Fat loss experts tell us a lot of things that are not true and maybe a few things that are true. One of these things is that to have the greatest fat burning effect and then you have to do steady state cardio sessions at a specific heart rate. The reason why this low intensity long cardio workout is recommended is that then fat will be used as the primary fat source for energy.

Is this the best type of cardio for fat loss?

For a lot of people this explanation makes sense and so they use this method to burn fat. But if you take a closer look at it and then you can see that this type of cardio is not the best way to burn fat. While it is true that low intensity long cardio workouts burn higher percentage of body fat, but workouts that have higher intesity and lower duration and burn a greater amount of fat over a period of time lasting well beyond the initial exercise.

High intesnity exercises mean that your body also has to work harder after the exercise and so it burns more calories. It is true that more carbohydrates will be used for fuel, but the effect ON the fat burning metabolism that takes place and results in more total calories expended in comparison to a ordinary low intensity workout.

Cardio sessions that are very long also take a lot of time and are very boring. It is much better to do a 20 minute more intense workout then a slow low intenity 45-minute workout. Long workouts also increase the changes of injury and may also make you lose muscle tissue.