"the fat burning zone" on machines

InnerPinup79
InnerPinup79 Posts: 129
in Health and Weight Loss
So last night I decided to stay in the fat burning zone on the eliptical. I found it wasn't as exerting and not only that I burned at least 50 calories less than I would have going at a higher intensity according to my HRM. I just want to understand the point behind staying in a fat burning zone. Is it really worth it when I'm not burning as many calories? Thanks!

Replies

  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
    I have the exact same question...
  • InnerPinup79
    InnerPinup79 Posts: 129
    I mean don't get me wrong. Working out is working out and as long as I'm doing it that's good. Bit I want my workouts to be more efficient. I'm obviously trying to lose a lot of fat and just want to understand how working out at a lesser intensity will help me burn fat (in assuming faster?) Then going at a higher intensity. Also on some days when I.can't work out long I want a good efficient calorie/fat burning workout. I do weights too but my question is on the cardio.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Summing Up the Research Findings

    • In acute trials, fat oxidation during exercise tends to be higher in low-intensity treatments, but postexercise fat oxidation and/or energy expenditure tends to be higher in high-intensity treatments.
    • Fed subjects consistently experience a greater thermic effect postexercise in both intensity ranges.
    • In 24-hr trials, there is no difference in fat oxidation between the 2 types, pointing to a delayed rise in fat oxidation in the high-intensity groups which evens out the field.
    • In long-term studies, both linear high-intensity and HIIT training is superior to lower intensities on the whole for maintaining and/or increasing cardiovascular fitness & lean mass, and are at least as effective, and according to some research, far better at reducing bodyfat.

    http://www.alanaragon.com/myths-under-the-microscope-the-fat-burning-zone-fasted-cardio.html
  • InnerPinup79
    InnerPinup79 Posts: 129
    Summing Up the Research Findings

    • In acute trials, fat oxidation during exercise tends to be higher in low-intensity treatments, but postexercise fat oxidation and/or energy expenditure tends to be higher in high-intensity treatments.
    • Fed subjects consistently experience a greater thermic effect postexercise in both intensity ranges.
    • In 24-hr trials, there is no difference in fat oxidation between the 2 types, pointing to a delayed rise in fat oxidation in the high-intensity groups which evens out the field.
    • In long-term studies, both linear high-intensity and HIIT training is superior to lower intensities on the whole for maintaining and/or increasing cardiovascular fitness & lean mass, and are at least as effective, and according to some research, far better at reducing bodyfat.

    http://www.alanaragon.com/myths-under-the-microscope-the-fat-burning-zone-fasted-cardio.html

    Thanks! That's what I thought too. I'll stick to a hiit style
  • kneeki
    kneeki Posts: 347 Member
    I'm pretty sure those settings are only useful if you're wearing a HRM or have some other way of accurately measuring your heart rate. The fat burning zone is (for most people) ~139 to ~160 heart beats per minute, that keeps your body in an aerobic state. If you exceed that, you hit the anaerobic state, which is like ~180 BPM or higher.
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
    You may have heard that exercising at a slow pace is more effective for weight loss than working out more intensely. In fact, many cardio machines have "fat burning" programs that keep you at a slow pace. But this is misleading. As it turns out, the concept of a fat-burning zone is no more real than the Twilight Zone.

    During low-intensity aerobic exercise, your body does use fat as its primary fuel source. As you get closer to your breaking point, your body starts using a smaller percentage of fat and a larger percentage of carbohydrates, another fuel source. However, picking up the pace allows you to burn more total calories, as well as more fat calories.

    Here's how: If you go in-line skating for 30 minutes at a leisurely roll, you might burn about 100 calories — about 80 percent of them from fat (so that's 80 fat calories). But if you spend the same amount of time skating with a vengeance over a hilly course, you might burn 300 calories — 30 percent of them from fat (that's 90 fat calories). So at the fast pace, you burn more than double the calories and 10 more fat calories.

    Of course, going faster and harder is not always better. If you're just starting out, you probably can't sustain a faster pace long enough to make it worth your while. If you go slower, you may be able to exercise a lot longer, so you'll end up burning more calories and fat that way.


    http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/following-a-cardio-plan-for-weight-loss.html
  • Ashmeistar
    Ashmeistar Posts: 27
    The buzz from serious cardio gets addictive though!!
  • rocketpants
    rocketpants Posts: 419 Member
    You should work out at a higher intensity than fat burning zone. The more calories you burn during a workout the better. If your body uses the available carbs while you are working out, it will just burn more fat later in the day.

    HIIT is best 1-2 days a week, in short very intense sessions 20-30 mins max. You should also do a couple longer workouts in the aerobic zone.
  • Mompanda4
    Mompanda4 Posts: 869 Member
    I read everything posted and am really confused now. I use the elliptical a lot because of it's low impact exercises. However, I set the elliptical to interval, cross ramp and resistance at 4 and 4, and then 10 and 9, respectively for 60 mins and then an additional 5 min for cool down. Is this a good setting to burning fat? Or am I wasting my time? What should I set it at? I don't understand HIIT. Help pls!
  • Secret_Agent_007
    Secret_Agent_007 Posts: 1,082
    The buzz from serious cardio gets addictive though!!


    +1. I am seriously loving the HIIT training though.
  • rocketpants
    rocketpants Posts: 419 Member
    I read everything posted and am really confused now. I use the elliptical a lot because of it's low impact exercises. However, I set the elliptical to interval, cross ramp and resistance at 4 and 4, and then 10 and 9, respectively for 60 mins and then an additional 5 min for cool down. Is this a good setting to burning fat? Or am I wasting my time? What should I set it at? I don't understand HIIT. Help pls!
    You want to concentrate on burning calories not fat.

    If you want to work out for 60 minutes try to stay in HR zone 3 or 4. Your elliptical should have an integrated heart rate monitor.

    HIIT is bringing your heart rate all the way up to close to your MAX 90-100% for a short period of time (30s-5M) then a short recovery period, Then repeat. Due to the high intensity of these sessions you should keep them short, and not do them everyday.
  • dobenjam
    dobenjam Posts: 232 Member
    The buzz from serious cardio gets addictive though!!

    Agreed!
  • InnerPinup79
    InnerPinup79 Posts: 129
    THANKS AGAIN!

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