Throwing out the Myths about Fat Burning and Exercise If you are trying to burn fat and tone your body, you have probably heard a plethora of information about what works and what does not. However, the results that you experience may directly contradict some of the things that you hear. There are many workout myths out there, especially when it comes to burning fat. They can be confusing, and knowing what is true is not always easy to decipher.

Myth #1

The first commonly heard myth is that the body completely shuts off one fuel source when it begins to use another. This is completely untrue—the body relies on both fat and carbohydrates for energy all the time, simply in different ratios. If you stood up and started jogging, your body would need to supply you with some fast energy—due to this, your metabolism ratio may shift to drawing upon more carbohydrates, and less fat. The ratio is probably around seventy/thirty, depending upon the circumstances. Your body will continually have to shift around the percentages of energy sources, so that your body is the most energy efficient. From an energy efficiency point of view, it pays to be fit. Athletes that practice endurance sports such as running are generally able to make the shift sooner, and the fat-burning percentage might be sixty five to seventy five percent. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than your body consumes and uses every day—the ratios you are using do not necessarily have a huge effect. Consistent exercise is one of the best ways to burn a lot of calories. However, when it comes to weight loss, what matters most is how many calories you burn, not so much whether they are fat or carbohydrate calories.

Myth #2

Next, you may have heard that exercise performed at a low intensity, such as walking, is better at fat burning than other high-intensity activities, like running or cardio activities where you push yourself very hard. When it comes down to science, these claims are true to an extent, because working at a lower intensity requires less quick energy, and a higher percentage of fat is burned. However, you will also burn fewer calories than you would if you work out at a harder intensity such as running, for the same amount of time. Thus, if you are

trying to lose weight, even though a higher percentage of fat is being used, a lower total amount is expended. If you do prefer to workout at a low intensity, you need to increase the time spent exercising to expend more calories. Start out at thirty minutes a day, and increase the length of time gradually. What matters most is the total number of calories burned. If you shed two to three hundred calories every day from jogging, you would see a bigger difference in weight loss than if you walked everyday for the same amount of time. The number of fat calories you lose is not that important, because even if you burn a lot of carbohydrate calories, they must be replaced both by what you eat in your diet, and also within your body. Your fat stores will be broken down and transformed into carbohydrates when you need fuel and energy. Even if you are burning lots of carbohydrate calories and less fat through exercise, your fat still inevitably gets used. During the same amount of time, you do not use more calories at lower exercise intensities, and that is a fact. If you are seeking to lose weight and you have only thirty minutes to exercise, you would burn fewer calories walking at a moderate pace compared to walking at a fast pace. Low to moderate exercise can burn a significant number of calories over time.

What Do You Need?

If you are not fit enough to push yourself to workout more intensely, or you have a physical weakness that prevents you from doing so, you can still burn a lot of calories by exercising more casually for longer amounts of time. Talk to a personal trainer about what will work best for your body type, depending upon your physical needs and limitations. Today is the perfect day to help your body to be healthier, and in better shape. If you enjoyed this article, give Bovie Medical a call today!