Trending ‘Zone 2’ workout burns fat without intense exercise

An exercise that takes a more mild approach while offering all the fat-burning benefits of a more grueling workout might sound too good to be true.

But some claim that the trending “Zone 2” training, commonly known as the “fat-burning zone,” offers just that.

What is this form of exercise — and can it work for anyone?

“Zone training is generally defined by someone’s proximity to their maximum heart rate,” Carmine Ciliento, a fitness manager at Crunch Fitness in New York, told Fox News Digital.

The zone-based training method measures how hard the body is working and how it’s using energy. 

Different zones burn different compounds in the body, according to Ciliento.

“Zone 2 is working out at about 60% to 70% of someone’s maximum heart rate,” he said.

The most common way to determine heart rate is to subtract a person’s age from 220. This means a 55-year-old would have an approximate maximum heart rate of 220 – 55 = 165 bpm.

Wearable heart rate monitors and sports watches can be used to track heart rate while working out, and many cardiovascular fitness machines also calculate it.

Benefits of Zone 2 training

When someone is working out, their heart rate zone indicates their level of exertion and what they’re utilizing for energy, according to exercise physiologist Chris Travers via the Cleveland Clinic.

The higher the heart rate gets, the more carbohydrates and protein the body burns for energy, and the less it relies on fat for fuel.

While exercising in Zone 2, roughly 65% of the calories burned are from fat, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

“Zone 2 is especially valuable because it allows you to add cardio volume to your training without overstressing your body,” Ciliento told Fox News Digital.

“For people just starting out, anything above Zone 2 may be too intense, so a lot of their work will most likely need to begin in this zone.”

Athletes and those who are already into fitness may not reap as many benefits from Zone 2 as those who are just starting out. 

Ciliento, who is an endurance athlete, said he sees Zone 2 as a great tool for recovery efforts.

Getting to Zone 2

Cleveland Clinic defines Zones 1, 2, and 3 as moderate-intensity aerobic activity. 

In Zone 2, you should be able to hold a “light conversation,” but may need to take a break from talking to take a breath now and then, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

This is sometimes referred to as the “talk test.”

When in Zone 2, Travers told Cleveland Clinic, “You’re in a moderately easy zone. Not everyone should stress about the numbers, especially if that becomes a barrier to enjoying exercise.”

For most people, a brisk walk will get them into Zone 2, Ciliento noted.

Other moderate-intensity aerobic exercises include biking, swimming or even mowing the lawn, according to the Mayo Clinic.