What Is the Ideal Heart Rate to Burn Fat

If you are serious about burning excess fat, losing weight and transforming your body then you need to be serious about understanding how and why your body burns fat. One of the most important elements to understand about fat burning is your ideal heart rate. Your target heart rate for burning fat will vary depending on a number of factors. The following guide will help you understand why your heart rate matters when it comes to burning fat and how you can calculate your ideal heart rate to burn fat in a few simple steps.

Does Heart Rate Matter When It Comes to Burning Fat?

Yes--and no. It is not technically your heart rate which matters when it comes to burning fat: it's how active you are during your exercise session. However, your heart rate is one of the best and most nuanced ways to determine how intense your exercise session is, which will help you figure out whether or not you are exercising hard enough to get into the ideal fat burning zone.

What is the Ideal Heart Rate to Burn Fat?

When it comes to exercise, your heart rate is measured in terms of "heart rate zones." Heart rate zones are the various ranges which measure your current beats per minute. The basic heart rate zones for exercise are:

·        Resting heart rate, or RHR; this is your heart rate at rest, with no exercise.

·        Moderate heart rate; this heart rate is 20% to 50% of your maximum heart rate

·        Target heart rate, or ideal heart rate to burn fat; this heart rate is 60% to 80% of your maximum heart rate

·        Maximum heart rate, or the maximum heart rate your body can safely sustain

If you are looking to burn fat, then you will want to aim for sustained exercise which brings your heart rate into the target heart rate zone. However, the American Heart Association recommends that people new to exercise should aim for 50% of their maximum heart rate at the very highest until their bodies have become more adept at handling intense exercise. If you are starting an exercise regime, you should consult your physician so that they can make sure you are healthy enough to engage in vigorous exercise.

How to Calculate Your Ideal Fat Burning Heart Rate

The moderate and target heart rate zones can only be calculated once you know your maximum heart rate. Thankfully, calculating your maximum rate and therefore the ideal heart rate to burn fat is relatively easy once you know the steps you need to follow.

·        Step One. Subtract your age from 220. This is your maximum heart rate.

·        Step Two: Take the maximum heart rate number from Step One and multiply it by .7

·        Step Three: The resulting number from the simple equation in Step Two is your target heart rate.

For example: Let's say you are 25 years old. Your maximum heart rate is therefore 195 (220 minus 25); when multiplied by .7, the resulting number is 136.5. This means that your target heart rate for burning fat is 136.5 beats per minute.

How to Measure Your Heart Rate during Exercise

Of course, you won’t know whether or not you are hitting your targeted heart rate during exercise unless you have a way to reasonably measure it during your workouts. Thankfully, there are many ways you can measure your heart rate during exercise thanks to the advent of various heart rate monitors and tools.

The simplest way to measure your heart rate is to measure your pulse for a shortened period of time and multiply that by intervals until you've calculated it out as beats per minute. This method does not require any equipment and is relatively easy, though it's not always accurate and can be difficult to do when you're in the middle of an exercise session.

Another way you can measure your heart beat during exercise is a heart rate tracker. There are countless heart rate trackers available today. Most of them are worn on the wrist, since they can easily measure your body's pulse points. These tracers can be worn throughout the day in order to gain a better understanding of your pulse's impact on your health.

You may also consider using your smart device or mobile phone to measure your heart rate, if it has a finger print sensor with a heart rate monitor option. However, note that these are not always the most accurate measurements, so it may not be the best option if you want to specifically determine your target heart rate.

Ideas for Fat Burning Workouts

Different people need different exercises to get their hearts pumping at the ideal rate for burning fat.

If you are just starting an exercise regime, you should consider adding smaller, moderately paced fat-burning exercises throughout the day. These can include walking up and down stairs, parking farther away from shops to add steps to your day, and doing for a brisk walk in your neighborhood. The goal with beginners is not to reach the 60-80% fat burning zone but to stay within the moderate zone. Ideally, consult with your physician before beginning your exercise regime so that they can give you their approval.

If you are ready to move up to the next step, there are many exercises you can do which will allow you to achieve the ideal rate for fat burning.  These include jogging, riding a bike, elliptical trainers, and moderate swimming.

Final Thoughts on the Ideal Heart Rate to Burn Fat

Your body burns fat more effectively when your exercise reaches a certain intensity level, which is best measured through your heart rate. If you want to burn fat more effectively then you need to make sure that you are working out hard enough to reach the ideal heart rate to burn fat. Exercising for at least 30 minutes a day at this target heart rate will help you burn more fat over time.