When you work out, your heart beats faster, especially if you are exercising for an extended period of time or at a higher intensity. This helps your heart pump blood to your muscles so they can do the work you want them to do. To sustain this level of effort, your body often burns fat, especially during a moderate-intensity activity like walking or cycling.
The fat-burning heart rate zone is typically about 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. When your heart rate is in this range, your body will primarily burn fat for energy.
The fat-burning heart rate zone is based on how your body uses fuel during exercise. Maintaining a certain heart rate zone can help you measure your intensity and stay consistent during a workout. It can also help you determine if you are exercising at a pace that is sustainable or not.
To calculate your fat-burning heart rate, you first need your maximum heart rate. You can find this by subtracting your age from 220. Then, multiply your max heart rate by 0.70 (70%) to get your optimal fat-burning heart rate.
For a wider fat-burning heart rate zone, you can multiply your max heart rate by 0.60 (60%) to get a lower range and by 0.80 (80%) to get a higher range.
An older study found that the optimal heart rate for burning fat is between 60-80% of your max heart rate, so you have some flexibility on the heart rate you aim for. The study authors also noted that these heart rate zones overlap and that you can get similar results from any heart rate as long as you are exercising.
Methods To Measure Heart Rate
One of the easiest ways to track your heart rate—both at rest and when working out—is to use a smartwatch, fitness tracker, app, or strap that wraps around your wrist or chest and syncs to your phone or another device. These devices can quickly let you know your heart rate and keep a log of your heart rate throughout the workout.
Research shows that these devices may also help promote weight loss. One review found that people who used trackers lost significantly more weight than those who did not use one.
If you do not have a smartwatch, heart monitor, or fitness tracker, you can still track your heart rate. Simply place your index and middle fingers on the artery below your thumb on your inner wrist. If you feel pulsing against your fingers, you have located your pulse or heartbeat.
To measure your heart rate, count the number of beats you feel in 30 seconds and then double that number. This number is your heart rate. A typical resting heart rate is about 60 to 100 beats per minute.
Several factors can influence your heart rate, like age, lifestyle, stress, and underlying health conditions. Here is an overview of some of the factors that affect your heart rate:
- Age: Age plays a significant role in your heart rate. Typically, your heart rate is high until age 15, and as you age, your heart rate declines.
- Sex: Your sex can also affect your heart rate. For instance, females tend to have a resting heart rate that is five beats faster per minute than that of males.
- Fitness level: Typically, people with higher fitness levels have lower heart rates. An athlete in peak condition can have a heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute.
- Lifestyle: Certain habits, such as how much sleep you get, whether or not you smoke, and how often you drink alcohol, will also affect your heart rate.
- Stress: Researchers have found that stress can increase your heart rate, while periods of calm may help lower your heart rate.
- Medical conditions: Your heart rate is impacted by your underlying medical conditions or illnesses, with some causing an elevated heart rate and some causing a lower heart rate.
When you exercise at 60-80% of your maximum heart rate, your body and your brain benefit in a few ways. Aside from helping you manage weight, you can also improve your heart health, increase your energy, and boost your mood. Working out at this heart rate also increases longevity and can delay the onset of 40 chronic conditions and diseases. Here are some other benefits:
- Reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure
- Helps with weight management, obesity, and chronic health conditions
- Improves sleep and reduces insomnia and sleep apnea
- Boosts bone health and balance
- Lowers the risk of injury from falls
- Decreases the risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s, and several types of cancer
- Improves cognition, including memory, attention, and processing speed
- Reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Promotes better quality of life and overall well-being
Any activity that gets your heart rate into that 60-80% zone of your maximum heart rate can help burn fat. Physical tasks like gardening, shoveling the driveway, washing the car, and cleaning the house can get your heart rate up and count as a fat-burning activity.
Other activities you can do to get your heart rate up and start burning fat include:
Walking
As one of the most accessible exercises around, walking is a great way to get your heart rate up and burn fat. However, the amount of time you walk may be more impactful than your heart rate during this exercise.
A study on people who were obese or overweight found that participants who walked at a slower pace (less than their maximum heart rate) for longer time periods lost more body fat than those who walked at a faster pace for shorter periods.
Jogging
If you’re short on time and are looking for an effective exercise that can be completed quickly, consider jogging at a slower pace several times a week. Researchers found that jogging slowly burns visceral fat (deep abdominal fat). Visceral fat has been associated with several health risks, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Cycling
If your joints need a break from walking or jogging, try cycling at a slower pace for longer distances. Researchers have found that endurance training like cycling helps burn fat.
If you are just getting started with a new exercise routine, focus on incorporating moderate-intensity exercises that help you hit your fat-burning heart rate. Aim to exercise for at least 150 minutes a week, unless your doctor recommends otherwise.
Your doctor can help you determine the amount of activity that is best for you, based on your medical history and health goals. Here are some additional tips for getting started with fat-burning exercise:
- Try to work out at the same time every day to establish a habit
- Be more active throughout the day by taking the stairs, walking during commercials, and parking further away from the store
- Avoid exercising just after eating or when it is hot outside
- Choose activities you enjoy
- Invite others to work out with you
- Experiment with audiobooks and music to keep yourself entertained while exercising
- Keep track of your activities so you can adjust as you need to
- Reward yourself for special milestones with a small gift or experience
Your fat-burning heart rate is typically 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. Maintaining your fat-burning heart rate during exercise can help support weight management, promote longevity, reduce chronic disease risk, improve heart health, and boost mood.
If you are interested in using your fat-burning heart rate to lose weight, consider walking, jogging, or cycling at a moderate pace. Talk to your doctor about what amount of activity is best for you based on your health needs and goals.
