How to Burn Calories AFTER You Workout!

It’s true.  You can actually TORCH FAT after you workout.. just sitting on the couch with your feet propped up watching X Factor.

I’m in.  How’s it done?

After exercising a certain way, (keep reading to find out how) your body will need higher levels of oxygen to restore your muscles to normal levels.  Therefore, you’re burning more calories after exercise than you did before.. from 30 minutes to 48 hours after!

What is this called?

Afterburn, also known as EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) relates to the number of calories burned post-workout.

In fact, you can burn up to an additional 15% of the total calories you burned during your workout.. after you are done exercising!!

What effects EPOC?

1. Resistance bearing exercises.  The oxygen depleted from your body is being used to rebuild the micro-tears in your muscles from lifting weights.  If you only do cardiovascular exercise, you will not experience the benefits of afterburn as much as if you lift weights.
2. Intensity.  Let’s say your friend takes a slow walk around the park and burns 500 calories (it’s going to take her a while).  Now, you are are boot camp and have a super intense workout and burn 500 calories.  You are going to have a much greater afterburn than your friend because the higher the intensity of your workout, the greater the afterburn (post-exercise calorie burn).
3. Duration.  If you complete an intense workout for 60 minutes, you are going to burn a whole lot more calories post-workout as compared to an intense workout for only 20 or 40 minutes.
4. Fitness level.  As you become more fit, EPOC will decline because your body will learn to recover faster and become more efficient.

How can I increase my EPOC?

1. Constantly switch up your routines to keep you body guessing.  Boot Camp is excellent for maximizing your EPOC because we rarely repeat a workout and constantly challenge the entire body for a total body workout.
2. Use a challenging weight.  Those 3 pounds aren’t doing you any favors.  Use a weight that challenges you so by the last 2 reps you are challenged and feel the burn!
3. Increase the intensity.  Challenge yourself with your workout!  Don’t be the “3.0 speed treadmill for 45 minutes guy” if you can handle more.
4. Do exercises that challenge multiple muscle groups.  Do resistance training exercises that challenge your total body.  *Try these 3 exercises*: walking lunge with bicep curl, squat with overhead press, and inchworm with a push-up at the bottom.  Incorporate these exercises into your next workout and you will maximize your post-exercise calorie burn!

I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful!  If you liked it, please share this article with your friends on Facebook!

Committed to your health and fitness success,
Laura

[fblike style=”standard” showfaces=”false” width=”450″ verb=”like” font=”arial”]

[fbshare type=”button”]