Good Stuff Happens in 1:1 Meetings: Why you need them and how to do them well
Trainer Q&A: Does The 'Fat-Burning Zone' Really Exist?
1. Trainer Q&A: Does The 'Fat-Burning Zone' Really Exist?
Q:?Does the 'fat-burning zone' really exist?
A:??If you?ve ever hopped on a piece of cardio equipment intent on getting in a great workout,
you?ve likely seen it - the colorful graph covered with numbers correlating heart rate with fat
burning. The sweet spot as indicated on the graph is a zone referred to as the 'fat-burning zone'.
This leads cardio-enthusiasts to think they need to taper back on intensity and work out solely in the
highlighted area to burn the most fat. Backers of high-intensity interval training, however, prefer to
perform extremely intense intervals ignoring the heart rate guidelines altogether. Should the heart
rate chart and fat-burning zone really dictate your overall effort?
The body does rely on different substrates during exercise according to the exercise intensity. At a
lower intensity level, the body relies more on fat as a fuel source as it more time to breakdown fat
and convert it to energy (a longer process). During high intensity efforts, the body begins to
metabolize carbohydrates instead, preferring their speed of breakdown to fuel higher levels of
exertion. This Sell your gift cards fuel preference is also dictated by the availability of oxygen which
is required for fat utilization.
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2. The preference for fat at lower levels of intensity has created the fat-burning zone - an intensity at
which the highest percentage of calories burned are coming from fat. While the lower intensity
exercise may burn more fat, following the chart verbatim shouldn?t be the main focus of your
workout program. For one, the heart rate levels are going to be different for every individual.
Second, it?s likely not worth the mental energy to run your entire program off the chart estimates.
According to JC Deen, head trainer at JCDFitness.com, ?I think sell my gift card it's a general waste
of mental energy to worry about it. The fat-burning zone may exist, but I wouldn't worry about
hitting that zone if the goal is fat loss specifically.? Instead, he advises clients to focus the majority
of their efforts on generating a calorie deficit. ?You may burn a little more fat during exercise, but if
a calorie deficit isn't present, then it will all even out in the end you won't lose much fat at all.? In
lower intensity programs, the overall calorie burn during a workout will be lower than a high
intensity workout - regardless of whether those calories come from fat or carbohydrates.
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Monitoring exercise intensities can certainly provide cardio-enthusiasts with a way to maximize
potential. Although steady-state cardio at lower intensities may not necessarily lead to higher levels
of fat loss, it can provide a much-needed break from higher intensity workouts. Deen agrees that
lower intensity cardio deserves a spot in most workout programs. ?I think steady state cardio is
useful when aiming to create a caloric deficit because it offers an opportunity to burn more calories
without increasing intensity, and delaying recovery from heavy weight training workouts.?
Incorporate lower intensity cardio following hard days to improve circulation while encouraging
recovery or during deload weeks when exercise intensity should naturally decrease. Rather than
stressing over exact values based off of a chart, gauge intensity based on your current perceived
exertion and cycle higher and lower intensity efforts for maximum results.