Target heart rate for burning fat....

[shan1784]

I was running on my treadmill until I got some pretty bad shin splints. When I was running I would really push myself by trying to beat my previous nights time. I would push myself so hard, almost to the extent of vomiting.... I don't know what my heart rate was but is it possible that it was too high and counter productive to losing fat? I lift weights for an hour or so Mon. - Fri. as well.

I was thinking of getting a polar heart rate monitor and was wondering if there was a certain heart rate zone that I could target for optimal fat buring. I have never used one so I am also looking for advice on this as well....

Thanks in advance...

[nithos]

For "fat burning zone" you should be easily able to carry on a conversation while working out. 120-140ish

[miss_carrie]

if you are going to push yourself that hard when you are working out, you might consider using the elliptical as well as the treadmill. maybe switch it up so treadmill one day and the elliptical the next. the elliptical is a little bit easier on your legs and if you use this a few times a week and the treadmill a few times a week, you'll still be getting plenty of cardio.

but chances are if you feel like you are going to throw up, you're probably pushing a little TOO hard i would think...

[boyscouT]

I was running on my treadmill until I got some pretty bad shin splints. When I was running I would really push myself by trying to beat my previous nights time. I would push myself so hard, almost to the extent of vomiting.... I don't know what my heart rate was but is it possible that it was too high and counter productive to losing fat? I lift weights for an hour or so Mon. - Fri. as well.

I was thinking of getting a polar heart rate monitor and was wondering if there was a certain heart rate zone that I could target for optimal fat buring. I have never used one so I am also looking for advice on this as well....

Thanks in advance...

The target HR for fat burning is 60-65% of your Max HR.

In addition, the way you are training makes it seem like you are going for cardiovascular improvement moreso than fat loss. Don't try to beat your previous nights time so much, instead, try to walk/jog/run farther.

Because of your shin splints, it looks like you want to try low impact cardio, ie. elliptical, swimming, stationary bike. IMO you shouldn't go all out on your shins, especially when they aren't at 100%.

And cardio in general isn't really counterproductive to losing fat, but it may be counterproductive to gaining muscle, which results in muscle loss.

Hope this helps.

[DaT oNe MuFuCkA]

Like miss_carrie and boyscout said, you don't want to push your shins to hard. Ellipticals and workout bikes should be your cardio workout choice until they get better. When your shins get better, get outside and do sprints. Sprints will give you the best results as far as fat loss and muscle gains. Forget about the endurance (long distance) running for now. Aslo, find a large set of steps and run up them as fast as you can 8-12 times. Work yourself so that you feel a good burn, but don't work yourself to exhaustion, a this will lead to less improvement.

[viper2510]

not to hijack the thread, but i get shin splints too. Do you think the more that you run, eventually you will start to get used to it and get them less and less?

[nithos]

not to hijack the thread, but i get shin splints too. Do you think the more that you run, eventually you will start to get used to it and get them less and less?

Yes. Unless you are doing something wrong mechanically.

Stretching, proper warmups and the right shoes will help a lot.

[Keisersoze]

I was going to ask the same thing so Ill ask here,

First of, the heart rate depends on the age so I dont know Nithos could answer the question without knowing your age.

What should be the ideal heart rate for fat burning for a 27year old?

There are two different types of stationary bikes at my gym with heart monitors and they differ on what they say the heart rate should be by about 15 so Im not sure.

[viper2510]

I was going to ask the same thing so Ill ask here,

First of, the heart rate depends on the age so I dont know Nithos could answer the question without knowing your age.

What should be the ideal heart rate for fat burning for a 27year old?

There are two different types of stationary bikes at my gym with heart monitors and they differ on what they say the heart rate should be by about 15 so Im not sure.

this doesnt completely answer your question, but i did find it interesting since every1 always talks about low intensity.

The body does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat when involved in lower intensity cardio exercise. BUT, at higher intensities, you burn a greater number of overall calories which is what you should be concerned about when trying to lose weight. The chart below details the fat calories expended by a 130-pound woman during cardio exercise:



Low Intensity - 60-65% MHR ------------High Intensity - 80-85% MHR
Total Calories Expended per min. 4.86-----------6.86
Fat Calories expended per min. 2.43-------------2.7
Total Calories expended in 30 min. 146-----------206
Total Fat calories expended in 30 min. 73---------82
Percentage of fat calories burned 50%------------39.85%

little hard to read, but low intensity numbers on the ride left and right is high.

[Keisersoze]

edit; wrong info.

[viper2510]

Use the Miller formula of MHR=217 - (0.85 × age) to calculate MHR

[Keisersoze]

^
Thanks.

[shan1784]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I wish I could use a lower impact form for cardio but during the day when I go to the gym I only have time to lift weights as I am on my lunch break from work. When I do usually run is at night before bed. I have a treadmill in my bedroom that I use for this.

I just ordered a chest heart monitor that is supposed to work with my treadmill. So I guess when I get it I will set the treadmill program to target a heart rate of 125 - 140. This is what I came up with from that calculation of my MHR as I am 30 years old. Seems kind of low compared to what I have been doing but I guess I should be capable of doing this. Until then I will take time off of running to help my shins heal up.

[Scaglietti]

this doesnt completely answer your question, but i did find it interesting since every1 always talks about low intensity.

The body does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat when involved in lower intensity cardio exercise. BUT, at higher intensities, you burn a greater number of overall calories which is what you should be concerned about when trying to lose weight. The chart below details the fat calories expended by a 130-pound woman during cardio exercise:



Low Intensity - 60-65% MHR ------------High Intensity - 80-85% MHR
Total Calories Expended per min. 4.86-----------6.86
Fat Calories expended per min. 2.43-------------2.7
Total Calories expended in 30 min. 146-----------206
Total Fat calories expended in 30 min. 73---------82
Percentage of fat calories burned 50%------------39.85%

little hard to read, but low intensity numbers on the ride left and right is high.

how does this chart or whatever possible predict how much FAT calories a burned??? sounds like guessing at best, unless they did some biomedical studies or something to prove that number.

[JayBon]

If you're really into the high intensity stuff (pushing yourself to vomitting state) - as I am myself - go for something where there's less risk of injury, for example a recumbent bike or normal stationary bike.

There's a whole heap of research now to suggest that the higher the intensity, the more beneficial for fat loss. I myself will only perform cardio at 100% intensity, usually using an interval structure over roughly 15 minutes.

[Keisersoze]

shan1784------------Disregard my previous comment.

I think low intensity cardio is ok, but from what Ive just researched I found that High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) might be the best for burning fat.

Its basically going from low intensity to high intensity, back and forth for up to 20minutes per cycle. Low intensity being a max of 65% of your maximum heart rate and high intensity being (75-85%).
MHR=217 - (0.85 × age)


http://www.musclemedia.com/training/hiit.asp
http://davedraper.com/hiit-cardio-training.html

[knight4life]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=733758

[amcrnilovic]

this doesnt completely answer your question, but i did find it interesting since every1 always talks about low intensity.

The body does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat when involved in lower intensity cardio exercise. BUT, at higher intensities, you burn a greater number of overall calories which is what you should be concerned about when trying to lose weight. The chart below details the fat calories expended by a 130-pound woman during cardio exercise:



Low Intensity - 60-65% MHR ------------High Intensity - 80-85% MHR
Total Calories Expended per min. 4.86-----------6.86
Fat Calories expended per min. 2.43-------------2.7
Total Calories expended in 30 min. 146-----------206
Total Fat calories expended in 30 min. 73---------82
Percentage of fat calories burned 50%------------39.85%

little hard to read, but low intensity numbers on the ride left and right is high.

THis is true however, you usually do HIIT for 15-20 minutes and you do steady state (I usually do it at 75%+) for at least 45 minutes, so you do end up burning the same amount of calories in 45 minutes as you do in 20 minutes, but more of the calories are from fat.