EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption), the ‘afterburn effect’, is the increased oxygen consumption (and thus calorie burn) following exercise as the body restores itself to resting state — replenishing oxygen, clearing lactate, restoring temperature and repairing tissue. High-intensity exercise (HIIT, heavy resistance training) produces a larger and longer EPOC than steady-state cardio. While real, EPOC’s total contribution is often overstated in marketing — it typically adds 6-15% to a session’s calorie burn, not the dramatic figures sometimes claimed.
Key points
- Elevated calorie burn after exercise ends
- Larger after HIIT and heavy resistance training
- Restores oxygen, clears lactate, repairs tissue
- Adds ~6-15% to session burn (often overstated)