Fat Burning With A Heart Rate Monitor

The principle of fat burning is to reduce your body's overall fat content whilst building and maintaining lean muscle mass. Using a heart rate monitor makes it easier for you to monitor your individual workout intensity and ultimately determine the best way your body burns fat.

During exercise, there are many energy systems involved and there is no exact formula to determine the intensity that optimises an individuals fat burning. However, by using a heart rate zone calculator it is possible to estimate which heart rate levels will result in the highest level of fat burning. Using a heart rate monitor in conjunction with this information can help you optimise your workouts to burn fat.

The Fat Burning Zone

Definition: In the fat burning zone, the body utilises stored fat for energy. At approximately 60-70% of your maximum heart rate, 85% of your calories burned in this zone are fats, 5% are proteins and 10% are carbohydrates.

At a higher rate of intensity fat burning still takes place however, there is more emphasis on anaerobic systems which generate lactic acid and burn proteins once you have run out of blood sugar.