heart rate for cardio or weight loss?

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kosmik
kosmik Posts: 3 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
You know on those machine there is always an explanation about your heart rate should be between this and that for X age if you want weight loss and this and that for cardiovascular.

I was wondering what you think about that. Is there really a zone where the body burn more fat? to me it seems the more your heart rate is higher the more calories you burn , the more you will lose. I think its better no? Doesn't the body take in the fat reserve after using the available glucose?

I just started my program and it seems my heart is always higher than the fat burning zone so I wonder...should I continue at a comfortable pace or slow down and do longer workouts.

thanks a lot and don`t give up everybody!

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    There is a zone where you burn a higher % of calories from fat, but less calories and less calories from fat in total. The best thing to do is just work as hard as you can and stay under your max heart rate. The higher your heart rate the more you will burn, just don't go too high. (Max HR 220-your age)
  • Liz75
    Liz75 Posts: 80 Member
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    I think its got something to do with aerobic and anaerobic exercise -when the heart rate is high the body has to switch to get the blood pumping quicker. I think staying longer in the 'fat burning' zone ( which is lower heart rate) is better and less likely to lead to injury or feeling completely knackered!!, though if your work out is more demanding then you have more 'after-burn'. Go with what you're comfortable with..I keep an eye on my heart rate when I'm really exerting myself -like running up steep hills, in fact I get a little frightened if it goes too high! For example it may go up to 175 ( I am 35, and my Max is 185), but what I need to focus on is getting it 'lower' when I'm going up those hills -as stamina improves you should be able to do the same exercise but your body copes with it better. And you can also monitor your resting heart rate (before you exercise), the lower that is, the better.!
  • Knaroz
    Knaroz Posts: 23
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    Also don't forget, the "ranges" listed on the machines are for one "type" of person, at one "specific" weight, and one "specific" height. Plus most of the sensors at most gyms are a bit touchy. When I am on the treadmill at my gym about 15 min into the workout it reads my pulse at 205 lol. Best bet is to use the formula above and purchase a HRM (I got the one from Walmart the S7 watch that is like 19$ and it is dead on accurate with a $200 Polar). There is a 60/80 formula that you can use to help work the cardio/carlorie splits but for just starting out all you really need to care about right now is getting that heart rate up. In a month of so once you are walking/jogging/running easier then you can start focusing on splits.
  • LewisBirchenough
    LewisBirchenough Posts: 22
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    A couple of things to consider. First, the "Max HR=220-age" equation is only a (very) rough guide. For example, my Max HR is more than 15bpm greater than that given by the formula. For others it may be signicantly lower. You can only really find your max HR by doing a fitness test involving increasing the level of exertion of excersise until you are about to collapse and measuring your HR at that point (not pleasant!). Also. the ranges on excercise machines are often given in terms of % of your "working heart rate". See

    http://www.brianmac.co.uk/hrm1.htm

    for an explaination of this.

    Second, as already alluded to, if you excercise too close to your max heart rate, you'll be in the anaerobic zone and won't (by definition) be able to last very long. I prefer to excercise just below (as close as possible to) my "anaerobic threshold" to maximise calorie burning and increase fitness while being able to go on for a reasonably long time. See

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaerobic_threshold

    for an explaination of the anaerobic threshold (at the bottom).

    The anaerobic threshold will be different for each person and can be increased with training. When excercising just below this level, you should be able to last a while, but it will not feel comfortable.
  • LewisBirchenough
    LewisBirchenough Posts: 22
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    P.S. I don't think there is a correlation between max HR and fitness. It's genetic.
  • LewisBirchenough
    LewisBirchenough Posts: 22
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    ... and max HR drops with age (approx 1bpm per year).
  • Selaen
    Selaen Posts: 31 Member
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    If you're interested in HRM training, I suggest reading "Heart Monitor Training for the compleat idiot". You can get it from Amazon for about £7, and it gives you really good info on tracking your heart rate, calculating your max heart rate and the "zones".

    It's a good read even if you don't particularly wish to go delve deep into the intricacies of HRM training!
  • kosmik
    kosmik Posts: 3 Member
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    Thanks everybody,

    You have been quite helpful.

    kosmik
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    .

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