If you want to lose weight successfully, you must know about one physiological effect, which experts call EPOC. In this post, let’s talk about what is EPOC training and why it is required if you want to lose weight.

What Is The Meaning Of EPOC?

There is a reason why some good nutritionists recommend to exercise!

During exercise, various changes occur in the body. These changes take it out of a state of stable homeostasis (constant state of metabolism). The body needs time, an energy that comes in the form of calories, and additional substances (oxygen, protein, carbohydrates, water, vitamins, minerals, fats, and other substances) to return to a normal state.

Measurements show that within a certain period after a workout (which depends on the type and intensity of the workout), your body absorbs much more oxygen than under normal conditions. After intensive, well-built training, this process takes about 1-2 days.

So, that is what EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption) means. It is an increased rate of oxygen intake after strenuous activity.

In the above chart, you can see how, after a workout, there is an increased oxygen demand (blue and green areas). It gradually decreases but persists for up to 1-2 days.

The most important thing you need to remember is:
❗The longer the EPOC training and the more energy-consuming it is, the faster you lose weight.

That is, the more prolonged and more costly EPOC, the faster your metabolism goes. And that’s when you lose weight.

Related: What Will Help You Lose Weight? A Metabolic Bonus!

How To Achieve A Longer And More Energy-consuming EPOC?

There are two most important methods: intense strength training with fat-burning tips and uncompromising interval training.

To maximize the effectiveness of the weight loss process, you need to combine these methods. This way, their effect will add up!

There is also a third, gentle, and friendly way to get the body to respond to your intentions – daily exercises targeting red muscle fibers. These fibers are responsible for the endurance of our muscles. Their main property is their ability to use fat as an energy source.

Such daily exercises don’t require equipment (exercise machines, dumbbells, and barbells), don’t take much time (no more than 30 minutes a day), and don’t cause severe fatigue for the rest of the day. And adding the rules of rational nutrition will lead to rapid positive changes in the body even for people who never exercised.

How Can You Feel Increased EPOC?

After a proper fat-burning workout, you should have only one desire – to sleep.

You should feel a slight fever in your body, even though your body temperature remains normal. And it means that your oxygen intake has considerably increased.

You may also feel a slight lack of air (for a few hours after the workout) as if you have climbed a mountain. That is again due to the increased oxygen demand of your body.

For some time after the workout, your heart rate remains slightly raised. That is a consequence of accelerated metabolism and increased oxygen consumption.

In Conclusion

While doing fat-burning exercises, elevated EPOC levels may cause you to feel slightly uncomfortable, especially the day after the workout. However, that means you’re effectively losing weight and extra calories.

Also, that means you lose weight between workouts as well!