Transformation Challenge 
ARE YOU READY TO SEE RESULTS!
JOIN OUR ANNUAL TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE!
Lose Weight - Lose Inches - Lose Body Fat -
Gain Lean Mass - Gain Confidence - Gain Strength
CALL OR STOP BY THE STUDIO TO FIND OUT MORE!
Challenge Begins January 11th, 2009
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Are You Tired of Not Getting the Results You Want?
Are You Doing Cardio and Still Not Losing Weight?
If this sounds like you, then you'll want to read this article!
Fuel Use During Exercise
When you do your cardio, do you keep your heart rate in the "Fat Burning" Zone? Many people see the charts located on cardio equipment and assume that staying in the Low or "Fat Burning" Zone is the most effective way to lose weight; however, this is not the case!
When a person exercises he/she uses both carbohydrates and fats as fuel. During exercise at a very low intensity (e.g. walking) fat accounts for most of the energy expenditure. As exercise intensity increases towards the lactate threshold the contribution from fat decreases while the contribution from carbohydrates increases. When a person exercises just below the lactate threshold he/she is using mostly carbohydrates. Once the intensity of exercise has risen above the lactate threshold, carbohydrates become the only fuel source.
If a person exercises long enough (1.5-2 hours), his/her muscle carbohydrate and blood glucose concentration become low; therefore, the muscles are forced to rely on fat as fuel.
Percentage-wise only a small amount of fat is used when exercising just below the lactate threshold; however, the rate of caloric expenditure and the total number of calories expended are much greater than they are when exercising at a lower intensity, so the total amount of fat used is also greater. The bottom line is that the rate of energy expenditure is what matters, rather than simply the percentage of energy expenditure derived from fat.
Strategies for Fat Loss
1. Strategy #1: Go Hard
Interval training burns lots of calories in a short amount of time and keeps clients' metabolic rates elevated for hours following the workout.
Strategy #2: Go Very Long
Long runs or bike rides (≥ 1.5-2 hours at 65%-70% max HR) promote the depletion of glycogen, which threatens the muscles' survival, and in turn, the body "learns" how to use fat more effectively and over time become better fat-burning machines.
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