The internet is full of information about burning fat—but how much of it is the truth? To be able to burn fat, and get the lean, toned body you want once and for all, you’ve got to debunk the myths. Read on to be clear, once and for all, what burns fat and what doesn’t (so that you can become a true fat burning machine!)
Many people have been a victim to operating in the ‘fat burning’ zone. They head to the gym with great intentions to work out as hard as they possibly can. They step on the elliptical, or the treadmill, and follow the machine’s prompts to get their heart rate in the ‘fat burning zone’. But is it doing anything to help—or is it just hindering your progress?
The whole concept behind the fat burning zone on cardio machines is that you will burn fat if you maintain 55-65 percent of your maximum heart rate. Meaning, a lower intensity cardio workout (where you don’t have to work as hard) will magically allow you to burn more fat. Too good to be true? Here are some facts about fat burning so you can see for yourself:
• You’ll burn calories during your fat burning workout, but not after. One of the biggest benefits of a high-intensity workout is that hours after you have left the weight room, you’re still burning fat.
Known as an ‘afterburn effect’, high-intensity cardio causes a metabolic disturbance—meaning, you continue to burn calories and fat while you’re sitting at your desk, or off running errands. Workout out at a lower intensity doesn’t allow you to do this.
• Not all workouts are created equal. Imagine that two people are running on the treadmill, side by side. One of them is sticking to a lower intensity, ‘fat burning zone’ workout, while the other one is doing a high-intensity run (keeping her heart rate at 80-90 percent.)
Working out a lower intensity, 30-minute fat burning workout will allow you to burn 200 calories, with 120 of those calories coming from fat. But, when you work out for 30 minutes at a high-intensity level, you can burn 400 calories with 140 of those calories come from fat. In addition, the high-intensity workout will allow you to continue burning for hours afterward.
If you’re serious about losing weight, and getting into the best shape of your life, don’t believe the fat burning zone hype. Instead, make your workouts count with shorter (but more effective) high-intensity workouts instead. You’ll see the difference within weeks!
