Low Intensity Cardio … The Myth
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“Cardio” ... the term refers to any exercise where the heart and lungs are involved. If you have an elevation in your heart rate (expressed as bpm or beats per minute) and in your rate of respiration rate, then you are doing some form of "Cardio"....
The term “Aerobic” refers to a state in which the cardiovascular work is being performed. “Aerobic” translates to mean ‘with oxygen’ and so "Aerobics" is a cardiovascular exercise that is performed "with oxygen." This is a low to moderate activity that can be performed for long periods of time.
All aerobic training is cardiovascular - but not all cardiovascular exercise is aerobic - hold onto this thought ....
Low intensity aerobic activity has been purported to be the best type of exercise to burn off unwanted body fat. This is explained by the reasoning that whilst in an aerobic state your body burns 50% or more of the calories from fat stores in your body and that at a higher intensity your body burns only 35% of the calories from fat. This level of intensity has been called your "Fat Burning Zone" and it is recommended to stay in this "zone" your heart rate should be 55-65% of your maximum heart rate.
You hear no argument from me regarding these percentages - but these percentages are just part of the puzzle, and when we give them sole consideration, it gives us a rather skewed and inaccurate approach to exercise when the desired outcome is fat loss.
To calculate your maximum heart rate, a very simplistic approach is to take 220 less your age. As you get older, your maximum goes down. For example, a 30 year old would have a maximum heart rate of 220 - 30 = 190 beats per minute. To stay in their "Fat Burning Zone," it would mean their heart rate should not go above 124 beats per minute (190 x 0.55 = 105 or 55%, 190 x 0.65 = 124 or 65%). So if you amble along on the bike and the machine tells you that you have burnt off 450 calories, then you can expect to have melted away at least 225 calories of fat.
If you do not have a heart rate monitor, invest in one - and I mean "invest" as it will pay off. They range from the very basic which just gives you your heart rate to the super expensive that you can plug into your computer and will almost do your taxes for you. Of course, you can put your fingers to your neck and take your pulse that way, but to be certain, get a heart rate monitor - it will become your best friend, and like a best friend, it will not lie to you. You might not like what it tells you sometimes, but it will not lie. It will motivate you and keep you true to yourself. Once you start using your heart rate monitor, do not stop. After a while, you may feel you know where your heart rate is at a certain level of exertion and be tempted to ditch the watch and belt, but your heart rate actually drops over time for a given exercise intensity. This is a good thing - it means your heart does not have to work as hard to do the same exercise and you are getting fitter. When this happens, you will find you have to up your intensity to get to the same heart rate. Wear your heart rate monitor and keep your workout in the low intensity range for maximum burn of unwanted body fat. If you travel pack it before you pack your socks or toothpaste - it is that important!
