Is it true that training at lower aerobic intensities is better for fat burning than training at a high intensity?
Training at lower intensities demands a larger proportion of energy from fat than does training at higher intensities, which requires more energy from carbohydrate than fat. At very high intensities, nearly all the energy comes from carbohydrate. However, without wanting to become too scientific here, your total calorie expenditure will be greater at higher intensities. Also, it’s important to remember that the more aerobically fit you are, the more fat you will burn at higher intensities. To summarise, if you increase your aerobic intensity you may reduce the amount of energy coming from fat as a result, but your total calorie burn will still be higher overall. Training at a higher intensity will progressively increase your aerobic fitness, meaning you’ll be able to train harder and consequently burn more calories. After all, how often do you see a ‘fat’ elite marathon runner…?
