Dean
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Heart RateI have been wondering how high to keep my HR while doing cardio. At this point my goal is REAL simple... lose the 25 pounds of extra body fat that I have. I want to know what the most effective way of doing that would be? I have heard to keep it between 130-140, but then others say keep it as high as possible. I don't want to tear down muscle to make glucose to burn while doing high intensity cardio.
Would appreciate whatever advice or thoughts anyone has.
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jl53563
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Deano, once keto-adapted, your body will use only fat for fuel while doing cardio. You are probably pretty close to being there, if you are not already. You will find that you can work out at 85% MHR, 90% MHR, or even higher. and your breathing will be long, steady, and deep. This indicates that your muscles are getting plenty of oxygen for burning fat. In the Phinney study, the cyclists burned over 900 calories per hour, virtually all from fat. You can disregard 99% of what you read about exercise advice. It almost always pertains to people on the typical high carb diet. Out bodies work totally differently. The way I figure, burn as many calories as you can. No matter what heart rate you are at, you will be burning all fat.
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jl53563
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"I don't want to tear down muscle to make glucose to burn while doing high intensity cardio."
As long as your breathing is deep and steady, you will be burning fat, not muscle.
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Dean
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Thanks, JL!
Now... I'm holding you to this, you know! 
On this WOE, I do tend to breathe much easier when even running (which I rarely do because I don't like the pounding). I am going to try to get on my treadmill today (instead of going to the park)... or maybe I'll do both!  I will set it for like 85% intensity and see just how I breathe and can handle it. Should be a very interesting test.
BTW... here is how I calculate THR (Target Heart Rate):
I factor in RHR (Resting Hear Rate). (220-age)=MHR (Maximum Heart Rate).
THR=(((MHR)-RHR)*intensity)+RHR
or
THR=(((220-age)-RHR)*intensity)+RHR
My HR monitor allows me to easily and accurately obtain my RHR. I have the above formula in a spread sheet and just plug in Age, RHR, Intensity... and presto... I have my THR! Then I simply set my treadmill to keep my HR up to this number. Question is... what should I shoot for when it comes to the intensity? I have been doing like 75% up till now, although I have always heard that 65% is the best to burn fat... BUT, as JL points out... our bodies are running on fat, not glucose. So, should I up this to 75%, 85% or even 90%? I think what I may do is start upping my THR by 1 every time I do cardio, until it hits around 85-90%. I am afraid to go higher than that.
Another question: How long should my cardio sessions be? I can program my treadmill to go for so long at so much of a THR. How long should I program it to go? I know it should be at least 30 minutes... but, is it going to hurt if it is 60 minutes? Again, my main concern here is tearing down muscle that I am trying to build.
Thanks for the help, guys!
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jl53563
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Deano, as far as your heartrate goes, I would go as high as you can and still breathe comfortably, whether that is 75%, 85% or whatever. Some of it will have to do with how long you have been doing cardio and what kind of shape you're in. As far as how long to excercise, I don't know if there is a correct answer for this. I suppose it is possible to exercise too much. I would think anything between 30-60 minutes would be safe. I only rarely do more than 60 minutes. Every once in a great while I will, just as kind of a test to see how my endurance is. Strictly from a cadiovascular standpoint, I once read that there is a diminishing rate of return with increased time. So, exercising 40 minutes is better for your heart than 20 minutes, but it's not twice as good. However, from a weightloss standpoint, every minute counts. Hope this helps you out.
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Heather
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I only do one long run per week, more than 60 minutes and I love running. I don't check my heart rate, I just do it. I never get winded where I gasp for air, I usually find it hardest for the first 5 minutes then my breathing becomes effortless.
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Dean
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| Heather wrote: | | I usually find it hardest for the first 5 minutes then my breathing becomes effortless. |
Heather,
Glad you posted this... cuz this evening I tried out an intense (for me) HR workout on my treadmill. I went for 85% intensity... and by the method I calculate things (see above), I was actually at 90% of my Max Heart Rate... because the formula (above) factors in RHR as well.
Anyway... I set my treadmill to go for 45 minutes. The first 20 minutes I thought about quitting more than once! But then, all of a sudden, I was no longer straining and hurting (mostly psychological). I felt just fine... as if I could walk for a couple hours at that pace. Weird... cuz, back in my carb days, whenever I went up to 75-85% intensity, I would be "dieing" throughout the whole workout... I would keep checking the timer to see how many minutes I had left... wondering if I would make it. This evening, after the initial 20 minutes, I was like "no problem", I'm just "out for a stroll". The reason you end up feeling this way after only five minutes, is cuz you are in much better shape, I'm sure. You rock, Heather! You are my inspiration to get in better shape! 
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Heather
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| PaleoDeano wrote: | | The reason you end up feeling this way after only five minutes, is cuz you are in much better shape, I'm sure. You rock, Heather! You are my inspiration to get in better shape! |
 ME? Well okay.... Sorry, you caught me off guard with your comments. I guess I don't even think of myself that way. 
I never exercised while eating carbs.... Except in highschool, back then I could only run about 2 miles before crashing and back then I thought running 2 miles was great! I was one of only a handful of people that could even do that.
I am supposed to do my long run tonight.
Really interesting, your experience, thanks for posting. I learn something new everyday!
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jl53563
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| Heather wrote: | | I only do one long run per week, more than 60 minutes and I love running. I don't check my heart rate, I just do it. I never get winded where I gasp for air, I usually find it hardest for the first 5 minutes then my breathing becomes effortless. |
I see Heather uses the "black box" approach to exercising. She just does what feels right, and goes with that. She doesn't care why it's right. That's not a bad approach. You can drive yourself crazy trying to figure everything out.
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Heather
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| jl53563 wrote: | | Heather wrote: | | I only do one long run per week, more than 60 minutes and I love running. I don't check my heart rate, I just do it. I never get winded where I gasp for air, I usually find it hardest for the first 5 minutes then my breathing becomes effortless. |
I see Heather uses the "black box" approach to exercising. She just does what feels right, and goes with that. She doesn't care why it's right. That's not a bad approach. You can drive yourself crazy trying to figure everything out. |
I was noticing Dean's formulas a little confusing and I pride myself on my mathematical, problem-solving abilities.
Just do it! Or suffer paralysis by analysis.
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Dean
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| jl53563 wrote: | | You can drive yourself crazy trying to figure everything out. |
| Heather wrote: | | Just do it! Or suffer paralysis by analysis. |
You guys are just "mathematically challenged".
I am actually quite motivated to workout when I feel I am getting the most efficient use of my time. Same with a WOE.
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Heather
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I am not mahematically challenged!  I live, eat, breath, sleep numbers. I am not very "creative" though.
I am glad you have motivation because I don't.... Tonight I will force myself to run on the treadmill while watching tv or maybe a movie.
I will get my heart rate up.
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Dean
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You HAVE TO, Heather!
You are my HERO on this board!
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Heather
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Ha ha ha ha ha. You're funny.
The pressure.
PS I'm still here posting with the chair glued to my butt.
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