Final answer:
The fat-burning zone is not meaningless for weight loss, but it's not the most effective approach. Weight loss is determined by creating a calorie deficit, which can be achieved through a combination of diet and exercise. While exercising in the fat-burning zone may predominantly use fat as fuel, higher-intensity workouts lead to greater total calorie expenditure and can result in more fat being burned.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of the fat-burning zone is often misunderstood when it comes to weight loss. The fat-burning zone refers to an exercise intensity at which your body predominantly uses fat as its fuel source. While exercising in this zone does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat, the total calorie expenditure is lower compared to higher-intensity workouts. Ultimately, weight loss is determined by creating a calorie deficit, which can be achieved through a combination of diet and exercise.
For example, let's compare two workouts: one done in the fat-burning zone and another done at a higher intensity. In the fat-burning zone, you may burn 100 calories and 70% of those calories come from fat, resulting in 70 calories from fat burned. On the other hand, in a higher-intensity workout, you may burn 200 calories, but only 50% of those calories come from fat. However, the total fat burned in this case would be 100 calories, which is more than the fat burned in the fat-burning zone.
Therefore, while exercising in the fat-burning zone can be beneficial for certain goals like improving cardiovascular fitness, for weight loss, it's more important to focus on overall calorie expenditure and creating a calorie deficit through a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training, and a balanced diet.