Optimum Nutrition Newsletter August 2014 | Page 7

DIET & NUTRITION BEST INTENSITY FOR FAT BURNING Maximal oxygen consumption, usually expressed as VO2 Max, is the maximum rate of oxygen you consume during incremental exercise and is a pretty good indicator of your aerobic fitness. It can also be used to determine the intensity for maximal fat oxidation, as a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows. Scientists had 14 active, healthy females in their 20s perform a graded treadmill exercise test followed by a maximal fat oxidation test. Regardless of body fat levels, all subjects achieved a maximal rate of fat oxidation at between 55% and 59% of VO2 Max. True Strength Moment: What's interesting about this study is the peak fat oxidation rate stayed in a fairly tight range for all subjects, despite the fact that levels of body fat ranged from 18% to 30% of body mass. Keep this exercise intensity in mind when you're starting a cutting phase. page 5