Heart Rate Question

**Big Rig** · 05-30-2006, 08:39 AM

My current cardio routine: Eliptcal Machine, 30 minutes ED on empty stomach. Goal: Fat loss

I'm 26 years old, 5-11" 255lbs, right after stretching my HR is on average 110. About 4 minutes on the machine my HR is 150 and after 10min it stablizes at 165-170. I stay in that range for about 20 minutes.

Question is: Is my HR/cardio routine I'm achieving currenty going to be an effective fat loss solution? Assuming a clean diet along with this.

Thanks

**up n' comer** · 05-30-2006, 09:16 AM

It sounds good to me, I just became a certified personal trainer and in the class they said having your heart rate in that range 165-170 for 20-30 minutes can achieve the greatest fat lost (the empty stomache thing works great for me and some of my training partners) I am assuming however that this rate of 165 is 80-85% of your max heart rate. Sounds like your putting yourself through hell on that eliptical, are you not see any results????

**Big Rig** · 05-30-2006, 09:34 AM

I don't know what my MHR is. The highest I've seen it is 175 if that means anything. Results, well I just started 3 days ago. I won't look for real results until about week 2 or 3

It's not hell on the machine. I'm not giving it much effort at all on it. That's whats weird about it. HR is up and it does not bother me at all. I do sweat a lot though. I also drink 20oz of water in the 30 minutes that I'm on, is that ok?

If I were to use a treadmill or start running outside. I would not last 5 minutes. The eliptical does not hurt me at all so it has become my best friend.

**TR'05** · 05-30-2006, 09:44 AM

You want to shoot for 65-70% of your MHR. 220-age = MHR. Keep your heart rate in that window. Once you go above that the liklihood of burning muscle rather than fat increases greatly.

You can figure out the math, bro. But, you're going to want to lower the intensity. Also shoot for around 45 minutes if you wish to cut up.

**Big Rig** · 05-30-2006, 11:07 AM

Ok thanks for the advice. The math comes out to 135 BPM at 70%

I may be able to lower the intensity and go 15 min extra with no big effort.

Just curious, say I continue at 89% MHR I will lose my muscle mass and retain the fat??

**TR'05** · 05-30-2006, 11:12 AM

you will be sacrificing muscle as a source of energy when cardio is performed at the increased intensity. You won't neccessarily retain all the fat, but you will be using muscle as per the aforementioned.

**Big Rig** · 05-30-2006, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by TR'05

you will be sacrificing muscle as a source of energy when cardio is performed at the increased intensity. You won't neccessarily retain all the fat, but you will be using muscle as per the aforementioned.

Thanks for the info. I'll try and maintain my 126-135 HR window at 45 min. I'll post back with how that works.

**Big Rig** · 05-31-2006, 06:16 AM

Did cardio last niight. Resting HR after stretching 94

It was a task keeping my HR between 127-135 but it was much easier to go 45 minutes, so easy I went another 15 minutes with no problems.

Keeping an eye on my HR actually made the cardio session not as boring.

thanks for the help.