High or Low Heart Rate for Fat-Burning
 

Which is better for fat burning?

Low intensity (low heart rate) aerobics or high intensity (high heart rate) aerobics? All of which are performed at 5:30 AM each day, on an empty stomach. Lifting occurs later in the day, after I get off from work.

Some medical journals suggest a nice, slow, easy pace for directly burning fat. Others suggest high intensity aerobics to burn as many calories as possible. I like interval training between high and low intensities. Any suggestions?

Its going to depend on your fitness level really. If you can do high intensity interval training (HIIT) I would suggest it. It has been shown to be most effective for fat burning, and body recomposition.

Being that it really comes down to cals in vs cals out, burning more cals in a session is going to be better than trying to hit the 'fat burning zone' with your heart rate.

Also, the more interval type cardio is harder for your body to acclimate to. Unlike SS (constant HR) where you constantly have to increase time and/or speed to get the same results.

IK, I was under the impression that doing high intensity intervals for say 15 minutes, wont burn as many cals durring the session as solid state for 30 minutes, but it works to keep your metabolism higher for a longer period after the workout. Thus making it more beneficial, is that on point, or am I going completely nuts?

I totally agree. I will go on to say that the first thing your body "wants" to do in regards to any activity is to get better at it. Like IK says you body acclimates to SS and you need more and more of this or that. Basically, with any aerobic activity you body becomes simply more efficient at it. Fat burning is not athletic training.

So just as inerval type training is harder for your body to acclimate to changing things up as often as possible makes it harder as well. It's still about the muscles and just a small change in the muscles used can make a big difference.

That's pretty much it :D

When you do SS, the cals you burn during the session are all you'll burn from that activity. Whereas higher intensity interval sessions (which can be shorter in time duration :D) won't burn as many cals DURING the session, but there's a residual calorie burning with it, similar to what you have post lifting. So you'll continue to burn cals long after you finish the intervals.

If you look at the how to cut sticky Dave and I have an 800 page discussion with someone on this :biglaugh:

P.S. I was posting at the same time as Hrdgain, so I didn't mean to step on his post.

Thank god for small miracles :)

hahahah Thats twice eric ... no worries we are on the same page on this one bud!

LOL, let's take turns.