What is the best way to lose fat? Cardio I hear you say? Yes, it can be, but it’s not necessarily always the case. While cardio burns calories and fat when you’re performing it, high intensity strength training allows for Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) to occur. This term refers to how long your metabolism is elevated after exercise, enabling you to burn fat long after finishing your workout.
EPOC takes place because your body needs energy to repair your muscles after you’ve challenged them. Studies show that a well-designed strength program can elevate your EPOC or metabolism for up to 38 hours after the workout.
Lift heavy for maximum fat burning: A 2003 review from Norway found that lifting heavier weights as opposed to moderate weights created a longer and more profound EPOC effect. So as long as you’re able to maintain good form throughout each exercise, going heavy is the way to go for greater EPOC. Here’s more news to support the use of weight training for fat loss. Another study found that when alternating weight training and cardio days, you are more likely to burn twice as much fat than if you were to perform cardio training only.
Examples of EPOC exercises:
Cardio: Jump Rope: 10 x sets – 1 minute skips Treadmill HIIT: Sprint for 10 seconds – rest for 30
Superset Upper and Lower body: Full-body supersets can help spur the release of testosterone, IGF-1, and HGH. An example of this type of routine would be:
Squat and flat bench press
Deadlift and barbell row
Military press and front squat
DB lunge with single arm rows
The author of this article, Mehmet Edip is an internationally published fitness model and writer, actor and competitive athlete.
