EPOC - Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption
When you do intense exercise, your body uses a lot of energy. After the workout is over, your body doesn’t just immediately go back to its normal, resting state. It continues to burn extra calories to help recover from the effort. This recovery process involves replenishing oxygen stores, repairing muscles, balancing your hormone levels, and bringing your body back to its baseline.
So, even after you're done working out, your body is still working hard to recover. During this recovery period, your metabolism stays elevated, and you burn more calories than you would if you were just resting. The more intense the exercise, the longer and more pronounced the afterburn effect.
Key Points:
EPOC is like a "cooldown" for your metabolism.
It means your body is still burning calories at a higher rate after the workout ends.
The effect can last for hours—sometimes even up to 24 hours, depending on the intensity of your workout.
Example: Imagine you did a tough workout, like a HIIT session or a Tabata workout. Afterward, your heart rate is elevated, and your body is working overtime to repair muscles and bring everything back to normal. Because your metabolism is still revved up, you continue to burn extra calories for the next few hours (or even the next day), compared to if you had done a gentler workout.
Why is this important?
It’s one reason why high-intensity workouts like HIIT are so effective for fat loss. You’re burning calories during the workout, and then your body continues to burn extra calories after the workout, even when you’re not doing anything. This "afterburn" can make a significant difference in overall calorie burn and fat loss over time.
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