Understanding the Fat-Burning Zone
Because it places less stress on your body, sessions in the so-called fat-burning zone are easier to recover from, thereby reducing the risk of injury.
Carbohydrates, Fats and Protein: The Body’s Energy Sources
How effectively your body burns energy depends largely on the intensity and duration of the exercise. It’s well known that carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of fuel for energy, followed by fats, then protein.
As noted by Associate Professor Belinda Parmenter, an exercise physiologist and head of the UNSW Lifestyle Clinic, “One reason we advise exercising at a moderate intensity for fat loss is because you can sustain it for a longer duration. This means you will burn through the carbohydrate stores and then your body will utilise fat as the energy source.” She adds, “To reach that point, you need to exercise for a longer duration, and usually the only way to sustain a longer duration is by doing a more moderate intensity rather than high.”
The Irony of the Fat-Burning Zone
Conversely, it’s ironic that zone 2, commonly referred to as the fat-burning zone, is not necessarily the best way to burn fat. It’s true that the peak fat burning rate occurs in zone 2, somewhere between easy and hard exercise, for most individuals. However, a recent small study found that high intensity interval training (HIIT) led to greater improvements in resting metabolic rate, resulting in higher energy burn long after exercise and a higher percentage of the energy burned came from fat.
Anthony Blazevich, professor of Biomechanics at Edith Cowan University, isn’t surprised by these findings. He notes that HIIT uses more energy and even if carbohydrates or fat are the fuel source during exercise, the body burns more fat afterwards as it works to restore homeostasis. This effect is amplified because our resting metabolic rate is higher after HIIT, leading us to burn more energy.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Zone 2 Training
Despite these findings, it’s important to mix up your workout routine. If you only exercise in zone 2, Blazevich explains, it can trigger adaptive thermogenesis, which reduces the energy you use during the day, making it harder to continue losing body fat. But burning fat isn’t just about weight loss or aesthetics; it’s critical for maintaining good health as excessive fat can disrupt metabolic function and cause a range of chronic illnesses.
How To Balance High and Low-Intensity Training
According to fitness experts, a good rule of thumb is to incorporate high-intensity workouts about 20% of the time, and engage in LIT (low intensity training) with zone 2 exercises about 80% of the time. This 80/20 rule is how the world’s best endurance athletes train and can help amateurs improve their performance over five and 10 kilometres.
Zone 2 exercises help build endurance, while the short bouts of high-intensity boosts cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and power. Incorporating interval training, where you take breaks between hard bursts of activity, provides added benefits.
Why Mixing LIT and HIIT Is Crucial
One key reason to balance LIT and HIIT, along with some resistance training, is sustainability. Most of us lead busy, stressful lives and reports of burnout are high. High-intensity exercise can actually contribute to stress, rather than relieve it. Balancing high-intensity exercise with low-intensity training reduces stress, enhances the body’s ability to burn fat and may relieve mental burdens.
Blazevich expounds, “If we want to burn more and more energy, we need to incorporate some low-intensity, parasympathetic drive-inducing, longer exercises. Low-intensity, zone 1 and 2, outdoor exercises, possibly with a partner or friend, are great for calming.”
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