It is commonly thought low-intensity exercise is the best way to burning fat. While it is true that the highest percentage of your calories from fat is burned during low-intensity exercise, it is also true that you will burn fewer overall calories during your workout.
Confusing, isn’t it?
Think of it this way: would you rather have 60% of $10 or 30% of $100? Clearly, the better option would be 30% of $100, right?! The same principle applies to burning fat through exercise.
If we took those same numbers but traded out dollars for calories, you can see that working at a moderate intensity, where calories from fat are only 30% of the total of 100 burned, we will burn 30 calories of fat. Compared to a lower intensity, where calories from fat are now 60% of the total of 10 burned, we will burn only 6 calories of fat.
So, how do you know that you’re exercising at high intensity?
An easy way to determine the intensity at which you are working out is through your heart rate.
Wanna find your own heart rate that corresponds to a moderate intensity? Keep reading to find out how!
1. Take your age and subtract it from 220 to find your estimated max heart rate.
Example: 220 – 43 years = 177 beats per minute (bpm)
2. Finding your resting heart rate:
Lie down for 5 minutes. Then find your resting heart rate by counting the number of beats in 10 seconds. You can do this by locating your pulse at the palm-side of your wrist just below your thumb. Multiply this number by 6 (for a total of 60 seconds = 1 minute).
Example: If the beats counted within 10 seconds was 11 then the resting heart rate would be 66 bpm.
3. Subtract your resting heart rate from the number you calculated in step 1.
Example: 177 – 66 = 111 bpm.
4. Now multiply this number calculated in step 3 by 55% (moderate intensity).
Example: 111 * .55 = 61.05 bpm
5. Take the value calculated in step 4 and add it to your resting heart rate (step 2).
Example: 61.05 + 66 = 127.05 bpm
Congratulations! You just found your own heart rate that corresponds to the optimal intensity for fat burning!
For more tips and tricks for building your best self, visit our blog here!
Alpine Fitness & Physical Therapy
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