Three Myths About Burning Fat

2. According to the intensity of your workout, your body will burn either carbohydrates or fats. However, calories are calories when it comes to losing weight and it doesn't matter much what kind you are burning. However, a lot of myths still surround the burning of calories. Here are three of them along with the truth. 1. Myth: The body either burns fat or it burns carbohydrates. It doesn't burn both at the same time. Truth: This myth is due to a continuing misunderstanding by those exercising and those doing the instruction. The body uses both fats and carbohydrates for needed energy and it does it all the time. The body does, however, use them in different amounts. The difference is due to the type of exercise. For example, watching TV may mean you are burning a larger percentage of fat than that of carbohydrates. Or course, you are not using a whole lot of either. However, in a rigorous fat burning exercise, such as running around the chair, the amount of calories being burned will increase and the ratio of burning fat to burning carbohydrates will change. You will be burning more carbohydrates than fat. As you continue to run and use up carbohydrates, the body will shift to consuming more fat. 2. Myth: Doing less intense exercises such as walking will burn more fat than highly intense exercises such as running. Truth: Well, in a strict sense this claim is true. Working out at a low intensity does require less rapid energy and burns a higher percentage of fat. Of course, you will also burn fewer calories. The lower the intensity of the workout the longer it takes to burn the same amount of calories as a high intensity workout. The formula is simple. The more intense the exercise the faster calories are burned. The lower the workout intensity the longer it takes to lose the same amount of calories. And remember, weight loss is dependent on variables such as the total amount of calories (both fat and carbohydrate) burned. 3. Myth: Cardio activities such as running, walking, cycling will burn more fat after you have been doing them for fifteen to twenty minutes. Truth: Generally, after you have been exercising for fifteen to twenty minutes your body will shift to using a larger percentage of fat. But, once again, it is the total amount of calories burned that will provide weight loss. So, the best burning fat exercise for weight loss will be the one that burns the most calories not the one that burns the most fat or carbohydrates. Everyone needs to do some type of exercise so just remember that even low intensity workouts can be effective if you do them long enough.