I think your body starts burning fat after 10 min, not 40 min. You have only about 4-5 min of sugars in your muscles to expend, so after that, plus a few minutes of running on "fumes" - no sugars, no fat burning yet - you start burning fat.

Get 10 min of cardio in before you start really working out to burn fat and calories.

 

I think we should get a fitness section going. People can post routines/diets/supplements etc. Yes, I know bodybuilding.com already has this.

 

im up for that ill be there gotta lose some weight before i cant fit in the s no more =o(

 

losing fat is very simple. If anyone wants some tips, diet info, workout routine, pm me. bodybuilding.com is so bloated now, especially the fat loss section. You could read pages and not come up with real quality info.. and if you don't know whats quality, then you're out of luck.

 

The 40-minute Rule

When you begin to run you burn primarily carbohydrates and very little fat. After 5-10 minutes the percentage of fats burned rises while the percentage of carbohydrates drops. At about 30 minutes, you're burning fats as primary fuel. By that time there are abundant supplies of fatty acids in the blood stream. Hence the value of extending your exercise periods to 40 minutes or more. If running 40 continuous minutes tires you, take regular and frequent walks. To mobilize the fat, it's better to run 40-60 minutes, three times a week, than 20-30 minutes six times a week.

 

it all depends on why your working out in the first place.

If your looking to cut fat, stick to more HIIT and lifting.

Me personally, I need to train for endurance more than anything. I still do a day of HIIT a week, and still lift 3-4 times a week, but I focus more on longer cardio at a steady pace and lifting lighter weights with more reps. I consider myself pretty lean (~11% body fat), but no where near "muscular" which is good for me, as being to bulky would hinder what I truly enjoy doing (freeride/downhill mountain biking).

 

I play ice hockey 2-3 times a week

 

i was *just* about to post that. 2x a week for me. i'm a firm believer in that type of exercise (run/skate hard, lots of quick stops and starts). i hate running and think it's a waste of time.

 

Thanks! I had never heard of that before. I have been learning to ride horses and would love to do a race like this.

 

MWF = Spin with a sadist instructor (usually HIIT)
TTh = Interval program on an elliptical