Better fitness is another goal of mine in addition to losing a few pounds. It’s been encouraging to see that even a little working out at a health club during the winter has made a difference. And I’m ready to get outside this summer and hike and bike more!
While I’ve been riding the bike at the club, I’ve been reading this book, Total Heart Rate Training. It’s an interesting book. I read a section on heart rate misconceptions yesterday that was really good.
The first misconception is how to calculate your maximum heart rate. The formula he recommends is 205.8 - 0.685 x age. Although, he says no formula is completely accurate. So don’t pay too much attention to those charts in the health clubs.
The second misconception (and this was the big one for me!) is that to lose weight you have to exercise in the “Fat Burning Zone”. The Fat Burning Zone is typically a lower-intensity zone. And true, in that zone, the primary source of fuel is fat. But the total number of calories burned is also low. Here’s the example he gives.
Let’s say, for example, that there are two 150-pound people, each with 30 minutes to exercise. One walks and the other runs. Our walker covers 2 miles and burns about 200 calories. Of these, 70 percent came from fat, for a total of 140 fat calories used. The runner covers 3 miles in the same 30 minutes and consumes 330 calories, with 60 percent of them derived from fat - 198 calories. The higher-intensity exercise increased the amount of fat burned by more than 40 percent!
The third misconception is that the purpose of training is to increase the heart rate. The real purpose of training is to get more output (power or pace) for the same input (heart rate). If your time in a race improves even though your heart rate and effort both stay the same, then your fitness is improving.
There is so much more interesting information in the book. But the one misconception that I wanted to point out is the second one. While dieting alone may help us lose weight, it’s exercising that will help speed things up. And including some higher-intensity exercise along with some low-intensity exercise will be more effective in burning fat. Eating healthy foods is good, but total fitness is even better.
Now, go get a little exercise! 
Oooh. Good stuff Anita! Thanks!! That #2 one is so pervasive! I can’t tell you how many arguments I’ve had with people about - even more than once with my husband! (he’s never had to lose weight in his life - so what does he know!
) I KNOW that one of the “secrets” of my steady weight loss is that I’ve done intense exercise every day except Sunday - pretty much the whole time. I may not exercise for long - maybe only 20 minutes if I’m not feeling well or in a hurry - but it’s HARD. And then of course, I added in the weights and stuff…
Comment by blestwithsons — May 30, 2007 @ 11:03 am
Good info., Anita.
Comment by lady laura — May 30, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
I know I can lose an extra pound or two per week if I got off my booty and exercised. The main problem I have is I don’t now how to spell it.
Comment by Bird — May 30, 2007 @ 5:55 pm
Thanks for sharing! I’ve always thought that the higher intensity and higher calories burned was better, too.
Comment by Christy — May 30, 2007 @ 8:05 pm