Weight Loss, Diet and Fitness Program

That’s not to say there’s no difference between workouts that burn a greater percentage of fat vs. those that burn a greater percentage of carbs. To help you choose the right option, let’s take a look at the pros and cons.

First, low-intensity fat-burning exercise is the preferred choice for novice exercisers and those with medical concerns that discourage exercising at an elevated pace or effort. Not only is it easier on the joints and muscles, it delays fatigue, which allows you to exercise longer. But compared to more vigorous exercise, the calorie burn of low-intensity exercise is sluggish. To counteract this slow burn, exercisers need to work out longer if they hope to lose weight.

High-intensity exercise, on the other hand, is better suited to experienced and fitter exercise. Not only will they benefit from a greater calorie burn, they can achieve their weight-loss goals through shorter, more efficient workouts.

A good example of the difference between the calorie burn of high-intensity vs. low-intensity exercise is the comparison of walking to running. Walking (about 5.6 kilometers per hour) burns about 175 calories when performed by a 200-pound individual working at an intensity equivalent to 60 percent of their maximum heart rate for 30 minutes. If that same individual increased the pace to a jog that pushed the intensity closer to 75 percent of their maximum heart rate, he or she would burn about 412 calories in 30 minutes. Increase the pace again, to the equivalent of 90 percent of maximum heart rate, and the 200-pound exerciser burns a whopping 522 calories in 30 minutes.

Therefore, a walker would have to walk three times as long as a fast runner to match the calories burned by the runner. If you’re more tortoise than hare, however, don’t be discouraged. Slow and steady can pay off, as long as you never lose sight of the finish line.