Burning More Calories Post-Cardio

Did you know that building more muscle allows you to burn more calories throughout the day? Cardiovascular training can have the same effect. It has been proven that the intensity of your cardiovascular training can dictate how many calories you burn throughout the rest of the day. This is all made possible thanks to EPOC, which is short for Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption.

A great analogy for EPOC can be described through a toy top. Let's say the top is your metabolism. While your fingers are on that top, you spin it, and then let go. That quick amount of torque generated with your fingers, let's say that is your cardio session. The amount of time your fingers are on that top is very minimal, yet the top (or your metabolism) spins round and round long after fingers come off of it. So the more intense the torque on the top (cardio session) is, the more the top (metabolism) moves which allows you to burn more calories. The benefits of cardio happen long after you finish your cardio. It's what cardio does over the course of the entire time, not just the time you are doing the cardio.

Intensity can be defined as an activity using great energy, strength, and concentration. Here is how you can add more intensity to your cardio sessions.

1) Limit your cardio time to 15-20 minutes. Doing so gives you a sprint mentality, as apposed to a marathon mentality. It is much easier to put more focus into 15 minutes, as apposed to 45 minutes.

2) Why would you choose cardio that you don't like? So do cardio that you like! There are numerous forms of cardiovascular training so pick one that suites your likings. You naturally perform better in things you like as apposed to things you don't like. The same goes with cardio.

3) Strive to raise the bar every cardio session. Record your distance, time, or calories burned. Doing this allows you to know what you need to beat before you start each cardio session. Wanting to set new records allows you to increase your intensity and push yourself farther.