Target Heart Rate for Weight Loss?

I have heard that the fat burning zone is bunk. I don't remember exactly where I heard it, but I think it was from more than one source. Basically, what I took from what I heard/read was that you will still burn fat at the 75% - 85% range, but it happens a little differently. However, the 75% - 85% range is good for your heart and if you work in the 65% - 75% range, you have to work out longer to burn the same number of calories as you would in the "cardio" range.

So, basically, if you are in the 65% - 75% range, great, you are burning fat, but if you are in the 75%-85% range, even better because you are burning fat and helping your heart.

Turn the alarm off and do your thing!

the don't slow the contestants down on biggest loser. I've been listening to a backlog of Jillian Michael's radio show and she tries to keep them at 85% of their max heart rate. Now, I'm not saying to kill yourself, but in my opinoin, you shouldn't worry about being over 75% of max. Of course, I am assuming you've seen your doctor and have no medical issues that would interfere...

Well I'm 40 and 165 lbs.... I own a HRM.

When I go walking I can keep my HR at the 65 - 76% range. I'm not huffin and puffin, but I do work up a sweat. I usually walk about 5 - 6 miles in 1 hour 25 minutes... 700 calories burned. I can go longer if I wanted.

When I go rollerblading I can't keep my HR lower than the 85% range, I'm sweating but my breathing is controlled. Usually in 1 hour and 30 minutes.... about 900 calories.

When I do the elliptical I depending on the resistance I'm usually in the 80 - 90 % range, sweating like a pig in 35 minutes. However, I can continue. Usually about 400 calories.

When I do step class my HR goes into 102%, I don't even realize it until i look at my HRM... 50 minute class 600 calories.

My point, the lower the heart rate range, the longer you can continue to exercise in one session. Then when your heart becomes healthier, you can last longer in the higher range, eventually burning more calories in less time. Just my 2 cents.

I just try to keep it less than 90% range most times.

OH MAN! I LOVE THIS QUESTION. Being a personal fitness coach I get that one a lot.
#1 Fat burn zone and cardio zone myth: 2 doctors flying to a heart disease convention to speak on a topic on how to recondition cardiac patients came up with this b.s. equation of 65% and 80%. They assumed that a babies max HR is 220 and assumed that for every on this earth you will lose 1 beat. So lets take 80% of an assumed max HR and that will be our cardiac reconditioning zone. Lets call the bottom a fat burning zone and lets make that 65%. They wrote this down on a napkin! 1st of all are you a cardiac patient??? 2nd of all are you in the same level of fitness as all your peers your age??? No, your not! Your metabolism is unique to you!!! This is like saying all people of the same age wear the same pants!

#2 In order to get the most effective results at reconditioning your cardiovascular system to burn more fat and more calories is to train within about 3-5 zones. My zones are as follows:
Aerobic zones (oxygen using zones)
Zone 1 105-135 is a recovery zone for interval training or recovery workouts after an intense training day. Your body needs rest and if you always train hard your body will burn muscle tissue, not recover from your workouts, develop overuse injuries, and NOT REACH YOUR GOAL OF PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS. eg. day 1 interval training day 2 recovery workout. This zone usually is about 50-100% fat utilization the rest carbs.
Zone 2 135-150 is a comfortable/moderate pace without heavy breathing. This will condition your body to process oxygen so you can burn fat and more of it. The reason why people dont like these 2 first zones is because you dont "feel" like your working out. Also not many calories are burned in these 2 zones. Ive got news for you this zone is about 30-50% fat utilization the rest carbs.
Zone 3 150-165 is an endurance zone with challenge in its name. this will condition your body to process oxygen at higher heart rates as well as increase your upper zones and teach your body to store more carbs. eg. instead of my zone 3 ending at 165 i can push it to 170. This zone is also where you will increase your calories burned in one day. 5-30% fat utilization the rest carbs.
Anerobic zones (no oxygen processed so no fat used, only carbs)
Zone 4 165-175 is a challenging zone that will help improve upper zone limits and increase cardiac output. Most if not all energy or calories consumed come from carbs.
Zone 5 175+ will improve peak VO2

Bottom line. Do you want to burn fat or carbs??? Do you want to train hard and starve your body and over train it or do you want to train smart??? In order to do this you must train within a variety of heart rates. This will teach your body to burn fat and minimize carb consumption. You either will burn a lot of sugar and hit a plateau with your fitness or you will burn fat and continue to see change.

PS your zones will be different when it comes to comparing it to swimming, eliptical, bike, treadmill, or doing jumping jax

if you need more info just leme know

I recommend a great book by the guru of heart rate study -- Sally Edwards. Her book in called the Heart Rate Monitor Guide Book. It is for someone at a beginning fitness level and goes up to advanced training. She got her PHD (I think) at UC Berkeley years ago and challenged the then current accepted heart rate philosophy. She says that everyone needs to go by their own heart rate and the formula using the age is basically wrong. In her book she gives several ways to test your own heart rate to determine your maximum heart rate.

Mine is 185. So I programmed my heart rate monitor to alert me if I am going under level 2 and over level three. But I started in January with only Level 2.

I started walking now jogging in January and started at level 2 with my HRM. Kept my heart rate at 110 - 120. When my fitness improved, I had to move up to jogging to keep it up.

I moved into level 3 and now am jogging 2 miles. I slow down when my heart rate hits 150 and go to walking but today I did 3 miles.

My suggestion is to go with level 2 for a while until you get your fitness level up there. Its very motiviating. Then go between 2 -3 for overall health and fitness improvement.

But there is NOTHING WRONG with level 2!!!

Have fun! Google Sally Edward and you'll find her site with the book. I recommend it :glasses: