Cardio for fat loss...Target Heart Rate

[Indymuscleguy]

Group,

So I have added 30 minutes of cardio into my workout routine per my trainer. Now my target heart rate for fat burning is 113 beats per minute, however, when I lift, I go from weight to weight and my heart-rate is at 145-160 during my cardio session. I tried to slow down to lower my heart-rate and get it closer to the 113, but I was hardly moving.

So, for fat burning sake, what should my target heart rate range be for a 47yo 5'9.5" 187lbs

[Back In Black]

What does your trainer say?

Really, you just need to do your cardio. There are more efficient ways of burning calories than low intensity steady state but it depends what you prefer. I like my cardio to do what it says on the tin and actually work my cardio vascular system, 125bpm doesn't do that.

[Brazensol]

Low intensity is more efficient (as a percentage of fat utilized) but higher heart rate/higher intensity cardio will burn more calories overall. I've tried the slower method and just can't do it. Too slow and not challenging at all.

[Indymuscleguy]

Low intensity is more efficient (as a percentage of fat utilized) but higher heart rate/higher intensity cardio will burn more calories overall. I've tried the slower method and just can't do it. Too slow and not challenging at all.

Agree, I felt like I had done nothing at all. I'm going to go the full 30 minutes with my target range of 140 and keep it there.

[falco21]

Agree, I felt like I had done nothing at all. I'm going to go the full 30 minutes with my target range of 140 and keep it there.

How is it so low? My maximum is at 198. My target zone is between 140-152.

What is your resting heart rate?

Fat burning zone is somewhere between 60-70%.

[V-ROID]

I tried a heart rate monitor while jogging and it definitely gives you the ability to go longer. But if I have 30 minutes to do cardio I am going to put my heart through the roof in short bursts. Works for me.

[Bdubbs]

OP do you have any health related issues? Just wondering why only 113 bpm? I hate cardio, but when I do it I try to be in the 150-160 range. Sometimes I hit upper 170's. I only do 15-20 minutes at a time, but go all out.

[Brazensol]

How is it so low? My maximum is at 198. My target zone is between 140-152.

What is your resting heart rate?

Fat burning zone is somewhere between 60-70%.

Your fat burning zone heart rate is 120-140. It also helps that your 19! Us older guys are a bit lower. Our fat burning zone is only around 103-120. If out of shape that might be fine but if in decent shape that is way to slow a pace. At least for me it is. I would only be riding my bike at about 10-12 mph... And it would take quite some time for my heart rate to even get to 65% at that speed. i know because I tried it. Now I just keep it around 80%-90%. Occasionally taking it into the 105-110% range but not for too long.

[falco21]

Your fat burning zone heart rate is 120-140. It also helps that your 19! Us older guys are a bit lower. Our fat burning zone is only around 103-120. If out of shape that might be fine but if in decent shape that is way to slow a pace. At least for me it is. I would only be riding my bike at about 10-12 mph... And it would take quite some time for my heart rate to even get to 65% at that speed. i know because I tried it. Now I just keep it around 80%-90%. Occasionally taking it into the 105-110% range but not for too long.

I'm 22 years old. Not 19

I was recommended the following site and have used it for 2 weeks now. Has been accurate as hell. Weight is falling off:

Heart Rate Zones

It calculates it a lot more accurately because it takes your resting heart rate into account as opposed to just taking 60-70% of your max.

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With high intensity cardio, you may be burning proportionally more glucose than fatty acid but overall you will be burning more calories every minute of it compared with low intensity cardio. So at the end of the day, if you're eating the same amount, you'll be at a larger calorie deficit.

So if you compare the same duration of high intensity to low intensity cardio, you'll be mobilizing more stored fats simply cos you're at a greater deficit.

You need to limit your target HR only if you have a heart condition or if you just started working out. Which I know is not the case.

[Indymuscleguy]

With high intensity cardio, you may be burning proportionally more glucose than fatty acid but overall you will be burning more calories every minute of it compared with low intensity cardio. So at the end of the day, if you're eating the same amount, you'll be at a larger calorie deficit.

So if you compare the same duration of high intensity to low intensity cardio, you'll be mobilizing more stored fats simply cos you're at a greater deficit.

You need to limit your target HR only if you have a heart condition or if you just started working out. Which I know is not the case.

That's great info/advice. I was going by the information that the stair master and treadmill was giving me when I chose the fat buring setting vs. the cardio setting. I'm 47 and as far as I know I don't have any heart issues, so I am going with the 140-150bpm for my cardio.

What I don't know is at what point do you begin sacrificing muscle i.e. how much is too much cardio?

[Bdubbs]

That's great info/advice. I was going by the information that the stair master and treadmill was giving me when I chose the fat buring setting vs. the cardio setting. I'm 47 and as far as I know I don't have any heart issues, so I am going with the 140-150bpm for my cardio.

What I don't know is at what point do you begin sacrificing muscle i.e. how much is too much cardio?

+1 I'd like to know when cardio begins to be to much, that's why I do less so I don't burn off muscle. Then again I'd think if protein intake is high, this should be less of an issue?

[Indymuscleguy]

+1 I'd like to know when cardio begins to be to much, that's why I do less so I don't burn off muscle. Then again I'd think if protein intake is high, this should be less of an issue?

I know I have read somewhere that there is a point where you indeed begin to breakdown muscle. I have managed to loose 5.2% bodyfat in 5 months without cardio. I'm at 13.6% and want to hit 11-12% in 8 weeks. I am working on dialing in my diet even tighter by weighing and measuring what I eat...it is a true science.

[Brazensol]

That is the question I've been trying to figure out also. What is the best balance between burning fat and losing the least amount of lbm possible. Can't really find a good answer. When I was strictly going for fat burn I did lose lbm too. Now I have upped my calories on lifting days, kept my cutting diet in place for non lifting days, and also keeping my cardio at about the same level. I seem to be slowly adding lbm while still losing fat. I haven't been doing it long so will just have to wait and see if I found a solution for me. So far so good though.

[V-ROID]

I am always surprised more people don't do sprints. Burn fat and gain LBM. Why not?

Hill Sprints For Fat Loss, Muscle Building, And Power: Helpful Or Hype-Full?

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Our muscles grow by overload hypertrophy from training in the gym. The main way for them to shrink is by disuse atrophy if you stop training. Our bodies do not burn muscle for energy unless you are in starvation mode. This only sets in after days without any food. The usual early morning fasted cardio is not starvation. If you're doing fed cardio then burning muscle for energy is even more impossible.

[Brazensol]

My lbm went somewhere! I am pretty sure is wasn't from disuse. I'll have to research this area more but my understanding is the body can and will use muscle for an energy source as well as fat and glycogen with glcyogen being the preferred source. But once that is gone it has to get energy from someplace else. The good news is with my increased calories my lbm is trending up and that is what really matters in the end.

I am not trying to argue (hard to communicate on the internet sometimes) just laying out my basic understanding. Always willing to learn something new though!

[AD]

My lbm went somewhere! I am pretty sure is wasn't from disuse. I'll have to research this area more but my understanding is the body can and will use muscle for an energy source as well as fat and glycogen with glcyogen being the preferred source. But once that is gone it has to get energy from someplace else. The good news is with my increased calories my lbm is trending up and that is what really matters in the end.

I am not trying to argue (hard to communicate on the internet sometimes) just laying out my basic understanding. Always willing to learn something new though!

I am here to learn too

I personally find it very hard to measure LBM very accurately. You can estimate your bf% with calipers and other high tech methods. But muscle mass depends on so many other things like local blood circulation, glycogen store level and even fat tissues around the muscle.

It may be true that we can break down amino acids to use for energy but I think this is limited to those already circulating in the bloodstream derived from a recent meal or produced by the liver. It is unlikely that your body will break down frequently-used muscle tissue for energy.

[Brazensol]

I hear you on the bf guesstimates. I use a bathroom scale and all I really hope for is that is be consistent. As long as it is then it is a useful tool. I need to get another bod pod reading so I can "calibrate" my bathroom scale again. I even question the bod pod for accuracy but it is probably the most accurate of the things we can easily get access to.