I've been going to the gym 6 days a week (I LOVE it so far, I think I'm getting addicted to exercise now!! lol) but when I'm doing treadmill, eliptical, etc. I always seem to have my heart rate in the cardio rate not the fat burning rate. The fat burning rate is TOO slow! (65%) After one minute on the machines, I'm already above the target heart rate for fat burning. I'm averaging about in the 75% range which is in the cardio rate range.
Is this fine? Will it still burn fat?
I just can't go that slow, I LIKE doing the more intensive workout, if I were to put myself in the target range for fat burning I'd be walking like a 30 minute mile (not that that's bad, it's great for some people, but it's not intensive enough for me).
I've been doing stretching, and haven't had overly sore muscles or anything, so I don't think I'm overdoing it, but I'm still curious.
Obviously, I want a strong heart, but I also want to burn fat,too. I've tried reading up on it but I'm so confused...

Thanks!

From what I've read, the "fat-burning zone" is actually 65%-85% of max HR. So, you are right where you should be. It's also good for you to reach a higher zone now and then, but mainly stay in your "working zone" or 65%-85%.
Are you working with weights too? I hope so, you don't want to do all cardio. Weights are just as important, and for women, maybe MORE important. It aids in weight loss, and strong bones.

Carole

From Lyle McDonald's The Ketogenic Diet:

"A very prevalent misconception about aerobic excercise is the so-called 'fat burning zone' which is supposed to optimize fat loss. It is true that a greater percentage of fat is used during low-intesity excercise (see chapter 18 for details). This suggests that low-intensity exercise is the best form of exercise to lose fat (6). However, due to the low total caloric expenditure, the total amount of fat used is small. As exercise intensity increases (up to about 75% of maximum heart rate), while the percentage of total calories derived from fat is smaller, that total amount of fat used is greater (34)."

[Empasis his, typos mine.]

Thank you both of you. I was worried about that! lol

I'm doing weightlifting, too, I just love cardio more lol