attention to because I don't know what that is. I personally use my HRM to force myself to push harder and burn more.
  • Kanlassak
    Kanlassak Posts: 101 Member
    My, admittedly limited, understanding is that fat burn zone is where a greater percentage of your total calorie burn is coming from fat. Any sort of exercise will burn calories from both fat and carbs/protein, but the exact ratio varies depending on what/when you have eaten and the intensity.

    I've also heard that you can still burn more fat overall from exercise not in the fat burn zone, if you burn sufficiently higher total calories to overcome the lower percentage. You still lose fat from cardio exercise. Go with whichever exercise you prefer and will continue doing.
  • dmchiz
    dmchiz Posts: 184 Member
    I think your probably talking about aerobic vs "anaerobic" exercise - Your body uses readily available oxygen to fuel your workout at the aerobic level, but when you get above a certain heart rate pct, it needs to dig deeper into stored fats for fuel - Try reading the following... it explains pretty good! http://www.livestrong.com/article/431402-aerobic-vs-anaerobic-fat-burning/
  • amymrls
    amymrls Posts: 1,673 Member
    Wait. What?????

    I have a real simple HRM that I use and the only thing I concern myself about is getting my HR in the zone and above what my "max" in that zone is as well as how many calories are burned.

    Fat burning/non fat burning range I don't really pay attention to because I don't know what that is. I personally use my HRM to force myself to push harder and burn more.

    This is what I have been doing now but the past few weeks I have noticed I am not in fat burning zone for very much of my workout. The majority of it I am in cardio zone. I usually burn about 900 calories when I work out and lately I have notice during the less aggressive workouts I am in fat burning zone the longest. This makes no sense to me. In my mind the more calories burned means the more fat burned... Am I wrong?
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    From my understanding lower HR are best for fat burn... higher for cardio conditioning. I may be wrong

    Either way, you are burning calories. You should always try to get to those higher HRs at some points throughout your workout so you work on strengthing your heart.
  • amymrls
    amymrls Posts: 1,673 Member
    I prefer high cario because it increases my endurance
  • amymrls
    amymrls Posts: 1,673 Member
    From my understanding lower HR are best for fat burn... higher for cardio conditioning. I may be wrong

    Either way, you are burning calories. You should always try to get to those higher HRs at some points throughout your workout so you work on strengthing your heart.

    Well considering I am in cardio for 90% of my workout I would say I am doing fine with the heart strengthening thing... I just want to know if I am still burning fat.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    From my understanding lower HR are best for fat burn... higher for cardio conditioning. I may be wrong

    Either way, you are burning calories. You should always try to get to those higher HRs at some points throughout your workout so you work on strengthing your heart.

    Well considering I am in cardio for 90% of my workout I would say I am doing fine with the heart strengthening thing... I just want to know if I am still burning fat.

    Anything that gets you moving will burn calories.
  • moustache_flavored_lube
    moustache_flavored_lube Posts: 849 Member
    My, admittedly limited, understanding is that fat burn zone is where a greater percentage of your total calorie burn is coming from fat. Any sort of exercise will burn calories from both fat and carbs/protein, but the exact ratio varies depending on what/when you have eaten and the intensity.

    I've also heard that you can still burn more fat overall from exercise not in the fat burn zone, if you burn sufficiently higher total calories to overcome the lower percentage. You still lose fat from cardio exercise. Go with whichever exercise you prefer and will continue doing.

    this is pretty much correct.

    The lower the intensity of the workout the higher percentage fat you burn. However, you should try to work out in the cardio zone and do intervals close to Max HR.

    From a weightloss perspective it doesn't mater what your body is using for fuel (fat, or carbs) what matters is calorie expenditure.
    take workout A in the cardio zone
    you burn 500 calories 80% from carbs 20% from fat

    Work out B fat burning zone
    you burn 200 calories 50% fat, 50% carbs.

    The first workout is preferable you will have used up some of the carbs you consumed that day to fuel your workout. Your body will burn fat for energy instead of those carbs durring the rest of the day . This means your total fat loss will be greater from workout A than workout B

    Research also shows that HIIT (intervals to very high heart rates) elevate your metabolism, and burn a lot of fat post workout.

    The other reason to prefer working in the cardio zone is that it is much more beneficial to your cardiovascular health than the fat burn zone
  • amymrls
    amymrls Posts: 1,673 Member
    From my understanding lower HR are best for fat burn... higher for cardio conditioning. I may be wrong

    Either way, you are burning calories. You should always try to get to those higher HRs at some points throughout your workout so you work on strengthing your heart.

    Well considering I am in cardio for 90% of my workout I would say I am doing fine with the heart strengthening thing... I just want to know if I am still burning fat.

    Anything that gets you moving will burn calories.

    I know that. But am I burning FAT?
  • amymrls
    amymrls Posts: 1,673 Member
    My, admittedly limited, understanding is that fat burn zone is where a greater percentage of your total calorie burn is coming from fat. Any sort of exercise will burn calories from both fat and carbs/protein, but the exact ratio varies depending on what/when you have eaten and the intensity.

    I've also heard that you can still burn more fat overall from exercise not in the fat burn zone, if you burn sufficiently higher total calories to overcome the lower percentage. You still lose fat from cardio exercise. Go with whichever exercise you prefer and will continue doing.

    this is pretty much correct.

    The lower the intensity of the workout the higher percentage fat you burn. However, you should try to work out in the cardio zone and do intervals close to Max HR.

    From a weightloss perspective it doesn't mater what your body is using for fuel (fat, or carbs) what matters is calorie expenditure.
    take workout A in the cardio zone
    you burn 500 calories 80% from carbs 20% from fat

    Work out B fat burning zone
    you burn 200 calories 50% fat, 50% carbs.

    The first workout is preferable you will have used up some of the carbs you consumed that day to fuel your workout. Your body will burn fat for energy instead of those carbs durring the rest of the day . This means your total fat loss will be greater from workout A than workout B

    Research also shows that HIIT (intervals to very high heart rates) elevate your metabolism, and burn a lot of fat post workout.

    The other reason to prefer working in the cardio zone is that it is much more beneficial to your cardiovascular health than the fat burn zone

    Okay thank you! I am doing a lot of HIIT exercise.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    You have 2 threads asking the same question.
  • amymrls
    amymrls Posts: 1,673 Member
    You have 2 threads asking the same question.

    I needed a sufficient answer....
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    And you think the way to do that is ask the same question multiple times?
  • amymrls
    amymrls Posts: 1,673 Member
    Well obviously it was because I got an adequate answer this time. So yes I do.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    From my understanding lower HR are best for fat burn... higher for cardio conditioning. I may be wrong

    Either way, you are burning calories. You should always try to get to those higher HRs at some points throughout your workout so you work on strengthing your heart.

    Well considering I am in cardio for 90% of my workout I would say I am doing fine with the heart strengthening thing... I just want to know if I am still burning fat.

    Anything that gets you moving will burn calories.

    I know that. But am I burning FAT?

    At some point you are.... you will also be burning muscle.

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