Fat-Burning Zone

Have you heard of the “fat-burning zone”?

The fat-burning zone is when you exercise at a lower intensity than your target heart rate. At lower intensities, your body is fueled primarily by fat. As your exercise intensity increases, your body is then fueled primarily by carbohydrates. Some people believe if you want to burn more fat, you should exercise at a low intensity for a longer duration. However, the total amount of total calories burned is relatively low. Therefore, it is better to exercise at a higher intensity.

To illustrate this point consider two 30-minutes workouts. During the low-intensity workout, Holly burns 200 calories, of which 80%, or 160 calories, would be derived from fat. During the moderate-intensity workout, Holly burns 400 calories, but only 50%, or 200 calories, would be from fat. Although, the percentage of calories is lower for the moderate-intensity workout, the total number of calories from fat would be greater.