Have you been thinking about heading back to the gym? Summer is around the corner, and naturally you want to look and feel your best. If you're like thousands of others, you may be confused about the most effective way to burn fat. For example, as you hop on the treadmill or elliptical machine, is it best stay in the slower ‘fat burning’ zone or to crank it up a few notches to really feel the burn? Liz Neporent wrote an article for Shape Magazine to answer this question once and for all. According to the article, “workouts that focus on the fat burning zone are a relic of the persistent yet outdated belief that long, slow workouts are always better for weight loss than faster, shorter workouts. But you can file that along with other fitness myths you should ignore: The best fat burning workout plan is simply the one that burns the most calories.”
The confusion is understandable. The reason there is a fat burning zone is because when exercising at slower speeds the primary fuel source for the body is fat. During more intense workouts, the body utilizes carbohydrates within the bloodstream or in muscles for fuel. Naturally, we don’t to diminish our muscles with kick boxing. So why stay away from the “fat burn” zone? It has to do with some simple math. A 90 minute stroll on the treadmill will burn around 150 calories. About 120 (80%) of those calories will come from fat. However, when doing a highly intense workout with loads of “sprints, jumps, and hills thrown in to dial up the intensity” 300 calories are burned. Approximately 50 percent or 150 calories are burned from fat.” So although only 50% of the calories burned were from fat in the high intense workout, and 80% of the calories are burned from fat in the slower workout, 30 more fat calories are burned in the highly intense workout and twice as many calories overall.” Clearly, its a no brainer. High intense workouts will have you feeling great faster. That being said, slower workouts have a place in everyone’s workout routine. The article pointed out that slower workouts are possible to do every day and are the “base” of a good exercise program.
In addition to having a mix of high to low intensity workouts, it is important to have healthy, protein-rich foods to keep you fueled and balanced. Kay’s Natural Mini meals are the perfect pre- and post-gym snack to keep your body happily humming away. To see what sorts of snacks we have available check out our website.