What phenomenon explains the continued calorie burning after high-intensity exercise?

The phenomenon that explains the continued calorie burning after high-intensity exercise is known as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption, commonly referred to as EPOC. After a session of intense physical activity, the body requires additional oxygen to restore itself to its pre-exercise state. This process involves several physiological responses, including the replenishment of oxygen stores, the removal of lactate, the re-synthesis of ATP and phosphocreatine, and the restoration of body temperature and heart rate to baseline levels.

During the recovery period, your metabolic rate remains elevated, which results in the burning of additional calories beyond what would typically be expended at rest. The intensity and duration of the exercise session contribute significantly to the extent of this surplus oxygen consumption. As a result, EPOC can last from several minutes to hours depending on the workout's intensity, leading to a higher total caloric expenditure post-exercise.

In contrast, oxygen deficit recovery refers to the body's immediate need for oxygen during the first stages of intense activity, but it doesn't encapsulate the increased calorie burn post-exercise. Metabolic resetting is not a recognized term in exercise physiology, and while delayed onset muscle soreness involves muscle recovery and repair processes that occur after exercise, it does not pert