Weight Loss Articles

I guess you have previously heard or read "common fat loss wisdom" urging you to go for higher reps and to rest less between sets when trying to lose fat.

But the truth is: an effective fat burning workout should NOT be designed around some number of repetitions or specific resting times.

The role of those elements is none other than serving your primary goal, which is "Training in your Optimal Fat Burning Zone."

In other words, "Training in your Optimal Fat Burning Zone" would be the Pillar in designing your workouts, and all of the other elements such as reps, pace and rest time would be determined accordingly.

So how do you find out what your Optimal Fat Burning Zone is?

First, your fat burning zone should be determined according to your Target Heart Rate.

And since the intensity (thus effectiveness) of your fat burning workouts should be measured according to your target heart rate, then having a heart rate monitor handy is an absolute necessity.

What is the Target Heart Rate anyway?

The target heart rate is the Zone you should be training in, and which is measured in Number of Heart Beats per Minute. It is calculated according to your Maximum Heart Rate. And to monitor it, you need a Heart Rate Monitor.

Now this Target Heart Rate or Optimal Fat Burning Zone has stirred up many heated debates:

Old theory proponents and fitness conservatives would tell you that the best way to burn fat is with Long, Low-intensity workouts (BORING workouts that is).
Therefore, they set the fat burning zone at 60% - 70% of your Maximum Heart Rate (or even 55%-65%); They justify their opinion by saying that a body going at this pace relies mainly on fat rather than sugar as its primary fuel.

BUT,

What these folks fail to see is the fat burning effect occurring After the training session; they limit themselves to measuring the amount of calories burned During the workout.

And the fact is these Slow-go Lengthy workouts burn fat Only During the training session itself.

HOWEVER,

If you want a Non-Stop fat burning effect that lasts for several hours After the training's over, you should opt for High Intensity Training.

What does that mean?

It means that your Target Heart Rate or Fat Burning Zone should be set at 75% - 85% of your Maximum Heart Rate. This is by far the BEST range for getting an optimum fat burning workout and staying in a fat burning mode.

Now to determine your Target Heart Rate, you should:

1- Calculate your Maximum Heart Rate (MaxHR):
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The simplest, most basic formula to calculate your MaxHR is by subtracting your age from 220.

MaxHR= 220 - Age.

So if you're 30 years old, then your MaxHR = 220 - 30 = 190 BPM (Beats per Minute).

2- Find your Target Zone:
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Now to find your Target Zone, you should calculate the 75% - 85% of MaxHR

So for a 30 year old man,MaxHR = 190BPM
Target Zone = (0.75 x 190) - (0.85 x 190)
Target Zone = 142 - 162 BPM

So the 142 - 162 BPM should be the Minimum and Maximum Beats per Minute of a 30 year old person during his training session; those beats would be displayed by the Heart Rate Monitor that person is wearing.

Easy, isn't it? Start implementing the 75% - 85% Max HR in your workouts and watch your flab decrease by the numbers.