Chances are you have heard or read something about the "fat
burning zone" or if you belong to a gym, there is probably at least one
chart somewhere in the gym (probably near the cardio machines) telling
you about different heart rate zones, including the fat burning zone.
The fat burning zone is used to describe a specific physiological
occurrence, but it is often used incorrectly. Misleading marketing and
other incorrect information about this special training zone and its
implications have caused many people to become confused about how to
exercise for optimal fat loss. My goal today is to sort out any existing
confusion you may have about the fat burning zone and explain what is
most important when it comes to creating a workout for maximal fat loss.
The natural place to start is by explaining what the fat burning zone actually is. The fat burning zone describes the cardiovascular exercise intensity level where you burn the highest percentage of calories from fat. The zone refers to a heart rate range, which is often said to occur around 50-60% of your maximal heart rate. However, this range is not universally accepted and some people say the fat burning zone occurs at a different percentage range. In truth, each individual has a different heart rate where they will burn the highest percentage of calories from fat during exercise.
While opinions may differ, the important thing to know is the fat burning zone occurs at a lower exercise intensity. Generally speaking, easier exercise results in a higher percentage of fat calories being burned during the exercise. As exercise difficulty increases, there is a shift to fewer calories being burned from fat and more calories being burned from carbohydrates. The fact that a higher percentage of fat is burned at lower exercise intensity levels has led to some confusion about what it means to train in the fat burning zone.
Many people have taken this information to mean that training in the fat burning zone is the best way to lose fat. While this idea might sound like it makes sense, it is an oversimplification that ignores the big picture. Exercising in the fat burning zone only means you will burn the highest percentage of calories from fat, but this approach fails to take into account the total calories or total fat burned during the workout.
When exercising in the fat burning zone, the intensity level is relatively low and as a result, the total calories burned are also low. Even though the percentage of calories from fat is high, the actual number of calories from fat is still somewhat low. Exercising at heart rate levels higher than the fat burning zone will burn significantly more total calories and may even burn more fat calories as well.
Most importantly, even if you burn more fat calories by training in the fat burning zone, it does not really matter, because the total number of calories burned is more important for fat loss than the fat calories burned.
This may not be intuitive, but as far as your body is concerned, a higher number of total calories burned will stimulate greater fat loss than a lower number of calories burned, regardless if the calories are from fat or carbs. In the end, if you do not burn more calories than you consume, you have no chance of losing fat, even if 100% of the calories burned during your workouts are from fat.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that unless you are an elite athlete that trains for many hours every day, the calories burned during your workouts is going to be very small compared to the calories burned by your metabolism.
As a result, your focus should be less on what percentage of fat calories are burned during your workout and more on what you can do to increase the amount of calories your body burns throughout the day. This leads to another problem with training in the fat burning zone. The low intensity exercise performed in the fat burning zone not only burns fewer calories than challenging exercise, but it also has very little if any impact on increasing your metabolism or burning extra calories after you are finished exercising.
You have probably heard that exercising causes your body to burn more calories throughout the day, but there is only a significant calorie burning effect after you do challenging workouts. There is still some debate about the exact cause the calorie burning increase, but it is definitely linked to the body's need to recover after strenuous exercise. Since exercising in the fat burning zone is not too difficult for your body, the stimulus is not there for your body to burn a lot of extra calories throughout the day.
Another issue with always training in the fat burning zone is that it is simply is not challenging enough to cause significant improvements in fitness. It is important to improve your fitness level, not only for overall health, but because it will stimulate more fat loss. As your fitness level increases, you will be able to perform more challenging workouts that burn even more calories, both during and after exercise. In addition, you will probably gain some fat-free mass (muscle), which will increase your metabolism, so you will burn more calories, even on days when you don't exercise.
When looking at the big picture, it becomes clear that exercising in the fat burning zone should not be your priority if you want to maximize your fat loss. However, if you are still not convinced, I have one question for you. How many people have you seen who lost a lot of fat and got into great shape by doing low intensity exercise and training in the fat burning zone? My guess is not very many, because it is more the exception than the rule. When it does happen, it probably has more to do with the person's genetics or their nutritional program and not because they exercise in the fat burning zone.
The natural place to start is by explaining what the fat burning zone actually is. The fat burning zone describes the cardiovascular exercise intensity level where you burn the highest percentage of calories from fat. The zone refers to a heart rate range, which is often said to occur around 50-60% of your maximal heart rate. However, this range is not universally accepted and some people say the fat burning zone occurs at a different percentage range. In truth, each individual has a different heart rate where they will burn the highest percentage of calories from fat during exercise.
While opinions may differ, the important thing to know is the fat burning zone occurs at a lower exercise intensity. Generally speaking, easier exercise results in a higher percentage of fat calories being burned during the exercise. As exercise difficulty increases, there is a shift to fewer calories being burned from fat and more calories being burned from carbohydrates. The fact that a higher percentage of fat is burned at lower exercise intensity levels has led to some confusion about what it means to train in the fat burning zone.
Many people have taken this information to mean that training in the fat burning zone is the best way to lose fat. While this idea might sound like it makes sense, it is an oversimplification that ignores the big picture. Exercising in the fat burning zone only means you will burn the highest percentage of calories from fat, but this approach fails to take into account the total calories or total fat burned during the workout.
When exercising in the fat burning zone, the intensity level is relatively low and as a result, the total calories burned are also low. Even though the percentage of calories from fat is high, the actual number of calories from fat is still somewhat low. Exercising at heart rate levels higher than the fat burning zone will burn significantly more total calories and may even burn more fat calories as well.
Most importantly, even if you burn more fat calories by training in the fat burning zone, it does not really matter, because the total number of calories burned is more important for fat loss than the fat calories burned.
This may not be intuitive, but as far as your body is concerned, a higher number of total calories burned will stimulate greater fat loss than a lower number of calories burned, regardless if the calories are from fat or carbs. In the end, if you do not burn more calories than you consume, you have no chance of losing fat, even if 100% of the calories burned during your workouts are from fat.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that unless you are an elite athlete that trains for many hours every day, the calories burned during your workouts is going to be very small compared to the calories burned by your metabolism.
As a result, your focus should be less on what percentage of fat calories are burned during your workout and more on what you can do to increase the amount of calories your body burns throughout the day. This leads to another problem with training in the fat burning zone. The low intensity exercise performed in the fat burning zone not only burns fewer calories than challenging exercise, but it also has very little if any impact on increasing your metabolism or burning extra calories after you are finished exercising.
You have probably heard that exercising causes your body to burn more calories throughout the day, but there is only a significant calorie burning effect after you do challenging workouts. There is still some debate about the exact cause the calorie burning increase, but it is definitely linked to the body's need to recover after strenuous exercise. Since exercising in the fat burning zone is not too difficult for your body, the stimulus is not there for your body to burn a lot of extra calories throughout the day.
Another issue with always training in the fat burning zone is that it is simply is not challenging enough to cause significant improvements in fitness. It is important to improve your fitness level, not only for overall health, but because it will stimulate more fat loss. As your fitness level increases, you will be able to perform more challenging workouts that burn even more calories, both during and after exercise. In addition, you will probably gain some fat-free mass (muscle), which will increase your metabolism, so you will burn more calories, even on days when you don't exercise.
When looking at the big picture, it becomes clear that exercising in the fat burning zone should not be your priority if you want to maximize your fat loss. However, if you are still not convinced, I have one question for you. How many people have you seen who lost a lot of fat and got into great shape by doing low intensity exercise and training in the fat burning zone? My guess is not very many, because it is more the exception than the rule. When it does happen, it probably has more to do with the person's genetics or their nutritional program and not because they exercise in the fat burning zone.
Ross Harrison, CSCS, NSCA-CPT is a certified personal trainer,
strength and conditioning specialist, nutritional consultant, and has a
BA in psychology from Grinnell College. He takes a holistic approach to
health and fitness and teaches people how to lose weight, get in shape,
and improve their quality of life with exercise and nutrition. If you
want to find out more about his services or contact him for any reason,
please visit http://precisionhealth-fitness.com/.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ross_Harrison/58218
No comments:
Post a Comment