What is the best way to exercise to lose weight? Obviously, the harder you exercise, the more fat you lose. "Feel the Burn", right?

Well, what if I were to tell you that in order to burn fat, you should exercise LESS. You'd say I was crazy, wouldn't you?

Actually, exercising more slowly does burn more fat than exercising harder. Here's why:

Most people don't know this, but our muscles are made up of TWO types of fibers. They are called "Slow Twitch" and "Fast Twitch" muscle fibers and they are used by the body for different purposes.

Slow twitch muscle fibers react when we perform low-intensity, long-duration tasks, like walking. They are our "Endurance" muscles. Fast twitch muscle fibers come into play when we perform high-intensity, short-duration tasks, like lifting something heavy to put on the table. They are our "Power" muscles.

The reason this difference is so important is because these two muscle fibers get their energy from different sources.

Fast twitch muscle fibers need a quick boost of energy and they get it from carbohydrates (carbs are a faster source of energy because they break down and put sugar into the blood stream more quickly). However, our bodies don't store carbs and our supply of them can become depleted if accessed for a long period of time. We literally "run out of energy". That's why runners load up on carbs before a race.

On the other hand, slow twitch muscle fibers use FAT as their source of energy.

So, you may ask, how do I know if I'm exercising the right way to lose fat? The answer is simple. All you have to do is monitor your heart-rate and keep it within a certain range while you're exercising.

Here's what you do to Burn Fat:

Let's say you are 45 years old and you want to lose weight.

1. Subtract your age from the number 220. (220 - 45 = 175). 175 is your maximum heart-rate per minute. Your fat burning heart-rate is 55 of that number.

2. Multiply your maximum heart-rate by .55. (175 x .55 = 96.25 (Let's make it 96). This is the bottom of your fat burning range in heartbeats per minute

3. Multiply your maximum heart-rate by .65. (175 x .65 = 113.75 (Let's make it 114). This is the top of your fat burning range in heartbeats per minute

This means that if you're 45 years old, your fat burning range is 96 to 114 heartbeats per minute. To make it easier to get your heart-rate while you're exercising, divide these numbers by 6 to get your heart-rate per 10 seconds.

4. Divide your low-end heart-rate by 6.

(96 / 6 = 16). This is the bottom of your fat burning range in heartbeats per 10 seconds

5. Divide your high-end heart-rate by 6.

(114 / 6 = 19). This is the top of your fat burning range in heartbeats per 10 seconds

Now, when you're exercising, occasionally take your pulse for 10 seconds and keep your heart-rate between 16 and 19 beats.

You can find your pulse on your wrist, your jaw line just below and in front of your ear, or on your temple.

I wouldn't be surprised if you have to slow down your usual aerobic routine in order to get your heart-rate into that fat burning range. I did.

When I was exercising on my aerobic machine, I kept it at a pace of 60 reps per minute. After I did these calculations, I discovered that I had to cut that number in half (30 reps per minute) to get my heart-rate into my fat burning range. I was exercising TOO HARD TO LOSE WEIGHT.

All I was doing was burning carbs. I wasn't touching my body's stored fat at all!

Now, it must be noted that once you start, you have to exercise at least 30 minutes to get into the full fat burning mode. I go 45 minutes to an hour to burn fat longer.

Naturally, if this seems too strenuous for you, don't push it, build up to it. And, of course, always consult your physician if you have any concerns about starting an exercise program.

Now, my aerobics routine is a lot more enjoyable because I don't feel like I'm killing myself to lose weight. I go at a slow, steady pace and, when I'm finished, I feel like I've worked my body but I don't get sore. No, I don't "Feel the Burn", but I do see the results. It works.

Good Luck to you.