Our bodies are constantly burning calories. Even when resting, your metabolism is working to keep your body functioning. With the help of physical activity, you can increase the number of calories you burn, even after your workout is complete. This is known as the afterburn effect. The afterburn effect’s more scientific name is post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). EPOC describes the amount of oxygen required to get your body back to its resting level of metabolic function. Essentially, this term refers to the fact that your body has a period of time in between intense exercise and returning to its normal state where it is still burning more calories than normal. Your body’s metabolism is still cooling down and the rate at which it is burning calories is still heightened. Sounds awesome, right? So how do you initiate this coveted afterburn effect? High-Intensity aerobic exercise has been shown to induce higher EPOC. Working at 70-85% of an individual’s max heart rate has been shown to be the most effective in achieving the afterburn effect. This could include traditional steady-state but also high-intensity interval workouts (HIIT). With these workouts, you are achieving that cardio training while also building muscle simultaneously. According to ACE, High-Intensity Interval Training is the most effective way to stimulate the EPOC effect. Traditional cardio methods, however, aren’t necessarily the only way to achieve this, or the most effective. Studies have shown that weight training can also trigger the afterburn effect, and more effectively than running at a steady speed. Heavy resistance exercise produced the biggest EPOC in comparison with aerobic cycling and circuit weight training. They also mention that EPOC is influenced by intensity rather than the duration of an exercise. One study found that 45 minutes of vigorous exercise increases the metabolic rate for 14 hours- wow. Seasoned athletes may have a harder time getting the benefits of the afterburn effect as they have an increased fitness level. With that, the body becomes more efficient at returning to resting metabolic levels and as a result, the body gets less of the EPOC effects. Another interesting point: many people prefer to indulge in their "cheat meal" right after an intense workout. This is because directly following intense exercise, your body is still burning calories at a faster rate than eating a meal in a sedentary state. When your metabolic level returns to resting, the EPOC returns to normal; the afterburn effect stops. So sneaking in that cheat directly after a workout may help make less of a negative impact. https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/professional/expert-articles/5008/7-things-to-know-about-excess-post-exercise-oxygen-consumption-epoc
BLOG
Similar Blogs
View AllMar 15, 2023
How long does it really take to lose muscle mass?
If you’ve spent years building a workout routine and the muscle that comes with it, you’re probably not used to...
Mar 08, 2023
High-Protein Breakfasts: The possible solution to overeating and cravings
It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish. There’s a lot of truth to that saying because a strong...
Feb 20, 2023
Winter Fit Food Spotlight: Pomegranate
Pomegranates are, quite literally, the stuff of legend. According to Greek myth, the pomegranate is “the fruit of the dead,”...
Interesting links
Here are some interesting links for you! Enjoy your stay :)Pages
- BFtest
- Bodybuilding Meal Prep
- Crush 2023
- FaceBook Login
- Refund and Returns Policy
- National Physique Committee
- Crush 2022
- Mega Perks
- Help
- Subscribe and Save
- A La Carte
- Gluten Free Meal Prep
- High Protein Meal Prep
- Blog
- Fitness Meal Prep
- Sign Up
- Meal Prep For Bodybuilders
- Bodybuilding Meal Prep
- How It Works
- CLEAN MEAL PREP
- Athletes
- Vegan Meal Prep
- Edit Subscriptions
- Terms and Conditions
- Home
- Team MegaFit
- Affiliate Area
- Order In Bulk
- Wholesale Media Library
- Payment Complete
- Get Started
- FAQ
- My Account
- Checkout
- Cart
- Shop
Archive
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019