Which aerobic exercise burns the most fat? 2 Myths to Tell You

Exercise to lose weight is very popular, but there are many types of exercise. Do you know which one burns the most fat? Many people believe that aerobic exercise is the most effective way to lose weight, especially when done in the morning when the metabolic rate is the lowest. It can improve the overall metabolic rate of the day and achieve the best weight loss effect. However, metabolic physicians have different views on these seemingly reasonable views.

Many people believe that aerobic exercise is the best fat-burning exercise, but doctors say that aerobic exercise is not as effective in losing weight as high-intensity exercise.

Myth 1: Aerobic exercise is the best way to burn fat when losing weight?

Obesity is a major civilization disease among modern people. In order to lose weight quickly, many people adopt aerobic exercise to lose weight, believing that aerobic exercise can promote metabolism and increase the body's oxygen uptake. Oxygen is like fuel, which can accelerate fat burning and achieve the goal of weight loss faster.

Common aerobic exercises that help burn fat and lose weight include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, aerobic dance, etc. These are whole-body exercises that can last for more than 30 minutes.

However, Xie Mingjia, CEO of the Weight Management and Diabetes Health Management Center of Changhua Christian Hospital and an endocrinologist and metabolic physician, said that the main function of aerobic exercise is to train cardiopulmonary function, and its effect in helping to lose weight is limited, because aerobic exercise lasts for half an hour and can only consume 200 to 300 calories, and you can replenish the original calories by drinking a can of sugary lactic acid beverage; if you calculate that 7,700 calories are needed to lose 1 kilogram, aerobic exercise will take at least 25 hours.

"High-intensity exercise" is more efficient in burning fat. It requires the athlete's heart rate to be maintained at 70% to 80% of the maximum heart rate during exercise. The purpose is to increase the body's basal metabolic rate and thus enhance the effect of weight loss.

Is morning the best time to exercise to lose weight? In fact, no matter when you exercise, as long as you avoid exercising within 2 hours after a meal, the weight loss effect is similar.

Dr. Xie Mingjia said that high-intensity exercise is effective in weight loss, but it is difficult for most people to sustain high-intensity exercise for more than 10 to 20 minutes, and it is impossible to achieve the ideal goal of exercising for 30 minutes each time. Therefore, a new concept of "intermittent exercise" has recently emerged. It is recommended to do 10 minutes of high-intensity exercise first, and then continue with 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, constantly rotating to extend the exercise time and improve the effect of exercise on weight loss.

Myth 2: Morning is the best time to exercise and lose weight?

Others believe that if you spend 60 minutes exercising every day, the best time is in the morning. Because in terms of a person's daily metabolic rate, the metabolic rate is at a low point when you wake up in the morning, then rises slowly, reaches its peak after dinner, and then remains level until you go to bed, when it gradually declines. Exercising in the morning can keep your metabolic rate at a better state throughout the day, and an overall increase can also consume more calories.

However, Dr. Xie Mingjia said that these are arguments without scientific evidence. There are many kinds of hormones in the human body. The concentration of some hormones is higher in the morning, while the concentration of some hormones is higher in the afternoon or evening. It is unhealthy to do metabolic exercises that enhance a certain hormone in the long run.

Dr. Xie Mingjia said that the purpose of exercise is to increase the body's metabolic rate. In principle, there is no difference in timing and you can exercise at any time. You only need to pay attention to issues before and after meals. It is recommended that the average person exercise 2 hours after a meal to burn calories and avoid gastrointestinal discomfort. Diabetic patients should especially adhere to the principle of exercising 1 to 2 hours after a meal. Exercising before a meal can easily cause hypoglycemia and dehydration and coma. As for exercising immediately after a meal, it can easily cause stomach pain due to blood concentration in the stomach.