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Don't fool yourself - crash dieting and "marathon" gym sessions simply don't work. Your body was never meant to be fat. And getting it back in shape is easier than you think... |
Heart Rate Monitor Is a Powerful Tool
By Jon Benson
Here is one of the most important things I've discovered in my 14-year fat-burning journey:
The power of a heart rate monitor.
I do not sell equipment or supplements of any kind. These are personal recommendations, nothing more – but this
one will save you years of frustration, so take it seriously.
Most people are exercising over their lactate threshold. The lactate threshold is the point at which your body is no longer relying on body fat for its primary fuel source, but rather on sugar instead. This sugar comes from stored sugar, known as glycogen, and blood sugar provided primarily by carbohydrate intake.
The lactate threshold for most of us is breached when we exceed 70-75 percent of our maximum heart rate. Yet most people run or jog at a heart rate that's substantially higher than this. Even worse, some people start burning sugar at accelerated rates as low as 60-65 percent MHR.
I personally notice a shift when I exceed 70 percent MHR in my training. Yet, 70 percent feels quite easy. The trick is to do 70 percent for longer durations rather than a gut-busting 90 percent for a hard jog. Although one seems more difficult, it is not necessarily more beneficial for fat-burning.
Read my transformation story in Fit Over 40, and you'll see I did only 1-2 days per week of "hard" cardio (over 70 percent). However, I did hours of "moderate" cardio, which was well below my lactate threshold.
The only way to know for sure whether you're exceeding your zone is to wear a heart rate monitor. I've tried manually checking my pulse. Although somewhat accurate, it does not tell the whole story. A good monitor will show me the average heart rate over an extended period of time, as well as "beep" at me when I'm starting to climb over my target heart rate.
The most successful triathlete in the world, Mark Allen, told me a great story of how a simple heart rate monitor changed his training forever. You can hear Mark's interview for free when you pick up Fit Over 40.
If you want to pick up a monitor, I suggest Big Fitness. Do a search for "heart rate monitors," and you'll get the best deal I know of.
Be patient with heart rate training. You'll soon find out, as Mark Allen did, that you'll be able to perform the same intensity you are now over time but at a lower heart rate. This will force your body to use far more body fat for fuel rather than ingested carbohydrate and blood sugar.
The end result can be a leaner, healthier you.
You Should Sign Up for Jon Benson’s Fit Over 40 Here.
