Comments on: What does my heart rate have to do with losing Fat? http://www.muscle-body.com/questions/what-does-my-heart-rate-have-to-do-with-losing-fat/ Discover the Secrets to Building The Biggest Muscles You Have Ever Seen! Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:44:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Lauren http://www.muscle-body.com/questions/what-does-my-heart-rate-have-to-do-with-losing-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-123 Lauren Tue, 19 Sep 2006 11:28:12 +0000 http://www.muscle-body.com/questions/what-does-my-heart-rate-have-to-do-with-losing-fat/#comment-123 I walk about an hour twice to three times a week.. im not sure if this is burning off any fat?? can you help me?? I walk about an hour twice to three times a week.. im not sure if this is burning off any fat?? can you help me??

]]> By: doyle http://www.muscle-body.com/questions/what-does-my-heart-rate-have-to-do-with-losing-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-106 doyle Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:35:30 +0000 http://www.muscle-body.com/questions/what-does-my-heart-rate-have-to-do-with-losing-fat/#comment-106 I have been trying the cross fit stuff---hardly any rest between sets or exercises---sprinting etc--getting fatter and fatter glad I read your piece--now I will slow down a bit ---steady arobic to burn fat----lift a little weight too what do you think ???? I have been trying the cross fit stuff—hardly any rest between sets or exercises—sprinting
etc–getting fatter and fatter

glad I read your piece–now I will slow down a bit —steady arobic to burn fat—-lift a little weight too

what do you think ????

]]> By: Kevin Gianni, CPT-NCSF http://www.muscle-body.com/questions/what-does-my-heart-rate-have-to-do-with-losing-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-96 Kevin Gianni, CPT-NCSF Fri, 25 Aug 2006 01:21:50 +0000 http://www.muscle-body.com/questions/what-does-my-heart-rate-have-to-do-with-losing-fat/#comment-96 We're a sugar addicted society. Eat sugar, burn sugar. Eat breads, pastas, grains, burn glucose. This back and forth creates acidity in the system that has not been addressed in the two previous posts. Anaerobic exercise, not requiring oxygen and burning glucose, creates a buildup of acid in the body. This acid then needs to be flushed out for recovery and is taxing on your body. This intense 75-90% MAX HR does burn more calories, but on top of the acid build up it also creates a glucose deficit. Glucose or blood sugar is carried in your blood as a fight or flight mechanism. You only have so much. Generally 2500-3000 calories of it. So when you burn sugars up with intense exercise, your body looks to replace them, just in case there's another chance you'll need them. What does this mean? You crave fruit, breads, pastas--anything that your body has associated as a source of sugar. The negative of this, is that you generally eat more than you should... bringing your blood sugar up again higher than it was and eventually your body turns that overage into fat. You just burned calories, but now you've gained fat. Not the best way to do it. How does heart rate relate to fat burning? Slow and steady. Move and move often and keep your body out of the sugar burning zone (75-90%) and in the fat burning zone (50-60%). What should you do? Walk, walk, walk (maybe run if you're up to it) with some light strength training like yoga to mix it up. ****** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Gianni is the author of "The Busy Person's Fitness Solution." He is on a personal mission to de-mystify health and fitness and demonstrate how easy it is for busy people to be in great shape. He conducts seminars, writes articles, has been quoted in the national press and is the creator of the revolutionary "50-Second Fitness Quick Fix Video-zine"--the only video fitness newsletter that gives you the skinny on everything health and fitness related in quick, easy to digest bites. Visit The 50 Second Quick Fix to see it for yourself for free! We’re a sugar addicted society. Eat sugar, burn sugar. Eat breads, pastas, grains, burn glucose.

This back and forth creates acidity in the system that has not been addressed in the two previous posts.

Anaerobic exercise, not requiring oxygen and burning glucose, creates a buildup of acid in the body. This acid then needs to be flushed out for recovery and is taxing on your body.

This intense 75-90% MAX HR does burn more calories, but on top of the acid build up it also creates a glucose deficit.

Glucose or blood sugar is carried in your blood as a fight or flight mechanism. You only have so much. Generally 2500-3000 calories of it. So when you burn sugars up with intense exercise, your body looks to replace them, just in case there’s another chance you’ll need them.

What does this mean? You crave fruit, breads, pastas–anything that your body has associated as a source of sugar. The negative of this, is that you generally eat more than you should… bringing your blood sugar up again higher than it was and eventually your body turns that overage into fat.

You just burned calories, but now you’ve gained fat. Not the best way to do it.

How does heart rate relate to fat burning? Slow and steady. Move and move often and keep your body out of the sugar burning zone (75-90%) and in the fat burning zone (50-60%).

What should you do? Walk, walk, walk (maybe run if you’re up to it) with some light strength training like yoga to mix it up.

******

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Gianni is the author of “The Busy Person’s Fitness Solution.” He is on a personal mission to de-mystify health and fitness and demonstrate how easy it is for busy people to be in great shape.

He conducts seminars, writes articles, has been quoted in the national press and is the creator of the revolutionary “50-Second Fitness Quick Fix Video-zine”–the only video fitness newsletter that gives you the skinny on everything health and fitness related in quick, easy to digest bites.

Visit The 50 Second Quick Fix to see it for yourself for free!

]]> By: Jeff Kotterman http://www.muscle-body.com/questions/what-does-my-heart-rate-have-to-do-with-losing-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Jeff Kotterman Tue, 22 Aug 2006 16:05:09 +0000 http://www.muscle-body.com/questions/what-does-my-heart-rate-have-to-do-with-losing-fat/#comment-79 A Sports Nutritionist’s View: Fat Metabolism Chances are you are sitting or at rest while reading this article. If your reading while exercising, it's probably steady cardio on a stationary bike or something similar. No matter what you are doing, it is at a steady enough pace to keep your eyes fixed on the page. The question is: What are you using for fuel right now? No matter what your doing, if your reading this article, there is a physiological guarantee that your metabolism is using something for fuel. I know what it is and I’m no magician. I ask this question to every client and every student nutritionist I teach. They’re all sitting listening and the million dollar question is “What are you burning right now?” Over half of the people I ask, get it wrong and thus, misunderstand the basics of metabolic science. So let’s review the basics. We are all constantly burning calories. Every second of life our metabolic furnace is burning at some rate. It only can use 4 things for fuel. They are protein, carbohydrate, fat and alcohol. Carbs and protein burn around the same rate. Alcohol burns a little slower and fat burns the slowest. Protein is not the first choice fuel because, your body primarily uses it for growth and repair. Alcohol by itself or with food slows fat burning after two drinks and causes you to loose valuable water and nutrients. That leaves carbs or fat as the two best fuel sources. The trick is to determine when you’re burning what. A good way to determine this is to liken carbs to paper in your metabolic furnace and fat to a log in the fire. To make a long technical story short, fat needs a steady flow of oxygen to burn normally and carbs do not. This means that you can measure what you’re using for fuel by what your respiratory system is doing. Counting breaths is not a good idea because; you can consciously change your breathing rate. Therefore, it is best to measure something you can’t consciously change but is linked to oxygen consumption, like your pulse. Your pulse can rise, fall, or stay constant. When your heart beat is accelerating, your body is adapting to a sudden increased need for oxygen and nutrients. Until your heart rate levels off, your body is at an oxygen deficit. With this in mind, let’s return to our furnace analogy. When your heart rate is speeding up, your body is attempting to stoke the furnace or increase the flame rapidly. The best fuel for this is paper or carbs. Once the furnace is hot enough and your heart rate is constant for at least twelve to twenty minutes, your body can switch to a more efficient, slower burning fuel like a log or fat. So “what are you burning now?” Most likely your heart rate is constant, at a steady state causing your body to use fat primarily as a fuel source. If you’re sitting or reclining, you’re probably only burning about one to two calories per minute. That means, in the time it took to read this article you burned less than a teaspoon of fat. That is why couch potatoes, although burning fat while sitting there, never get lean. One mouthful of buttered popcorn gives them over an hour of fuel to support there sluggish activity. This means in order to burn fat at a significant rate, you need to elevated your heart rate so that you are burning a significant amount of calories per minute and keep it at a constant pace for at least twenty to sixty minutes. Remember, the first twelve to twenty minutes of your exercise, no matter what it is, is stoking the furnace. Therefore, your steady cardio workout should be at least this long or have some other heart raising activity before it. Even if you are burning a significant amount of fat calories per workout, you’ll never see a change unless you also limit your fat intake and eat less than what you burn. This way you ensure body fat is being used rather than the fat you just ate. So the next time you think about shortening your cardio session or trying the random program rather than a steady 30 minute workout at level 4, don’t do it if fat burning is your goal. Jeff Kotterman is the recommended Sports Nutritionist for several fitness based businesses, nationwide. He is an experienced instructor whose research has benefited the health of thousands and thousands of clients. If you have questions or would like a program developed specifically for you call (858) 694-0317, e-mail: trisystem@yahoo.com or at www.trisystemnutirtion.com A Sports Nutritionist’s View: Fat Metabolism
Chances are you are sitting or at rest while reading this article. If your reading while exercising, it’s probably steady cardio on a stationary bike or something similar. No matter what you are doing, it is at a steady enough pace to keep your eyes fixed on the page. The question is: What are you using for fuel right now? No matter what your doing, if your reading this article, there is a physiological guarantee that your metabolism is using something for fuel. I know what it is and I’m no magician.

I ask this question to every client and every student nutritionist I teach. They’re all sitting listening and the million dollar question is “What are you burning right now?” Over half of the people I ask, get it wrong and thus, misunderstand the basics of metabolic science.

So let’s review the basics. We are all constantly burning calories. Every second of life our metabolic furnace is burning at some rate. It only can use 4 things for fuel. They are protein, carbohydrate, fat and alcohol. Carbs and protein burn around the same rate. Alcohol burns a little slower and fat burns the slowest. Protein is not the first choice fuel because, your body primarily uses it for growth and repair. Alcohol by itself or with food slows fat burning after two drinks and causes you to loose valuable water and nutrients. That leaves carbs or fat as the two best fuel sources. The trick is to determine when you’re burning what. A good way to determine this is to liken carbs to paper in your metabolic furnace and fat to a log in the fire.

To make a long technical story short, fat needs a steady flow of oxygen to burn normally and carbs do not. This means that you can measure what you’re using for fuel by what your respiratory system is doing. Counting breaths is not a good idea because; you can consciously change your breathing rate. Therefore, it is best to measure something you can’t consciously change but is linked to oxygen consumption, like your pulse. Your pulse can rise, fall, or stay constant. When your heart beat is accelerating, your body is adapting to a sudden increased need for oxygen and nutrients. Until your heart rate levels off, your body is at an oxygen deficit. With this in mind, let’s return to our furnace analogy. When your heart rate is speeding up, your body is attempting to stoke the furnace or increase the flame rapidly. The best fuel for this is paper or carbs. Once the furnace is hot enough and your heart rate is constant for at least twelve to twenty minutes, your body can switch to a more efficient, slower burning fuel like a log or fat.

So “what are you burning now?” Most likely your heart rate is constant, at a steady state causing your body to use fat primarily as a fuel source. If you’re sitting or reclining, you’re probably only burning about one to two calories per minute. That means, in the time it took to read this article you burned less than a teaspoon of fat. That is why couch potatoes, although burning fat while sitting there, never get lean. One mouthful of buttered popcorn gives them over an hour of fuel to support there sluggish activity.

This means in order to burn fat at a significant rate, you need to elevated your heart rate so that you are burning a significant amount of calories per minute and keep it at a constant pace for at least twenty to sixty minutes. Remember, the first twelve to twenty minutes of your exercise, no matter what it is, is stoking the furnace. Therefore, your steady cardio workout should be at least this long or have some other heart raising activity before it. Even if you are burning a significant amount of fat calories per workout, you’ll never see a change unless you also limit your fat intake and eat less than what you burn. This way you ensure body fat is being used rather than the fat you just ate.

So the next time you think about shortening your cardio session or trying the random program rather than a steady 30 minute workout at level 4, don’t do it if fat burning is your goal.

Jeff Kotterman is the recommended Sports Nutritionist for several fitness based businesses, nationwide. He is an experienced instructor whose research has benefited the health of thousands and thousands of clients. If you have questions or would like a program developed specifically for you call (858) 694-0317, e-mail: trisystem@yahoo.com or at http://www.trisystemnutirtion.com

]]> By: Michael Y. Seril http://www.muscle-body.com/questions/what-does-my-heart-rate-have-to-do-with-losing-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-77 Michael Y. Seril Tue, 22 Aug 2006 04:47:35 +0000 http://www.muscle-body.com/questions/what-does-my-heart-rate-have-to-do-with-losing-fat/#comment-77 To maximize body fat lost, your heart rate should be at fairly high level of your MAX HR, around 75%-90%. People usually assume that in order for your body to burn fat, you must be at a lower HR, this statement is somewhat true physiologically. Your body will burn more % of fat rather than carbohydrates, since carbs are used more during high intensity exercises. However, being in a higher % of your MAX HR, you will make the body use more energy overall...meaning a higher number of calories. Energy used equates to calories burned. And when you want to lose body fat, you want to maximize the lost of calories. The more calories you burn during a workout and the rest of the day, the more body fat you will lose. And when you exercise at a higher intensity, your body will continually burn calories the rest of the day. This does not happen when you exercise at a lower MAX HR. But of course, make sure your body will be able to handle a higher % MAX HR, the key to minimizing injuries during this high intensity exercise program is progression. Take your time and train hard but also train smart. Michael Y. Seril, MS 2006 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year To maximize body fat lost, your heart rate should be at fairly high level of your MAX HR, around 75%-90%. People usually assume that in order for your body to burn fat, you must be at a lower HR, this statement is somewhat true physiologically. Your body will burn more % of fat rather than carbohydrates, since carbs are used more during high intensity exercises. However, being in a higher % of your MAX HR, you will make the body use more energy overall…meaning a higher number of calories. Energy used equates to calories burned. And when you want to lose body fat, you want to maximize the lost of calories. The more calories you burn during a workout and the rest of the day, the more body fat you will lose. And when you exercise at a higher intensity, your body will continually burn calories the rest of the day. This does not happen when you exercise at a lower MAX HR. But of course, make sure your body will be able to handle a higher % MAX HR, the key to minimizing injuries during this high intensity exercise program is progression. Take your time and train hard but also train smart.

Michael Y. Seril, MS
2006 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year

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