Optimum heart rate zone for different goals

raquel424
raquel424 Posts: 39 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I keep seeing articles like this for optimizing fat burn, what do you think?

Fitness Zone is from 60 to 70% of your maximum heart rate. In this zone, your body fuels itself with 85% fat, 5% protein, and 10% carbohydrate.

meanwhile in the Aerobic Zone which is from 70-80% of your maximum heart rate, you burn 50% of your calories from fat, 50% from carbohydrate, and less than 1% from protein.
This is the zone to aim for when training for endurance. It spurs your body to improve your circulatory system...etc

Does that make sense? It's hard to stick to the 60-70% when working out to a DVD like Insanity and Zumba, I find my heart rate can go up past 90% so I try to slow down a little (mainly because it kills me too) but does the quote above have any truth?

Replies

  • emmymcq
    emmymcq Posts: 278 Member
    Bump, because I'm curious, too.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I totally ignore the whole thing. I really can't believe that my body knows to turn on and off what fuel source it uses based on my heart rate. I go for it as hard as I can regardless of what I'm doing. Fitness is about far more than burning fat. You really can't count on exercise as a weight loss tool to start with. 90% of your weight loss will come from your food intake, exercise is for fitness.
  • Josie_lifting_cats
    Josie_lifting_cats Posts: 949 Member
    This is what I was taught in biology and nursing school.... but even knowing it, I honestly don't pay a ton of attention to it when working out. Obviously if I'm biking at my peak heart rate, I change things. (Especially since I distance ride).

    Some argue that this is why those who pick up speed walking tend to lose more fat than those who pick up running. I don't know that I believe it's that simple - it depends on diet, frequency, etc., too.

    When it comes to videos, like you're mentioning, I go all out, because I'm working more to build muscle than anything, and I want to make my muscles CRY. :happy:
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    I lost 40lbs walking. Now that I run, I've gained about 8. lol
  • 7opoundsin16weeks
    7opoundsin16weeks Posts: 211 Member
    Based on what I learnt in physiology, the body burns carbs when it is put under stress. if the stress is prolonged it starts to conserve the carbs for the brain cells and starts using fat and protein. Now if you lift weights the body would not burn the protein (muscles) much cause it knows it needs it, and focuses on burning fat. After exercise you would still have some carbs stored cause the body wouldn't give up on all of the glucose no matter how hard you train because it needs it for the brain cells.
  • salsasally
    salsasally Posts: 38 Member
    Bump. Does anyone have a real, scientific answer to this question?
  • paulcocker1
    paulcocker1 Posts: 4 Member
    http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/The-Truth-About-The-Fat-Burning-Zone.htm

    "The body does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat in the fat burning zone or at lower intensities. However, at higher intensities (70-90% of your maximum heart rate), you burn a greater number of overall calories, which is what matters when it comes to losing weight. "
  • CarlieeBear
    CarlieeBear Posts: 325 Member
    about.com is not a reliable source. You need to quote from a peer reviewed scientific journal article.

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