How the Afterburn Effect Really Works

The afterburn effect is the fun name for excess pose-exercise oxygen consumption. The idea is that after an intense workout, your heart stays high for a while, and your body continues burning calories for some time after you leave the gym.

Fitness junkies have been chasing it for years, convinced that its the key to losing weight and keeping it off with minimal effort. After all, you’re literally burning extra calories while not exercising; that’s the dream, right?

The only problem is, it doesn’t really work. It will cause you burn a few extra calories after your workout ends, but nowhere near the hundreds of extra calories people claim.

It’s not totally worthless, though. Weight loss is a long process, and any extra calories you burn make a big difference in the long run. It’s like using one of those apps that automatically invest your spare change every time your debit card is charged- they round up every $1.99 charge to $2 and invest the extra penny. It doesn’t seem like much, but it adds up fast. 

The problem is that people have assumed the afterburn effect is some sort of get-skinny quick cheat code, but those don’t exist. It takes time to lose weight. The afterburn effect is a great tool for your health and fitness as long as you understand what it is and how it works. In the long run, it’ll make a big difference in your health.