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Fat Burning Zone Calculator

The Fat Burning Zone Calculator gives you a detailed breakdown of your fat-burning heart rate zone along with all other training zones. See exactly where to keep your heart rate for maximum fat utilisation during exercise.

1

Enter your details

years

Your Fat Burning Zone

Example

Example figures, not your own. Worked for a 35 year old. Enter your own details and press Calculate.

Fat Burning Zone

111 – 130bpm

This is your optimal fat-burning intensity

Max Heart Rate

185bpm

All Heart Rate Zones

Warm Up
93111 bpm
Fat Burning
111130 bpm
Cardio
130148 bpm
Hard
148167 bpm
Maximum
167185 bpm

How It Works

Your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age) is used to calculate five training zones. The fat-burning zone (60–70% of max HR) is where your body burns the highest percentage of calories from fat stores.

How to use it

  1. 1Enter your age in years
  2. 2Click "Calculate" to see your personalised heart rate zones
  3. 3Focus on the fat-burning zone (highlighted) during moderate exercise

Quick Reference

AgeMax HRFat Burn Zone (bpm)Cardio Zone (bpm)
20200120–140140–160
25195117–137137–156
30190114–133133–152
35185111–130130–148
40180108–126126–144
45175105–123123–140
50170102–119119–136
5516599–116116–132
6016096–112112–128

How This Is Calculated

Max Heart Rate = 220 − age Fat Burning Zone = 60–70% of MHR Cardio Zone = 70–80% of MHR
MHR
= maximum heart rate in beats per minute
Fat Burning
= highest % of calories from fat; moderate intensity
Cardio
= more total calories burned; higher intensity

The fat burning zone burns a higher proportion of fat, but the cardio zone burns more total calories. Both contribute to weight loss.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between fat-burning zone and cardio zone?
In the fat-burning zone (60–70% max HR), a higher percentage of calories come from fat. In the cardio zone (70–80% max HR), you burn more total calories but a higher percentage comes from carbohydrates. Both contribute to weight loss.
How long should I exercise in the fat-burning zone?
Aim for at least 30–60 minutes in the fat-burning zone for effective fat loss. Longer sessions at moderate intensity are particularly effective because your body increasingly relies on fat stores as glycogen depletes.
Does gender affect the fat-burning zone?
The heart rate zones are the same formula for both genders. However, women tend to burn a slightly higher proportion of fat at the same relative intensity compared to men.

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