Working out in "fatburn" or "cardio" zones???

ashleymmannisto
ashleymmannisto Posts: 62 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, I tried to search the forum to see if someone else had answered this, but my search was unsuccessful. So, I have heard that if you workout and have a lot of fat to burn (5' 250lbs) you should stay in the "fat burn zone" on the tredmill/eliptical/whatever. I worked out and did an "experiment" with this. One the day I stayed in Cardio zone I bruned 371 cal. on the eliptical. On the day I stayed in "fatburn" zone I burned 297 calories. Cardio zone is like HR 140ish-160ish and fatburn is like 120-140. Don't quote me on those numbers it's my rough guess, the tredmill/eliptical I use at the YMCA just lights up what zone I'm in. My thought is a calorie is a calorie, more out than in=weight loss. So therefore, cardio zone would create more weight loss...Help me out here guys! Sorry if it's confusing!

Replies

  • Bluepopsicle_25
    Bluepopsicle_25 Posts: 62 Member
    Bump, I am curious to hear answers to this.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I don't know where the trend to calling it a "fat burning" zone started, but it is very misleading.

    You are going to be burning fat in all the zones. Your body cannot metabolize fat stores fast enough to fuel exercise, so you are also always going to be burning something other than fat as well. What makes that zone special is that your heart rate is high enough to do "useful" activity, but low enough to allow you to maintain that exertion level for an extended period of time. When you go much above the zone, stamina will suffer.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    You're really over thinking it. Get your heart-rate up and keep it there.
  • 27toheaven
    27toheaven Posts: 30
    Fat burning zone is just BS really you burn higher % of fat but a lower burn overall plus your afterburn is practically zero cos youv've not worked your heart hard enough.

    Cardio and HIIT far more effective.

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