Check out the recent research (especially that study using identical twins); every study I`ve seen says the same thing:
Two cardiovascular benefits from "cardio":
-Improved left ventricle function (from anaerobic work ~>90% HRmax HIIT/SIT)
-Reduction/prevention of arterial stiffness (from lower intensity, in the ~75% HRmax range)
Neither has been shown to do both. (So I max out during cardio sessions and also do the sorta-demanding dog walks.)
Fat Loss:
-in some studies, moderate intensity results in lower bodyWEIGHT
-in all studies, anaerobic work results in lower bodyFAT
Eh, guess I`m an example of how "there`s nothing worse than a reformed anything" I used to do the "fat-burning zone" stuff too but it was minimally effective and took forever. At 58, and exercising less, I do better with just a few minutes at near-HRmax (which isn`t even close the "220-age" thing, a tentative hypothesis that somehow took hold despite being subsequently discredited by even the guy who came up with it). Sure is unpleasant though
But.... I get lots of lower intensity work in by just taking the dogs out and doing my regular chores, so I guess it`s easy for me to focus my "cardio training" on the more intensive stuff and think of everything else as "just activity".
And, eh.. I can`t really speak from personal experience with regard to significant fat loss, think the most bodyfat I`ve ever lost was maybe 8lbs or so and that was in the early `90s. People who lose [big number]pounds and keep it off have my respect no matter how they do it.
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