New! Mark's fitness tips.

Traditional thinking has been that there is an optimal workout intensity that promotes the most efficient burning of fat and weight loss. This is generally expressed as 60-70% of the individual’s maximum heart rate.

However an overwhelming body of evidence now suggests that higher intensity activity is more beneficial for weight loss for a number of reasons:

- The fat burning zone is not the optimum exercise intensity for weight management, fitness or performance.

- Although a greater proportion of energy is derived from fat within the fat burning zone, total energy expenditure is greater with high-intensity exercise.

- It is total energy expenditure, regardless of the source, that is paramount for achieving sensible weight loss via negative energy balance.

- Energy expenditure is greater both during and after high intensity exercise.

- It is unlikely that aerobic fitness will be maintained or improved within the fat burning zone.

Training within the fat burning zone will not bring about the preferential metabolism of fat during exercise or higher resting metabolic rate important for weight loss.

Have a chat with one of our Fitness Instructors if you would like more information on this.