Cardio vs Fat burning zone: What do they mean?

I've recently been asked about what cardio zone vs fat burning zone means on the treadmill or elliptical. We all need to do cardio regardless of our fitness goal in order to keep the heart and cardiovascular system healthy (hence the name "cardio")

What does fat burning zone mean? This is where the heart rate is around 60% of your maximum heart rate. This is the number that the exercise machine calculate when determining your optimal pace. When doing a fat burning program, roughly 70% of the calories burned are from your body fat.

In cardio exercise mode, your heart rate is kept around 70 - 85% of your maximum heart rate. Within this range, 40-50% of the calories burned are from your body fat. But because you're exercising more vigorously, you typically burn more calories in less time. Also, this type of exercise is more challenging for your heart so it builds a healthier cardiovascular system over time.

For beginners, who are starting to become active, I recommend that you start in the fat burning zone and then move up to the cardio zone as you become more physically fit.

Fitness Myths You need to know about - Part 3

A major mistake that people make when trying to lose weight is to starve themselves. Please don't do this! It's counterproductive and unhealthy. There are so many reasons why starving is bad for you. First and foremost, you'll deprive body of essential vitamins and nutrients. Also, starving tends to lower your ability to control your portions when you do eat, and therefore increases the likelihood of binge eating. Long term, this can cause frustration and makes it difficult to keep the weight off.
Instead, what I highly recommend is to eat small, healthy meals consisting of foods that are rich in lean proteins (e.g. fish, chicken, egg whites), vegetables, and whole grains throughout the day. These are nutritious, filling, and low in calories. This will help keep your metabolism up so your body continues to burn calories.

How to deal with a painful lower back

If you have a lower back injury, it's important to know what to avoid doing in order not to cause any further damage.
First of all, avoid all exercises that require you to be on your belly and arch you lower back, such as back extensions.
Avoid doing squats with more than your body weight
Avoid doing deadlifts and other exercises that require you have to bend over without any support to your chest, e.g. bent-over rows
In order to prevent further damage you need to strengthen your core muscles, stretch your hamstrings, hip flexors, lower back muscles, and glutes.
Avoid lifting heavy items, but if you must do it, always remember to bend at your knees and NEVER from your hips or back.
Last but not the least, if your back pain lasts more than a week or if you're ever unsure about your condition, I highly recommend that see a kinesiologist or physio therapist.