Fat burn - Heart Rate of 80% or 100%

[bennos]

I'm trying to increase muscle mass but am noticing the start of a jelly belly. I'm not fat... have been weight lifting at the gym for about 3 years and have only managed to put on about 3kg in that time!!! So recently I started to eat more, probably not the cleanest nutritional values though. On top of that I also take protein. Anyway, that's some background stuff.

I use the cardio machines at the gym - cross trainer, treadmill & cycle. Rather then do 30 minutes on each machine (3 machines each session) at 80% of my max heart rate. I do 10 minutes on each at 100% heart rate achieve the same result (some times it goes a little over 100%). I simply don't have the time to do it at 80% and on top of that I get bored.

My posting here is to ask: Will working at 100% rather then 80% burn muscle instead of body fat? I'm thinking that maybe this is where I'm going wrong with my goal of trying to bulk up.

My stats are at the bottom.

Cheers!

 

[Ride_On]

I'm trying to increase muscle mass but am noticing the start of a jelly belly. I'm not fat... have been weight lifting at the gym for about 3 years and have only managed to put on about 3kg in that time!!! So recently I started to eat more, probably not the cleanest nutritional values though. On top of that I also take protein. Anyway, that's some background stuff.

I use the cardio machines at the gym - cross trainer, treadmill & cycle. Rather then do 30 minutes on each machine (3 machines each session) at 80% of my max heart rate. I do 10 minutes on each at 100% heart rate achieve the same result (some times it goes a little over 100%). I simply don't have the time to do it at 80% and on top of that I get bored.

My posting here is to ask: Will working at 100% rather then 80% burn muscle instead of body fat? I'm thinking that maybe this is where I'm going wrong with my goal of trying to bulk up.

My stats are at the bottom.

Cheers!

It depends what you mean by working at 100% of your heart rate. There's a few issues here. Number one, your diet is going to have to be right if you don't want to gain fat and want muscle. That's huge. If you aren't gaining weight, you're simply not eating enough. Keep in mind that since you've been working out for a few years, it's extremely difficult to simultaneously burn fat and build muscle at the same time. They are simply contradictory events in themselves (you have to eat less to burn fat and eat more to build muscle). Based on your stats, you seem to be at a fairly solid weight, so it's hard to tell if you should cut the fat or try and go with muscle first. You'll have to decide that on your own.

On to the cardio. I find it hard to believe that you're going at 100% of your heart rate for 10 minute straight, no matter what cardio you're doing. That's crazy. You also can't go OVER your maximum heart rate, so I don't know what you mean by that. You must be confused with the way you're calculating it or something, but your max is your max. There's no going above it.

Once that is all figured out, I think you should try some HIIT. It has been proven to be a great tool for fat loss. I see nothing wrong with low/moderate intensity steady state cardio either, but HIIT works great, especially in a time crunch. Look up that up and if you have questions on it come back with them. So do that, figure out your maintenance calories and eat more of clean food only.

 

[bennos]

On to the cardio. I find it hard to believe that you're going at 100% of your heart rate for 10 minute straight, no matter what cardio you're doing. That's crazy. You also can't go OVER your maximum heart rate, so I don't know what you mean by that. You must be confused with the way you're calculating it or something, but your max is your max. There's no going above it.

It's the HRM - it's had me up at 220bpm on some of my hardest workouts. I suppose it's also the way I've worked out my max. It is just the generic calculation, you know, the ones that are the same for all in my weight and age group. Nothing specific to 'me'. Where would someone go to get this done (exact measurement of my heart max - max and resting)?

clean food only.

I'm eating... very well :food: Just have to work on eating 'clean'.

 

[Ride_On]

It's the HRM - it's had me up at 220bpm on some of my hardest workouts. I suppose it's also the way I've worked out my max. It is just the generic calculation, you know, the ones that are the same for all in my weight and age group. Nothing specific to 'me'. Where would someone go to get this done (exact measurement of my heart max - max and resting)?

I'm eating... very well :food: Just have to work on eating 'clean'.

Your heart rate is not 220bpm. What machine is telling you that? It's just wrong. They are screwy sometimes. The upright bike I ride sometimes says that my HR is at 232 for a brief moment, which is just a mechanical error.

Good job on working on the diet, but if you're not eating clean you're probably not eating very well. I don't know what you mean by that you eat "very well" or "clean" though, so it's hard to tell.

 

[bennos]

Your heart rate is not 220bpm. What machine is telling you that? It's just wrong. They are screwy sometimes. The upright bike I ride sometimes says that my HR is at 232 for a brief moment, which is just a mechanical error.

That's what I thought too! It's that heart attack level?!

I don't know what you mean by that you eat "very well" or "clean" though, so it's hard to tell.

I mean, I'm pigging out cause I luvs the food!!

 

[tjl]

Maximum heart rate has enough individual variation that the usual 220-age estimate may be quite off of your actual maximum.

In general the higher intensity (higher heart rate) you exercise, the more calories you burn per unit time. However, very high intensities can only be maintained for short sprints, which is why people doing cardio at those intensities do it in intervals (HIIT).

 

[tenreps]

IF you do not want to clean up your diet, you will go nowhere fast!

 

[TopKnife]

It's the HRM - it's had me up at 220bpm on some of my hardest workouts.

It is possible for your heart rate to reach 220bpm or higher if you have a serious heart problem. A heart rate that does not come down to normal range after exercise is likely a medical urgency or emergency and you should seek medical help right away.

That's crazy. You also can't go OVER your maximum heart rate, so I don't know what you mean by that. You must be confused with the way you're calculating it or something, but your max is your max. There's no going above it.

Ride_On, it is not crazy or impossible. If the hardware is correct, this should not be ignored.

If your heart rate monitor is reading above your calculated maximal heart rate often, you may be suffering from a cardiac arrhythmia and need to see your doctor for a cardiac evaluation. At the very minimum, you will need an electrocardiogram and a treadmill stress test. Depending on your risk category, your cardiologist may do an echocardiogram to evaluate for structural or motion abnormalities.


TopKnife

 

[Ride_On]

It is possible for your heart rate to reach 220bpm or higher if you have a serious heart problem. A heart rate that does not come down to normal range after exercise is likely a medical urgency or emergency and you should seek medical help right away.



Ride_On, it is not crazy or impossible. If the hardware is correct, this should not be ignored.

If your heart rate monitor is reading above your calculated maximal heart rate often, you may be suffering from a cardiac arrhythmia and need to see your doctor for a cardiac evaluation. At the very minimum, you will need an electrocardiogram and a treadmill stress test. Depending on your risk category, your cardiologist may do an echocardiogram to evaluate for structural or motion abnormalities.


TopKnife

No, it is impossible to go over your maximum heart rate. If you go over it, than your maximum heart rate is wrong. You can never go over the "maximum" of anything.

And I know what you're saying with the rest, but I've had my own heart issue and I know what it feels like and I sure as hell know that my heart rate is not 230 when I'm riding the bike. It's more like 165-175 when it says. If it was correct, that could be a huge problem, but I know it's not, and you would feel that. It wouldn't feel normal at all.

 

[TopKnife]

No, it is impossible to go over your maximum heart rate. If you go over it, than your maximum heart rate is wrong. You can never go over the "maximum" of anything.

And I know what you're saying with the rest, but I've had my own heart issue and I know what it feels like and I sure as hell know that my heart rate is not 230 when I'm riding the bike. It's more like 165-175 when it says. If it was correct, that could be a huge problem, but I know it's not, and you would feel that. It wouldn't feel normal at all.

I agree that if you feel normal and there is equipment malfunction or an occasional erroneous reading, there is no reason to be alarmed. However, if you are 190, 200, 210, 220+, feeling palpitations, short of breath, dizzy, etc., you need medical attention as soon as possible. There is a healthy maximal heart rate which is what you are referring to and then there are cardiac arrhythmias. For example, a person might be in atrial flutter and have a heart rate of 240 or more. You don't want to tell some one with an injured heart that they should ignore an extremely fast heart rate.

I understand what you are saying. I am just trying to clarify when it indicates that there is a serious medical problem.

 

[Ride_On]

I agree that if you feel normal and there is equipment malfunction or an occasional erroneous reading, there is no reason to be alarmed. However, if you are 190, 200, 210, 220+, feeling palpitations, short of breath, dizzy, etc., you need medical attention as soon as possible. There is a healthy maximal heart rate which is what you are referring to and then there are cardiac arrhythmias. For example, a person might be in atrial flutter and have a heart rate of 240 or more. You don't want to tell some one with an injured heart that they should ignore an extremely fast heart rate.

I understand what you are saying. I am just trying to clarify when it indicates that there is a serious medical problem.

True. I guess I didn't think of it that way because I, myself, would definitely know if something felt out of whack. Hopefully other people would realize that too, and you're right. If it really is that high, it's something to worry about. My cardio machines randomly spit out 220-230 on there out of nowhere sometimes though, and I obviously know it's not at that point, so I just figured it was the same situation. Good call pointing that out though.