At some point in your fat-burning endeavors, you’ve probably been directed to take your pulse for a few seconds, then multiply that number to get your beats per minute. Perhaps you’ve grabbed the sensors on a treadmill to find out how hard you’re working — or just out of pure curiosity. And when you do, do you ever wonder: What’s the point? Can knowing your heart rate really help you reach your weight-loss goals? If you’re trying to drop unwanted pounds, not win a triathlon, does all that heart-rate stuff really matter?
Wonder no more: The answer is yes. It turns out that a fitness-by-numbers approach can churn out remarkable weight-loss results. It helps you upgrade your fitness, too, of course. But even if you don’t give a fig about fitness, heart-rate training is still a fat-blaster’s best friend.
Monitoring your heart rate helps you avoid the common mistake of always training in the same “gray zone” of intensity, says Troy Jacobson, head endurance sports coach at Life Time Fitness in Chanhassen, Minn. And that means you avoid wasting time and energy on workouts that don’t deliver the results you’re after. “Heart-rate training allows you to precisely control the intensity of your workouts to ensure you get the benefits you’re seeking — including fat loss.”
People instinctively fall into a moderately challenging effort range because it makes them feel like they’re working hard enough, but without getting too uncomfortable. As a result, says Jacobson, these exercisers “stagnate pretty quickly.” In other words, they stop losing weight, even though they continue to work hard.
To keep losing fat (and avoid getting bored and discouraged), you need to break out of the gray zone and do a variety of cardio workouts that visit a range of intensities. And a heart-rate monitor can help you do that by giving you appropriate, customized intensity targets for each type of workout.
Getting Started
On the following pages, we’ve assembled a series of heart-rate workouts designed with weight loss in mind. To do them, you’ll need a heart-rate monitor with the ability for you to manually program your target zones. (For guidance on other available features, see “Choosing a Multifunction Heart-Rate Monitor” at elmag.com/fitness-technology.)
The next step is to determine your anaerobic threshold, or AT (the point at which your body starts to use significantly more sugar than fat for fuel). A highly individual number influenced both by genetic factors and your current fitness level, your AT provides a helpful benchmark to use in setting target heart rates for different types of workouts.
By far the most accurate way of determining your anaerobic-threshold heart rate is with professional assistance at a facility that provides AT testing services. (See “Fitness Technology: 3 Ways to Work Out Smarter Than Ever,” for more on metabolic testing.)
If you don’t have access to this type of testing, try this do-it-yourself alternative: Hop on any piece of cardio equipment and, after warming up, increase your exercise intensity in incremental steps every few minutes, checking your heart rate at each step. Pay attention to how you feel. Note when you start to feel uncomfortable — your legs start to feel heavy and you may experience a burning sensation in your muscles. Your breathing will shift toward heavier, more rhythmic pants. Your heart rate when you reach this intensity level will reflect your approximate AT.
Know Your Zones
Heart-rate-based workouts typically employ a five-zone system for setting target heart rates. Here are the five zones Jacobson uses
in designing workouts for his clients. Once you know your AT, calculating your personal zone ranges is simple math. For example, if your AT heart rate is 150, calculate your zone 2 range by multiplying 150 by 0.7 and 0.9 (70 to 90 percent of your AT). Your zone 2 heart-rate range would be 105 to 135.
Note that your AT will change as your fitness level changes, so be sure to retest it and refigure your zones every six weeks or so.
Fat-Burning Workouts
Heart-rate monitor? Check. Anaerobic threshold determined? Check. Target-heart-rate zones calculated? Check.
Now — ideally, over the course of the next week — you’re ready to perform these three cardio workouts, which work together to maximize fat loss by stimulating metabolism in different, but complementary, ways.
Jacobson designed each of these three workouts so you can perform them in just about any cardio exercise modality, from outdoor cycling to the elliptical trainer. Eventually, you’ll do each workout once a week on nonconsecutive days. On alternate days, strength train to build metabolism-boosting muscle or perform additional moderate-intensity cardio exercise.
Workout 1: Aerobic Intervals
“This is a zone 2 interval workout that helps build your aerobic base,” explains Jacobson. Zone 2 is associated with the body’s peak rate of fat burning, and in it you not only burn a lot of fat but also train your body to burn more fat at rest by developing your cellular fat-burning machinery.
A 2005 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise reported that overweight men who performed interval workouts for four months experienced significant changes in the activity of fat-burning enzymes and a dramatic increase in the amount of fat they burned throughout the day.
The intervals in this workout are longer and are done at a lower intensity compared with those you might be accustomed to doing. Avoid any temptation to work above zone 2, except during the warm-up. Jacobson notes that this workout can also be used as a recovery session after a high-intensity day.
This workout takes about 35 to 70 minutes.
Warm-Up:
Begin with five minutes of activity in zones 1 and 2. Then increase the intensity each minute for three minutes so your heart rate peaks at or near zone 4 for at least 30 seconds.
Main Set:
Do four five-minute intervals in zone 2, resting 30 to 60 seconds after each.
For more of an endurance-building workout and twice the fat burning, repeat this main set a second time.
Cool-Down:
Finish the workout with five to 10 minutes in zones 1 and 2.
Workout 2: Threshold Intervals
“Workouts like this one that target AT heart rate are great for weight loss,” says Jacobson.
Here’s why: When doing threshold intervals, you burn a lot of carbohydrates, and the more carbs you burn during a workout, the more fat you burn for the next several hours.
These workouts will also nudge your fitness level upward, meaning that it will become easier over time for you to work out longer and at higher intensities.
“This type of workout should be followed by a lower-intensity workout such as Workout 1 the next workout day,” says Jacobson. That recovery time is essential, he points out, for you to get the full benefit from the work you’ve done because of a postworkout increase in your metabolic rate.
This workout takes about 40 to 50 minutes.
Warm-Up:
Do the same warm-up as in Workout 1, but rest for two minutes before starting the main set.
Main Set:
Do six 90-second intervals in zone 3. Rest for one minute after each interval except the last, which should be followed by three minutes of rest. Now go for five to 10 minutes steady at your AT heart rate (top of zone 3/bottom of zone 4). Do five minutes the first time you try the workout and gradually increase the duration of this effort in subsequent sessions.
Cool-Down:
Finish the workout with five to 10 minutes in zones 1 and 2.
Workout 3: Power Builder
The power builder, a.k.a. sprint workout, helps you shed fat in two ways, says Jacobson. First, it burns even more carbs than threshold intervals and thus even more fat during the next several hours. Second, by boosting your heart rate to the highest levels, the power builder dramatically increases your cardiovascular fitness, enabling you to perform all your cardio workouts at higher intensities without spiking your heart rate. This workout helps develop greater overall muscle strength and endurance.
The only downside is that it’s tough! “You should be in good condition before incorporating this workout into your routine,” says Jacobson. “One should only employ this intensity after six to eight weeks of aerobic- and threshold-intensity training. And always start with a substantial warm-up.”
This workout takes about 35 to 45 minutes.
Warm-Up:
Perform the same warm-up as in Workout 2, including the two-minute rest.
Main Set:
Do three 30-second intervals in zone 4 with one minute of recovery in zone 2 after each. Next, do 10 15-second sprints in zone 5. Recover for 45 to 75 seconds in zone 2 after each.
Cool-Down:
Do 10 minutes of activity in zones 1 and 2.
Matt Fitzgerald is a running and triathlon expert who has authored and coauthored several books, including Maximum Strength (Da Capo, 2008) with Eric Cressey.
Ida: Troy Jacobson, head multisport coach for Life Time Fitness, offers the following answer:
“Depending on the scope of your running goals, whether it’s to gain fitness, lose weight or run in races for a PR, building a strong aerobic foundation is always important. Running slower in zone 2 helps athletes at all levels in several different ways including: building capillary density, enhancing mitochondria, boosting aerobic enzyme activity and improving oxygen delivery to working muscles. Furthermore, slower running strengthens connective tissues, preparing them for faster and more intense running as fitness improves. So, discipline yourself to run slower, especially on your easy days and your aerobic base building days.
When performing intervals, you notice that your HR drops rapidly. That’s great and is a good sign that your fitness is improving. Interval training regimens are structured to target various energy systems so a full recovery was apparently intended by the particular interval training set you were doing. Sometimes, a set will call for a lower intensity work interval with a very short rest interval, allowing for little if no HR recovery. It really depends on the type of interval and it’s intent. Also, the HR training has an inherent ‘heart rate lag’ time as the heart rate catches up to the muscular and metabolic output required for the effort. This also applies to recovery, as your HR remains high immediately after a hard rep. Don’t worry so much about this and simply stay disciplined to stay within your range as much as possible.
In the end, remember that interval training is an important training tool in order to maximize your fitness but that steady state, aerobic base training is equally as important. Mixing the two in a well conceived training plan yields the best results over the long term!
-Coach Troy”
Also, search on “heart training” on our Web site to pull up more heart-rate training articles that can offer you guidance.
Jocelyn Stone, associate editor
Experience Life magazine
Earlier this year I started trying these workouts on and off when I have time for a run. But I had a couple of questions and I’m hoping that you might be able to answer them even though it’s months after you published the article?
1) It says Workout #1 is to build your aerobic base, if I’m already pretty active and have good cardio is it still a useful workout for me? I ask coz I’m finding it hard to stay in Zone 2 while jogging. My heart rate always goes above and I find I have to walk to stay in zone 2 for 5 minutes. Or does that mean I could be in better shape so that jogging does keep me in Zone 2?
2) For Workout #2, I find during the 1min rests my heart rate drops significantly below Zone 3 and then when I start up again I spend 15-30sec of the 90sec interval getting it back to Zone 3. So I was worried I wasn’t spending enough time in Zone 3 so was cutting my rest down to 30sec? Is that the right thing to do? Or just let it climb up during the 90sec interval?
3) I was wondering where else can I find other great heart rate workouts? I really like interval training and have previously done it based on speed but that required finding a track so I could calculate times per lap! This is way easier!!
I love my heart rate monitor.Its a basic one but keeps me on track. It allows me to push a little harder. I keep a log of my work out times,calories burnt, heart numbers. I can see if I improved working longer and or burning more calories. I now burn up to 500-600 calories in one hour. Before I was only burning 300-400 and feeling more tired.
I had been struggling for over a year to lose the last 10 pounds after 2 pregnancies. I was running 20 miles per week and watching what I was eating and just couldn’t seem to lose the weight. I signed up with a personal trainer and went through the AT testing to find my heart rate zones. I realized I had been working out almost completely in Zone 5. When I backed off and followed the workouts my trainer gave me (focusing on Zones 1-3) the 10 pounds came off easily within about 6 weeks. I continued to follow the workous my trainer put together and retested about 6 months later and my Zones changed drastically. I thought I was in good shape before I started with Heart Rate Training but my Zones changed significantly and my AT dropped as well. This enabled me to truly be in the best shape of my life and my running workouts are a lot more fun now. (If only I had known this when training for Triathalons 8 years ago!)
The Heart Rate watch has helped me to workout in the zone that best helps me lose fat and also helps build my aerobic base. The Heart Rate watch keeps me on task and helps me train my body to burn more fat at rest.
Too make sure that I’m not always working out in the same heartrate intensity I try to mix up my workouts. I do a lot of circuit training, cardio, and participate in group fitness classes. I know that this keeps my metabolism up, my interest going, and I have a lot of fun! I have never used a heartrate monitor but am seriously thinking about getting one especially after reading this article. The suggested workouts are great!
I began using a heart rate monitor a few years ago, I tried a number of ways to figure out my AT, I was severely overweight, and had read a few things about heart rate training but was so overweight I was afraid to approach someone to ask. FOr the last year I have been working out at lifetime and finally last month I got up the courage to ask about the testing, I was actually over training when I found out my AT and I have recently stated to use the heart rate training, I am very excited to read this e-article and look forward to working on this more and using this in my future work outs, THis was a great confirmation of the actions I have been taking, I look forward to continued learning as I shed more weight looking to become the fit father my kids deserve, I am over 2/3rds of the way to my goal, I look forward to shedding the last 60-70 LBS and moving into the fitness level I deserve.
I have been using a heart rate monitor for the last couple of years as I began a weight loss program. What I found is that the monitor helped me work at the level I needed to be working at and helped me keep track of the calories burned. Tracking these numbers, along with calories in from food are two essential exercises for successful weight loss. In addition, seeing improvement over time was super motivating. I now feel naked if I dont have my monitor on me during a workout, and I can only guess at how hard I am working out!
I started using the Polar product in my work out at the Orland Life fitness center. The chest band is a step above the other products. I have lost 20 pounds in three weeks. Once the trainer discussed the operation and did a fitness test to find my optimal fat burning heart rate, it has been a go (weight lose) ever since. All the cardio equipment has telemetry monitors. This helps me because I’m over 6’ tall and the built in bars are not made for my height. The trainers at Orland are highly trained in heart monitoring and the benefit to the work out. This article reinforces the training I received and gives me additional training techniques that I can not wait to change up in my routine.
I did the cardiac point test last month and I have been using my heart monitor every time I exercise. I understand now how important it is to know your heart zones. It is a smarter way to exercise. I am really execited and more motivated than ever now that I know my heart zones.
I got tested 3 years ago when I first started taking cycle classes. The importance of constantly knowing where your heart rate is so important as to not over train. I found out that my whole life, I had been over training my body, and therefore was never seeing the full benefits of my labor. Once I started to “re-train” my zones, it has made such a huge difference. Cannot stress the importance for everyone to get tested and get a heart rate monitor.
My Polar Heart rate moniter has made a big difference in the way I train for cardio. No more guess work. I like effeciency and my heart rate moniter gives me that!
I did the testing when we first joined LifeTime three years ago. I downloaded the eNewLeaf workouts into a Garmin Fitness watch and followed them consistently. I received another 12 weeks of workouts and followed them as well. Then I started repeating the sets. Last year I re-tested and my AT went up 13 points and I greatly increased my calorie burning ability! And me and my new aerobic base completed a long course triathlon (2/3 mi swim, 25 mi bike, 5 mi run) this past August! I can’t wait to retest this year!
Just started working with a trainer at the Columbia location and my 1st homework assignment was to get a heart rate monitor! I have been running, do various cardio activity not knowing if I am working below,at, or above my target heart rate, which is most likely why my weight loss has plateaued this past month. Excited to start seeing some true results!
Very nice article.
Lifetime Fitness has helped me a diabetic to get off the medicine and reduce my diabetic levels to normal by guiding me through weighloss and dietetic advice.Thank-you Lifetime.
One gadget that has improved my fitness is an iPod. Having music in my ear really gets me pumped up. I love a fast, hard beat. Techno or electric music are some of my favs!
I love heart rate training. I think it really helps you to push yourself further because you can actually see where you are physically, rather than guess. Unfortunately, I had a Polar RS200 that I purchased used from a co-worker. It stopped working so I replaced the batteries and it worked for just long enough for me to get really attached to it. Since it died, I have been working out without a heart monitor and can tell a big difference in my workouts. I really miss not knowing where I am physically when I’m working out.
I like to do work out with TV or Ipod. It really motivates me working with some good song or entertaining or live show. In starting i was doing cardio without it and I was getting so bored within 15 minutes. but now I can continue for at least 60 minutes. Life is better with gadget as it gives the environment which we want. I love to do workout now. I have reduced 10 pounds in 2 months. I have started :All heart” workout. I wish, could get the heart rate monitor. To make things more efficient.
My gadget of choice was the BodyBugg. It proved to be answer I was looking for. I have tried for years to lose excess body fat to no avail. I exercised, I ate healthy and lean, but I couldn’t remove the excess body fat. Then I found the BodyBugg. With it I was able to remove 70 pounds last year. Being able to see the calories burned in comparison to the calories I ate allowed me to tweak my eating and exercising program for success. Before I started to succeed I only hoped for a thinner body. Now I am working for a lean athletic body that I know and believe is possible. The BodyBugg was definitely the tool I needed at the time but it has served its purpose. I have the notorious last few pounds left to remove and it is time to increase my exercise intensity to do it. I like what I learned from the All Heart Article and look forward to using the information there to determine what multifunction heart rate monitor will help me reach my next goal.
Ok, so my buddy and I were at Christmas party of 09, babbling about his broken fitness goal of 100,000 cals burned for the year. ( he failed two years in a row) so, I said I would do it with him. He lives in Richmond va and is 38, I live in Dallas Texas and am 53 so we had to have measuring device that we could rely on to tally calorie burn. So we got polar heart rate monitors and began the slow but sure ascent to 100,000 cals burned for 2010. This is brutal and requires weekly discipline irrespective of business travels, illness or injury .. I am at 77,129 and he is at 75,400 as we approach mid October. We never could have done it without the heart rate monitors reporting the total cals burned for each workout. I need a new one for 2011 to start over !!
I will start by saying “All Heart” refers directly to me in a few ways. I am a 31 yr old female who has cardiomyopathy. In the winter of 2007 while training for the Disney Marathon, I got mononucleosis. I was told I could not do the marathon.I spoke with my doctor and he said if I wore a heart rate monitor and watch me heart rate closely I could do it. So I did. I would not let someone or an illness sideline me. I finished in 5hrs and 41mins. Because of my heart issues, I need my monitor. I have used it to know when I am sick, when I am improving with PR, knowing when I am improving my AT. I can’t go out without my heart rate monitor. My life depends on it, and I have too much heart to not get out the door and continue to stay active.
I bought an inexpensive heart rate monitor about a year ago after reading an article about target heart rates during workouts. I find that my heart rate monitor helps me push myself harder on days I’m not so strong, and shows me to let up a bit when I’m working too hard. It took me a while to realize how important it was to workout within my target zones. When I first start using the monitor I would try and push myself 10% past each zone, but I found out I would usually skip a few days to recover before I’d go back again. I grew up thinking “No pain, No gain”, now that I’m staying within my zones, I’m finding that my speed, strength, and endurance has improved steadily, and I’m going to the gym almost everyday. And even during my strength training days, I use the monitor because I’m beginning to learning when I’m lifting too much weight or not enough, based on my heart rate. I will never workout without one again.
As a 42 years old ex-athlete and longtime fitness nut I can honestly say that my heart rate moniter has been my favorite workout partner / trainer in the past 20 years. It is always thre, never complains and continues to push me.
The AT idea is so much more effective than the tradioional zones based a universal formula (220-age). It is rare that i have a conversation about fitness that does not include the words “heart rate” and “threshhold”.
I recently left my monirer in Yosemite after hiking 1/2 dome and the past 2 weeks of workout I’ve been wiothout my favotrite partner.
Thanks for a great article and magazine about the whole person
Chris Ferree
Atascadero California
In April, I decided I better start strength training. I am a cardio junkie but as I am approaching 40 at the end of this year, I thought I better add this element to my workout. My gym is equipped with FitLinxx which is connected to all the weight machines. I love this “gadget” – I am a numbers person and “logging in” to keep track of workouts keeps me motivated! I would love a heart rate monitor to help me improve my cardio workouts!
A pedometer app on my iPhone helps me keep track of how much I actually walk throughout the day, and sometimes encourages me to walk even more.
A Lifetime Fitness trainer had given me the test to determine my AT. Through this test, I discovered that I had been just wasting my time when working out. I had been working out in my zone 1 and now knew why I did not have any measurable results! Since I have become aware of my AT and my zones, I have been working out in mainly zones 2 and 3 and have seen reults. Previously I had been using my age to determine where my heart rate should be. Obviously, the AT method is much more effective for me. Thanks to Lifetime for providing this test and for making me more aware!
Well, I started using a Garmin heart-rate monitor in April of this year and have lost 40lbs. as a result of staying in my fat-burning zone. It has been amazingly accurate and watching the pounds slide off was all the motivation I needed to keep going!
I’ve never used a heart rate monitor (there seem to be so many choices, options that it can really be confusing) — but I’ve relied on my pedometer to get myself going and moving every day and now log between 17,000 and 20,000 steps a day
My iPod has improved my fitness because the music motivates you to keep going. I usually try to keep running until a song stops.
Dance, Dance, Revolution on PlayStation also got my whole family into staying fit. Especially during the colder months.
I have been a cyclist for more than 25 years and have used a heart rate monitor most of that time. Although HR monitors do have their drawbacks, i.e., your heart rate can be influenced by the weather, how much sleep you got, if you’ve eaten, etc., I use it as a guideline to make sure I”m in the correct range and that has served me well.
One unexpected benefit came on a long ride when my monitor was behaving strangely. It would show a high HR and then a very low one. I assumed it was due to power lines or that my chest strap had dried out. Turned out I have a benign heart condition called PVCs, which my doctor confirmed with a test. I would not have known if it weren’t for my heart rate monitor.
My iPod has really helped improve my fitness by making me more excited to work out. Fueling workouts with good tunes and audiobooks makes them so much more fun. I can go for long runs or lift weights more effortlessly when I can listen to something motivating and energizing while I’m doing it!
I’ve been a very active individual and attended countless Spinning classes in Chicago. I’ve always been an active bike rider too and thought of myself as a good bicyclist. I then bought a Polar Heart Rate monitor and started watching my heart rate to increase my targeted goals. Well what I thought I was working out at before was nothing close to goals I was trying for. Well the next few weeks my workouts really kicked my butt. I thought I knew my body better than I did before I started using the heart rate monitor. Now that I have been using my heart rate monitor for the past few years I am in much better health and found that I can ride even farther, longer now than I did before.