The Surprising Secret To Burning Fat Fast

best exercise for fast loss, how to lose fat fast

After an indulgent trip to California, I am all about trying to burn some extra heft. While no amount of exercise will make up for a terrible diet, you can maximize your workouts so that you burn fat faster most fat possible in the time you have allotted to exercise.

What's interesting is that you don't have to kill yourself. Turns out, exercising at a perceived exertion rate of 5-7, on a scale of 1-10, is the prime fat burning zone. (Tweet this).

Rate of Perceived Exertion Chart

There's science behind this. To learn more, I spent an afternoon wearing a funky-looking metabolic testing mask, while walking on the Katy Trail with Darvin McBrayer, an exercise physiologist who has worked with the Dallas Stars as well as private clients and Biosanes.

"When you move at a slower pace, with more resistance, you engage the slow twitch fibers and that’s the fat burning pathway," McBrayer said. "Full body movement is key."

With a mask hooked up to me, we measured the amount of fat I was burning at various exercise intervals. When I walking at a brisk pace (think 5-7 on the RPE scale), using trekking poles to incorporate more of my body's muscles, I was burning the most fat. When I went all out, I was only burning carbohydrates or sugar.

The trekking poles were a great workout that I had never before considered. My back, shoulders and triceps were sore (the good kind of sore) the next day from using using them.

In The Gym & The Real World

So what does this mean for you the next time you exercise? Think about working out at a brisk pace and incorporating all your major muscle groups.

Walking? Aim for 100 steps per minute and try the poles to engage your upper body. On the elliptical? Using the handles takes care of your upper body but also aim for 100 strides per minute. Again, brisk pace.

"This type of exercise engages all of your muscle groups, it's sustainable and doesn't hurt," McBrayer says. "Full body movement is key."

"Do a warm-up at a three (on the RPE scale), give me 30 minutes at six or seven, one killer three-minute set and cool down for another three minutes again," McBrayer recommends.

He suggests doing that as your cardiovascular exercise five times a week and promises you'll see a difference.

Do you hate to exercise? Use these simple tricks to learn to how to love it even when you hate it.

How To Get Your Metabolic Test

My Ratio of Fat vs Carbohydrates Burned

During the test, not only did I learn what the most effective fat burning workout was for me (try the trekking poles...they're a GAMECHANGER!) I also learned how many calories per minute I burned at various paces. For a fitness junkie like me or anyone who wants more insight into their workout regime, it's a great way to ensure you're maximizing your time.

McBrayer has partnered with Biosanes, a Dallas health and weight loss company that makes delicious weight loss cookies, to help you learn how to exercise effectively, safely and lose weight painlessly. Learn more about their solutions here.

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