Your heart rate during exercise can be a good indicator of whether you're exercising at the right intensity for fat-burning purposes. Going beyond the recommended maximum heart rate can be dangerous and causes excessive strain on your cardiovascular system. You can monitor your heart rate while you exercise using a wristwatch monitor, chest monitor or simply checking it manually.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise can help you burn a substantial number of calories, which is the key to losing weight. For instance, a 200 lb. person jogging at an average of 5 mph for a period of one hour burns about 728 calories. This would be considered an effective fat-burning exercise because five of these workouts per week burns enough calories to equal more than a pound of body fat. Other effective fat-burning exercises include elliptical training, walking, swimming and rollerblading.
Target Heart Rate
The American Heart Association suggests finding your target heart rate, or THR, to ensure your workout intensity is just right. The AHA estimates your maximum heart rate, or MHR, to be 220 minus your age in years. Your THR zone is calculated by multiplying your MHR by 0.5 and 0.85 to determine the range you should stay within. The AHA suggests starting at the lower end of your THR and working your way up. The duration and intensity of your workout are the keys to burning the most calories and fat.
Fat Burning Zone
A 2009 study at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., examined if there were a difference between "aerobic zones" and "fat burning zones" during aerobic exercise. The results concluded that the two zones overlapped on the lower end of your THR. However, the highest rate of fat oxidation -- fat burning -- occurred at 60.2 to 80 percent of your MHR. So it seems that you can burn the most fat by exercising at a higher intensity that places your heart rate at the higher end of your THR zone.
Warning
Consult your doctor prior to starting a new exercise regimen. Beginners should start out slowly and work their way up to higher intensity exercise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, suggests exercising for 30 to 60 minutes per day and not exceeding the AHA's THR zone recommendations during each workout. Symptoms of over-working your body include dizziness, nausea, fainting and pain.
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