Cardiovascular exercise is one of many contributors to weight loss, and understanding how heart rate affects exercise can help a person achieve their weight loss goals. The fat burning heart rate is touted as a useful method to maximize aerobic workouts to burn more fat. However, there’s more to fat burning, fat loss and weight loss than performing cardio in a specific heart rate zone. A fat burning heart rate is the heart rate at which the body is believed to burn more fat during exercise. A heart rate between 60% and 80% of one’s maximum heart rate is typically the rate at which the body relies more heavily on fat for fuel. The body fuels itself primarily by burning a combination of stored fat and carbohydrates. The less active a person is, the more fat makes up a significant percentage of the body’s fuel source. Though an individual may utilize a higher percentage of fat during lower intensity workouts than during higher intensity workouts, this fuel selection doesn’t directly correlate to an increase in weight loss.
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