Fat Burning Heart Rate vs. Cardio Heart Rate

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DrAlbin
DrAlbin Posts: 25
in Fitness and Exercise
On the machines there is a Fat burn zone (lower heart rate) and a Cardio zone (higher heart rate). Does the Fat Burn zone actually burn more fat than cardio? I can get my heart rate into cardio and maintain it there for 40-60 min, but would it be better for fat burning if i lowered my intensity just to get it into this zone? I would have to cut the speed in half to maintain fat burning mode. Does it burn that much more fat? Ive researched, and i cant find a standard answer.

I guess the question here is will i burn more at 40 min at 6-7 MPH with burst up to 9mph and my heart rate in the Cardio zone, or 40 min 3-4 MPH just trying to keep my heart rate in the fat burning zone?

Replies

  • CardiacNP
    CardiacNP Posts: 554 Member
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    you will burn more "fat " in the fat zone by a small amount. But burn more calories in the cardio zone total. I feel total calories and intervals fro cardio are the best way to go. to maximize cal burn for time. Plus u get better cardio conditioning too
  • jane77
    jane77 Posts: 489
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    Fat burn zone over rated. work harder burn more calories you are burning fat when you typed this. just work hard
  • EHuntRN
    EHuntRN Posts: 320 Member
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    You will burn more at a higher HR, the fat burning zone is for the folks who are used to living a very sedentary lifestyle, new to working out and are finding it a problem to get their HR up, they should at least try to stay in the fat burning zone, if you can workout in the cardio zone for 40 min, you will burn more cals...I have a problem trying to stay in the cardio zone w/out going past my target HR...but Jiliian Michaels has assured me that working above your target HR is not bad...and still burns cals, its jus tough to sustain for longer durations, thats why interval training is the best!!!
  • kmunis
    kmunis Posts: 48 Member
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    A lor depends on your body chemestry and how it reacts to exercise. Here is an article. Won't completely clear this up but might answer some of your questions.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/73846-fat-burning-vs.-cardio/
  • EDBENAGLIO
    EDBENAGLIO Posts: 424
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    i think of it like this you have to be in the fat burn zone ( or above) to burn fat but have to be in the cardio zone to realy train your cardio system
  • polo571
    polo571 Posts: 708 Member
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    Check out HIIT training on google and see the great results for sprints =)
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
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    you will burn more "fat " in the fat zone by a small amount. But burn more calories in the cardio zone total. I feel total calories and intervals fro cardio are the best way to go. to maximize cal burn for time. Plus u get better cardio conditioning too

    Agree. I though this in the beginning. You will burn a higher percentage of fat in the lower zone. However, with HIITs you will have a higher calorie burn overall. The fat burn percentage will be lower but the number of fat calories burned will still be higher than the lower zone. (and you don't have to exercise as long).
  • steffilily
    steffilily Posts: 149
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    I looked that up once online. It said that you do burn a higher percetage of fat calories at fat burning zone than cardio zone, BUT you burn so much more calories during cardio zone that the total number of fat calories you burn off is more than the fat burning zone.
  • sparklesammy
    sparklesammy Posts: 465 Member
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    ah ha!!

    now...my hrm separates my heartrate into 3 zones. I think zone 3 is the good one! and this is the best for fat burning!

    i like zone three! zone three is reahed jogging /running/high impact combat class...

    walking burns cals but isnt hardcore fat burning huh.
  • jeninne
    jeninne Posts: 412 Member
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    http://www.brianmac.co.uk/hrm1.htm
    this is one way to view this question. It's a good reference :)
  • Mustangsally1000
    Mustangsally1000 Posts: 860 Member
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    Let me toss this in. My son (athletic trainer) was working out like mad..harder, harder, harder, trying to lose the weight. He finally hooked up with a program called New Leaf that tests your resting and active metabolism. The tests said basically he was working too hard. Spending most of his time in the anaerobic space. He followed their direction, not working as hard (mind you he still works really hard) but staying in the heart rate zone that kept him in an aerobic state, and dropped the first 20# quite quickly..then another 10 followed. The next time he was tested, his rates were all higher because he had become more fit, so now he has to work harder to stay in the aerobic zone. You can google New Leaf and check it out if you want. It makes sense to me.
  • roseyrose2000
    roseyrose2000 Posts: 29 Member
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    Great Question. I have been wondering this for years.!! I never get a straight answer either. Soo, i do the cardio zone. I feel much better. When i work in the fat burn zone , i feel like i never worked out. Loving all the good answers!!!
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
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    I think this is one area where you see some disagreement from a lot of experts. I've read several articles that say too much cardio, and you are burning muscle. I think a lot of bodybuilders will either do the low impact cardio, staying in the fat burning zone, or 20 minutes of HIIT. I think they all agree that they lose muscle when their heart rates are high for extended periods of time. That being said. I do believe that it does your body good to get your heart rate up, and depending on your goals, You may want to do, a session or two of longer distance cardio training, mixed with a few sessions of "fat burning zone" training, or HIIT.
  • MakingAChoice
    MakingAChoice Posts: 481 Member
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    The 'Fat Burn Zone' was a marketing term developed by the fitness industry. Does this answer your question? :laugh: While you might burn a minor amount more of fat you will burn less calories overall in the same time. Any extra calories will be stored again as fat, so not much point. Get that heart rate up and get your body into better shape, fat burn will not do that. Cardio will achieve the same fat burning goal, but will also put you in better shape with a lower resting heart rate over time.

    If your anything like me that 'fat burn zone' feels entirely to slow anyway. Just hop on and get rockin' knowing that you will be fine.:glasses:
  • lunchboxusf
    lunchboxusf Posts: 1
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    There is a huge difference between fat burn zone and cardio zone. Calories burned does not mean you're burning fat stores. If you understand how the body works you'll understand that fat stores are longer burning. Cardio burns more energy faster, but the storage comes not from the fat primarily. Cardio training burns muscles, sugars and some fat. It comes down to your diet and goals. If you want to burn the fat every once in a while you must do a fat burning session at the lower heart rate. If the demand is top high you'll start burning your other sources of storage. If you don't properly maintain your body with supplements/food then you'll be doing more harm and get frustrated due to lack of results. Knowledge is power
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    There is a huge difference between fat burn zone and cardio zone. Calories burned does not mean you're burning fat stores. If you understand how the body works you'll understand that fat stores are longer burning. Cardio burns more energy faster, but the storage comes not from the fat primarily. Cardio training burns muscles, sugars and some fat. It comes down to your diet and goals. If you want to burn the fat every once in a while you must do a fat burning session at the lower heart rate. If the demand is top high you'll start burning your other sources of storage. If you don't properly maintain your body with supplements/food then you'll be doing more harm and get frustrated due to lack of results. Knowledge is power

    No you don't have to do a lower intensity session to burn fat. The body uses a higher of percentage of fat as its primary fuel source in the so-called "fat burning" zone but burns more overall fat at higher intensity as long as you remain in aerobic activity. If you want to state that "knowledge is power" it would help if you didn't make one of the least powerful comments here.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
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    If your anything like me that 'fat burn zone' feels entirely to slow anyway. Just hop on and get rockin' knowing that you will be fine.:glasses:

    This for me as well. I can't do fat burning zone-it feels like nothing. I find that the heart rate I feel like I'm getting a good workout in is higher than my "target heart rate", that formula has never worked for me. And I seem to be losing weight and improving fitness just fine.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
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    probably already been said, but supposedly you do actually use more of your fat stores DURING exercise if you are in that lower instensity level. you need oxygen to burn the fat as fuel and if your trying to do to much your body can't get oxygen to the cells fast enough to use fat as energy.

    it doesn't matter though. You'll burn more calories in the cardio zone, and that will create a bigger defecit. your body will dip into its fat storage to make up for that defecit, and in the end your net fat burn will be greater.

    plus the higher intensity is much better for a normal heart

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