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The right intensity is key to losing weight
By Bob Greene, Prevention
A Prevention.com reader asked: "My elliptical machine says my fat-burning zone is 110 to 120 heartbeats per minute. As soon as I get moving, my heart rate jumps to 150. Will I lose less weight?" Absolutely not! The truth is, the zones labeled on many cardio machines have little to do with weight loss. At the most basic level, it's the total number of calories burned that matters. However, you can maximize the amount and slim down faster by exercising at the right intensity for you.
Although vigorous, heart-pumping activities melt calories the fastest, they'll do little for your waistline if you have to stop after only a few minutes. Instead, you want to work at an intensity you can keep up long enough to burn 200 to 300 calories, 5 to 6 times a week — the amount research shows is the most effective for weight loss. (That's about 30 to 60 minutes* depending on your fitness level and activity — go to prevention.com/fitness to see how your workout adds up.)
To find your perfect zone, use how you feel as a guide, aiming for a level 7 (on a 1-to-10 scale). You should be slightly breathless but able to speak in short sentences. To increase your calorie burn and get fit faster, add a few high-intensity intervals. Work ten 1-minute bursts, going as fast as you can, into your normal routine; you'll torch nearly 20% more calories during a half-hour workout.
*Based on a 150-pound person
Fit after 40! Got a question for Bob Greene or Chris Freytag? Send it to askthemotivator@prevention.com and include your name and hometown.
Bob Greene, a certified personal trainer and exercise physiologist, has transformed the lives of millions. Get a personal plan designed by Bob, based on his book The Best Life Diet, at thebestlife.com.
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