Fire
up your metabolism! A single 45-minute cardio session can burn extra
calories for up to 14 hours, according to a new study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.Researchers at Appalachian State’s Human Performance Lab tested study participants inside a metabolic chamber, which is able to precisely measure just how much energy someone burns. In the study, 10 healthy young men spent two 24-hour days in the chamber. They spent one day in a rested state—meaning they basically could sit in a chair, eat prepared meals, and stretch for two minutes every hour. (What fun!) The second day in the chamber, the guys followed the same routine—plus a moderately hard 45-minute cycling session.
Researchers found that beyond the average of 519 calories burned by cycling, subjects also burned an additional 190 calories during the next 14 hours. (Related: Jumpstart Your Fat Burners.)
The key is that this was pretty hard exercise on a bike—enough to cause a sweat—says lead researcher David Nieman, Ph.D. “Walking is great for many other reasons, but when it comes to increasing your metabolism afterward it just doesn’t happen,” says Nieman. In fact, a similar study conducted in a chamber with walking showed no metabolism increase at all.
Significantly increasing your body temperature through tough exercise causes homeostatic disturbances, Nieman explains: “Basically you’ve put your body out of kilter through the hard exertion,” he says. Replacing your burned glycogen and fat stores throughout the day takes extra energy, causing your body to burn more calories.
Previously, the research post-workout metabolism was all over the map because scientists didn’t have an accurate way to measure calorie expenditure. Enter the metabolic chamber—built in 2009 to the tune of $1 million.
Sure, in the short term, 190 extra calories burned may not mean more than an extra bagel. But include the net energy burned with the exercise and do that five times a week, and you’ll burn about 1 pound of fat (provided your diet doesn’t change), Nieman says.
Don’t have 45 minutes? No problem. Try the Fastest Cardio Workouts Ever or one of these 8 Ways to Burn More Fat on the Treadmill.
For a completely personalized plan to reach your goals, sign up for a FREE 30-day trial to Men’s Health Personal Trainer.
—Brian Dalek
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Read more at Men's Health: http://blogs.menshealth.com/health-headlines/burn-a-pound-of-fat-a-week-without-really-trying/2011/03/10#ixzz23xzC8kfY
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