We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Resting heart rate and aerobic fat burn heart rate

Laurie0899
Laurie0899 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I can not locate a place that tells me my resting rate and fat burn heart rate for my age (51) and my gender (female).

Replies

  • Rincewind_1965
    Rincewind_1965 Posts: 639 Member
    That is because this data is highly individual.
    If you want to get your exact personal values visit a sports-physician.
  • zugmeister
    zugmeister Posts: 23 Member
    Hi!
    Your heart rate you can get from your phone (or fitbit type device). I've found the heart rate apps that use the flash on your phone can be pretty accurate. As for the calories you burn while resting, that's called your BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate. There's calculators all over the Internet for looking that up.
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
    In general a normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 bpm. Lower resting heart rates imply a more efficient heart function and better cardiovascular fitness. Elite athletes can have resting heart rates considerably lower than 60 bpm. The fat burning heart rate is a hotly debated subject with many arguments both pro and con....suffice it to say that every time you raise your heart rate above normal you are using energy stores. The first to be used are the easiest for the body to access (think glycogen); eventually the body will start to convert fat to energy. A rough measure for maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age (220 - 51 = 169 bpm). For the best results from aerobic exercise you should be at 55% to 85% of your maximum HR and stay at this level or a minimum of 20 - 30 minutes. This is all highly individual as you can see from the ranges.....
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited February 2018
    You will find your resting HR at your wrist (or other pulse points) when you are at rest, preferably not after eating, or taking stimulants, not stressed or excited. It's highly individual and will change as your fitness level changes.
    e.g. for most of my 30's & 40's I regarded 60bpm as an indication I was reasonably fit, now it's 20% lower having got much fitter in my 50's.

    Fat burning zone is a horribly misunderstood twisting of science and an irrelevance for weight loss. Why do you think you want to know it?
    By the way to get accurate cardio exercise zones you would need to know your max HR not your resting HR. Unless you have advanced cardio goals don't even bother.

    Burning fat doesn't to be forced apart from being in a calorie deficit.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    You will find your resting HR at your wrist (or other pulse points) when you are at rest, preferably not after eating, or taking stimulants, not stressed or excited. It's highly individual and will change as your fitness level changes.
    e.g. for most of my 30's & 40's I regarded 60bpm as an indication I was reasonably fit, now it's 20% lower having got much fitter in my 50's.

    Fat burning zone is a horribly misunderstood twisting of science and an irrelevance for weight loss. Why do you think you want to know it?
    By the way to get accurate cardio exercise zones you would need to know your max HR not your resting HR. Unless you have advanced cardio goals don't even bother.

    Burning fat doesn't to be forced apart from being in a calorie deficit.

    Agreed.

    I'm surprised it took this long for someone to say this.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Replace your and this sites reference to fat-burning with the much longer used and meaningful Active Recovery HR zone (which tells you what it's purpose is for) before a fad messed things up.

    As mentioned above - you'll need your restingHR which you get yourself.

    http://www.calculatenow.biz/sport/heart.php?

    This will at least get you started with answer to your question.

    Now after curiosity is satisfied there - go back and reread sijomial's post, as to why it really doesn't matter unless you have specific cardio goals.
    If you do, explain for better assistance.
  • GaryRuns
    GaryRuns Posts: 508 Member
    edited February 2018
    When you wake up in the morning, prior to getting out of bed, either take your heart rate the old fashioned way, with a finger on the pulse at your wrist and your eye on the clock, or with a smart phone app that uses your phones flash and camera (you can find a ton of apps for this in the Google Play or Apple stores), or by whatever other means. That is your resting heart rate. If you want the most accuracy take it every morning so you can get an average.

    You can read this article for a formula for calculating your max heart rate. They have formulas that are generally more accurate than the old 220-age one. Still, if you're fit and not at risk for any cardiovascular issues the best way to get your max heart rate is to go out and run about a half mile then find a hill and sprint up it until you feel like you're dying. Voila, max heart rate. lol. Don't try that if you're not fit though. It can put a lot of strain on your heart if it's not conditioned for that type of activity. Stick to one of the formulas in that case until you're fit.

    With your maximum and resting heart rates you can then calculate your heart rate zones and determine which zone you want to exercise in based on your goals. I generally rely on the Karvonen method for my zones and you can find a calculator for it here.

    Good luck with your goals!
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited February 2018
    NM
This discussion has been closed.

Categories