Heart Rate Monitor

Go to youtube and search iron90, they do a great job of explaining how to use the heart rate monitor. If you are looking to burn fat you will find that working out and keeping your heart rate at 60 percent is the best way. If you go over 70 then you burn everything before the fat...

From Larry Krutka

Using heart rate monitors to burn fat
In my last blog I recommend the use of a heart rate monitor when starting an exercise program. A heart rate monitor gives you instant feedback about what effort level of exercise is right for you. To understand why knowing your heart rate is important you’ll have to bear with me on some human physiology. Stay with me, this is important.

Your effort level is directly correlated to your heart rate. The harder you work the higher your heart rate. Many people do not know that your body draws energy for your muscles from several different sources. In a hundred yard dash, runners utilize chemical energy stored in the muscles called ATP. Why is that important? The body does not burn significant amounts of fat at high intensity. If your goal is to lose weight, you want to burn fat. At high intensity exercise you burn ATP. At medium intensity you primarily burn glycogen and small amounts of fat. Medium intensity is usually referred to as your aerobic range. This range is about 80 percent of your maximal heart rate. Charts giving your estimated aerobic range can be found on the American Heart Association’s Web site. Exercising below your aerobic range increases the percentage of fat burned in a workout. This is important because energy used from fat is less likely to be replaced. When glycogen is used as a fuel source your insulin drops and you become hungry and are driven to replace those calories. That is why you often hear people say things like, “I exercised for weeks and did not lose a single pound of fat.” These people probably exercised too hard!

I’m about to tie this information into an effective exercise/weight loss program. Bear with me through just a little more physiology. How can you increase the percentage of fat burning when you exercise? Most marathon runners know this one. Once a week you exercise at a sub aerobic heart rate for 50 percent longer amount of time. If you usually walk at a 16 minute pace per mile for two miles, then you should walk at an 18 minute pace for 3 miles. Exercise 10 beats per minute lower for a longer period. This long slow exercise increases your ability to burn fat.

Go to youtube and search iron90, they do a great job of explaining how to use the heart rate monitor. If you are looking to burn fat you will find that working out and keeping your heart rate at 60 percent is the best way. If you go over 70 then you burn everything before the fat...

From Larry Krutka

Using heart rate monitors to burn fat
In my last blog I recommend the use of a heart rate monitor when starting an exercise program. A heart rate monitor gives you instant feedback about what effort level of exercise is right for you. To understand why knowing your heart rate is important you’ll have to bear with me on some human physiology. Stay with me, this is important.

Your effort level is directly correlated to your heart rate. The harder you work the higher your heart rate. Many people do not know that your body draws energy for your muscles from several different sources. In a hundred yard dash, runners utilize chemical energy stored in the muscles called ATP. Why is that important? The body does not burn significant amounts of fat at high intensity. If your goal is to lose weight, you want to burn fat. At high intensity exercise you burn ATP. At medium intensity you primarily burn glycogen and small amounts of fat. Medium intensity is usually referred to as your aerobic range. This range is about 80 percent of your maximal heart rate. Charts giving your estimated aerobic range can be found on the American Heart Association’s Web site. Exercising below your aerobic range increases the percentage of fat burned in a workout. This is important because energy used from fat is less likely to be replaced. When glycogen is used as a fuel source your insulin drops and you become hungry and are driven to replace those calories. That is why you often hear people say things like, “I exercised for weeks and did not lose a single pound of fat.” These people probably exercised too hard!

I’m about to tie this information into an effective exercise/weight loss program. Bear with me through just a little more physiology. How can you increase the percentage of fat burning when you exercise? Most marathon runners know this one. Once a week you exercise at a sub aerobic heart rate for 50 percent longer amount of time. If you usually walk at a 16 minute pace per mile for two miles, then you should walk at an 18 minute pace for 3 miles. Exercise 10 beats per minute lower for a longer period. This long slow exercise increases your ability to burn fat.

This reminds me of a guy who has all the correct parts for making a car, but puts the engine in the trunk and the wheels on the roof--FAIL.