The Twilight (I Mean Fat Burning) Zone

Liz Neporent is a diet and fitness expert and author of 12 fitness bestsellers. She regularly appears on national TV programs and is the president of Wellness 360, a New-York based wellness provider.

I was in the gym yesterday when someone asked a question I have been asked maybe a million times: What cardio activity is the best for putting you in the "fat burning zone?"

I am certainly not putting down the person who asked this question. She genuinely did not know the answer and just wanted to know the best way to work out. But I would be lying if I told you I am not amazed that people still ask me this question. Don't most people know that the so-called "fat burning zone" is somewhat of a myth? And even if you argue that it is not a myth, its existence is totally irrelevant for the purposes of weight loss. Here's why.

It doesn't matter whether you pedal, pump, push or climb -- burning more calories burns more fat and is therefore the best approach for losing weight. Period. End of discussion. (Well, not the end of this discussion, but I think I've made my point.) The confusion about how to burn the most fat started in the 80s when this "fat burning zone" concept became part of popular fitness lore. It is a supposedly magical point in any type of cardio exercise where you are cooking through the highest percentage of fat possible. Usually it's considered a very slow and steady pace, typically 40 to 60 percent of your maximum effort.

As with every myth, this one carries a grain of truth. You do burn the greatest percentage of fat when you move at a sloggier rate. But a workout where you're going at 70 to 95 percent of your maximum effort burns a greater amount of fat.

A quick example to illustrate: Let's say you spend 30 minutes on a treadmill doing a casual stroll as you watch the soaps and chat with the person on the next mill over. You might burn 150 calories with this routine, about 80 percent of them from fat, for a total of 120 fat calories burned. Now let's say you spend 30 minutes doing a high gear, butt-kicking spin class with tons of sprints, jumps and hills thrown in to dial up the intensity. In this scenario, you'd incinerate about 300 total calories, approximately 50 percent -- 150 calories -- from fat. Clearly, the second workout is superior for calorie burn, fat burn and weight loss. Yes? Everyone with me on the math?

That's not to say that low-level workouts don't have their place in your exercise and weight loss plan. I recommend doing two high intensity, one to two moderate intensity (60 to 75 percent of maximum effort) and one to three low intensity workouts a week. Doing too much high intensity activity leads to burn out and injury, which leave you on the sidelines, unable to exercise. And if you're derailed from your exercise program, then you certainly won't burn any calories from fat or otherwise.

For true exercise novices, wait at least one month before you push yourself too hard. You need to give your body time to adjust to the whole idea of exercise before you throw something at it that's a push.

Got any other fitness myths that need busting? Still don't believe the fat burning zone is a fairy tale? I'm ready to discuss.