Fat Burning Zone vs Fitness Zone- to lose weight

mirandagod77
mirandagod77 Posts: 132 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Wondering about this, i use a bluetooth polar heart rate sensor with their Polar App. and was going to working out to burn fat, but noticed that if i run on the treadmill or go abit harder on the elliptical my heart rate moves into the fitness zone, instead of the fat burning zone...I feel like i'm not working hard enough walking on the treadmill...but wondering if i'm in the wrong zone running as I stayed under my calories last two weeks but the scale didn't budge at all?

Replies

  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    the zone you're working out in is not what causes weight loss - it's the overall calories burned. And you burn more calories total working out at a higher intensity.

    http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/The-Truth-About-The-Fat-Burning-Zone.htm

    Check out the chart on that page.

    My advice is to ignore the zones and work out as a pace you can sustain for the length of time you desire to exercise. Even better, throw in some intervals of very high effort mixed with recovery periods.

    (this applies to your goals - there are training reasons to pay attention to zones)
  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
    edited February 2015
    There's no wrong zone. You'll burn a higher PERCENTAGE of fat in the "fat burning zone," but your overall fat burning will be higher with higher effort.

    If the scale isn't moving, it's more likely water weight or calorie intake may be higher than you think.
  • mirandagod77
    mirandagod77 Posts: 132 Member
    Okay thanks guys:) im thinkimg im going to try eating abit more calories closer to 1450 instead of 1200 as i was losing at higher calories and working out. Totally not going to focus on zones just a good sweaty workout
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
    edited February 2015
    If I stay in the fat burning zone, I barely feel like I am working out. I'd rather feel like I've done something worthwhile. Plus, the above posters are correct as far as percentages and totals.
  • mirandagod77
    mirandagod77 Posts: 132 Member
    tigerblue wrote: »
    If I stay in the fat burning zone, I barely feel like I am working out. I'd rather feel like I've done something worthwhile. Plus, the above posters are correct as far as percentages and totals.

    Same here my app keeps telling me to slow down so i turned that option off..if im barely doing anything how can that be beneficial
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    edited February 2015
    The science and theory behind the "fat burning zone" is garbage. I strongly recommend you avoid it at all costs if you want to burn fat.

    The most effective cardio exercise for burning fat has been found to be HIIT, which is sort of like the opposite of the "fat burning zone." Unfortunately it's hard to do HIIT on an elliptical. You might have better luck using an exercise bike instead.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    edited February 2015
    delete
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,210 Member
    What most people don't realize is that exercise doesn't burn as much fat as they'd like to think. One burns more fat energy at rest than with exercise (unless they are doing like some really long long endurance exercise for a time period). Fat is burned 100% for energy at rest. That's why sleep and rest are essential in weight loss.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • mirandagod77
    mirandagod77 Posts: 132 Member
    Okay thanks for the info
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