Does low-intensity aerobic running burn the most bulge, or does high-intensity training zap the most fat? To maximize fat burning while running, a combination of low-intensity and high-intensity training--in the form of running intervals--uses the most energy from fat and carbohydrates, and creates the greatest calorie deficit. As a result, adding one to two days of interval training to your schedule increases your potential to sculpt a leaner, more efficient body.
Step 1
Understand the "fat burning zone" and how your body burns fat. When you run, you draw on both carbohydrates and fat for energy. When you run at lower intensities (60 to 65 percent maximum heart rate), you burn a higher percentage of fat than when you run at higher intensities (80 to 85 percent MHR). However, when you run at a higher intensity, you burn more overall calories, including calories from fat.
For example, if a 130-lb. woman performs cardio exercise for 30 minutes at a low intensity (60 to 65 percent MHR), she will burn 50 percent of her calories from fat, including 73 calories from fat and 146 calories overall. Yet if this same woman works out a higher intensity for the same amount of time (80 to 85 percent MHR), she will burn 39.9 percent of her calories from fat, including 82 calories from fat and 206 calories overall.
Step 2
Incorporate intervals into your training schedule once or twice a week. A 2007 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology shows that incorporating intervals into your training benefits you in two ways: It increases your overall endurance and it teaches your body to burn more fat (at rest and during moderate exercise). When you begin interval training, warm up for 15 to 20 minutes. Then run hard for 30 to 60 seconds (80 to 85 percent MHR).
After the hard portion, decrease your intensity and run easy for two minutes. This allows your muscles to recover, but you do not want to run so easy that your pulse returns to its resting rate. Repeat this exercise eight to 10 times, and then warm down for 15 to 20 minutes. As your body adjusts to the workouts, you can make them more challenging by running harder for longer periods of time and decreasing the time that you rest.
Step 3
Eat a proper diet after running. In 2009, "Time" magazine ran a cover story titled "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin." The article highlighted that, while many Americans belong to health clubs (45 million, to be exact), Americans' waistlines continue to grow. Why? Because they immediately replace the calories they burned. The most efficient way to burn fat involves running at higher intensities and eating a clean, nutritious diet that includes a healthy balance of carbohydrates, fat and protein.
Step 4
Get proper rest. Once you add intervals to your training, your body craves rest and recovery. The day after a hard workout, run at a lower intensity. Allow fresh blood to flow into your muscles and wash away the lactic acid from the previous day's workout.
Tips and Warnings
- The optimal training schedules includes both high-intensity and low-intensity workouts. Chart your progress in a running journal to keep you motivated. Run fast-paced intervals to your favorite songs, but always be aware of your surrounding when wearing headphones. Change your running shoes every 300 to 500 miles to help you stay injury free. Always stretch after running a high intensity workout.
- Consult with your physician if you have reservations about beginning high-intensity workouts.
Things You'll Need
- Running shoes
- Running watch
- Heart rate monitor (optional)
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