How do Cardio “Zones” work?

Question

I’ve been cycling a lot and I always end up in Zone 3 or 4. People say Zone 2 is the best and the “fat burning” Zone.

Does this mean I’ll lose more fat/weight in the same amount of time exercising if my hear rate is lower than it has been!?

In: 8

Answer 1

They don’t. They are a gross simplification of a very complex topic. There is no universal rule that “X beats per minute means fat burning, Y beats per minute means cardio health”. They are general guidelines for you to consider, but don’t spend too much time focused on them.