Fat Burning Zone

What is Your Fat Burning Zone?

Use your target heart rate zone to blast away stubborn fat and melt it away.

Understanding your various heart training zones can help you choose the right type of training style to suit your goals and needs. If you've been running for hours but you can't seem to lose a centimeter or a couple of measly grams, you may not be in your fat burning zone. Don't worry though — we'll show you how to get there and exactly what it is.

Many people think that running, cycling and other cardio activities are the only way to get into your fat burning zone. They may be right in some cases; however, weight training helps you get into the fat burning zone more effectively.

To workout your target heart rate zone, you need to first identify your maximum heart rate zone. Your maximum heart rate, or 100 % of your target heart rate, should never be attempted, unless you are working with a fitness professional or medical doctor who has experience in this field.

Ideally you would want to work in the 60 to 70% of your maximum heart rate in order to achieve weight loss success and for a prolonged period. If your goal is endurance or cardiovascular fitness, then aim for the 70 – 80 % range.

So how do you work it out?

Simply, take the standard number 220 and subtract your age. The answer will give you your maximum (or 100%) heart rate. Let's say you are twenty-six years old: 220 subtract your age would give you 194. This directly translates to your maximum heart rate. In this case, your fat burning zone would be between 116.4 beats per minute to 135.8 beats per minute. For fat loss success, you should also aim at maintaining this heart rate for a prolonged period lasting more than twenty minutes.