EPOCExcess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption · Afterburn

EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption), popularly the 'afterburn', is the elevated oxygen use and calorie burn that continues after exercise as the body restores itself to rest.

It matters mostly as a widely oversold idea: while intense exercise does raise EPOC more than easy exercise, the extra calories are relatively modest and don't come close to justifying claims of huge post-workout fat burning. The calories burned during the session dominate.

In practice, EPOC is a small bonus, not a reason to pick a workout; total energy expenditure and consistency matter far more than chasing the afterburn.