Increase intensity of aerobic exercise
What if you’re already doing six to seven days a week for 45 to 60 minutes, then
what? At this point, you still have options. You can now simply push yourself
harder to burn more calories in the same amount of time. You can only increase
intensity up to a point.
For most people, when you get up around 85% of your estimated maximal heart rate (about 150-170 beats per minute, depending on age), you approach the anaerobic threshold. This is the point where if you pushed any harder, you would start to lose your breath and you would have to decrease your speed or stop in order to recover the oxygen debt you created. In other words, if
you push too hard, too soon, you’ll “crap out” and cut into your duration.
If you’re working out at around 70% of your estimated maximal heart rate, then you have
plenty of room to increase. If you’re already at 85% (the top of your target heart zone), then you’ll have to use another strategy.
