1 Simple Way To Burn Calories Hours After Your Workout
by Kathy Smith
You probably have heard of the “afterburn effect,” or how some exercises can help you burn calories for hours after your workout (if not, it’s time to learn!).
The question is…which exercise will best power-up your post-workout afterburn?
Well, it all comes down to oxygen.
Simply put, exercise afterburn, also known as EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), is the number of calories that are burned after your sweat-session is over.
Not to get too technical, but while you’re exercising, your oxygen consumption increases, allowing your body to support its energy needs. Your body then requires extra oxygen to to your muscle tissues following vigorous exercise. As you exercise harder, you’re not taking in enough oxygen for aerobic metabolism, so your body requires extra oxygen to your muscle tissues. EPOC represents the replacement of the oxygen stores that were depleted during your intense bout of exercise workout.
Basically, you want to find an activity that allows your body to work at 75-90% of its maximum level for short periods of time.
Walking intervals allow you to torch extra calories during and after your walk.
While on your walk, expend regular periods of short bursts of high-intensity intervals.This means that after walking at a regular pace for 3 minutes, amp up your intensity to 75-90% of your capacity for 1 minute. This method is an easy way to blast calories and torch fat for hours after your workout! For example, your walk may look something like this:
- 5 minute Warm-Up Pace
- 1 minute Anaerobic Interval - For one minute, walk as fast as you possibly can! On a scale from 1-10, you should be pushing yourself from a 7-9.
- 3 minute Recovery Interval – Walk at a comfortable pace
- 1 minute Anaerobic Interval - The word “anaerobic” means “without sufficient oxygen.” Anaerobic exercises are more intense but of shorter duration. They quickly push you past your aerobic threshold, leaving you breathless.
- 3 minute Recovery Interval
- 1 minute Anaerobic Interval
- 3 minute Recovery Interval
- 5 minutes Cool-Down Pace
With interval walking, there’s absolutely no boredom factor! Not only will you be on your way to a lighter and leaner you, but you’ll also be burning calories after you unlace your workout shoes.
My new DVD, Fat Burning Walking Workout, is the easiest way to walk away the pounds!
Comments