How many calories do I burn during an average workout?

A 30-minute moderate intensity cardio session burns 150-250 calories, while an intense HIIT workout burns 250-400 calories. Strength training has lower immediate calorie burn, around 100-200 calories for 30 minutes, but increases afterburn. An hour of running burns an average of 400-600 calories depending on body weight and pace. These numbers are significantly smaller than what exercise machines or smartwatches show, because they overestimate the real value. It's important to understand that you can eat back the calories burned during exercise in moments with a chocolate bar or a larger meal.

Why haven't I lost weight if I exercise regularly?

Exercise alone doesn't guarantee weight loss if you're not in a calorie deficit, because your body can't bypass the energy balance. Many people compensate after workouts by eating more because they feel they deserve the reward. Your body adapts to regular exercise by reducing spontaneous movement during the rest of the day, called NEAT reduction. If you increase calorie intake because of exercise, you can easily enter a calorie surplus, leading to weight gain despite exercise. Exercise is valuable for health, muscle building, and recovery, but weight loss requires strict calorie control.

What is the afterburn effect and how much does it matter?

Afterburn or EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption) refers to increased calorie burn after exercise that lasts for hours. After intense workouts, your body uses extra oxygen for 6-24 hours for recovery and metabolic restoration. The magnitude of afterburn depends on workout type, being more significant with HIIT and strength training than low-intensity cardio. Realistically, afterburn means 50-150 extra calories, not the 300-500 many advertise. It's a useful bonus, but not large enough to compensate for poor nutrition or calorie surplus.

How can I maximize calorie burn during exercise?

Increasing intensity is the most effective way to burn more calories in a short time. HIIT workouts combining sprint and rest intervals burn more calories than steady-state cardio in the same amount of time. Strength training with larger muscle groups like squats and deadlifts requires more energy and causes longer afterburn. Longer workouts obviously burn more calories, but beware of overtraining, which causes cortisol increase and muscle breakdown. The smartest approach is 3-5 mixed workouts weekly that combine cardio and strength elements.

Should I count exercise calories back into my diet?

Be cautious about eating back calories burned from exercise because you can easily overestimate the amount burned. If you want to lose weight, it's better not to count exercise back but treat it as a bonus for faster fat loss. If muscle building or performance improvement is your goal, it may be justified to plan slightly more calories on training days. A safe approach is to account for 50-70% of the calories shown by exercise machines, not the full number.

Exercise Activity Thermogenesis: How Many Calories Do You Really Burn?

Exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT) is the amount of calories burned during intentional physical activity, which makes up a smaller portion of total daily calorie burn. An average workout burns 200-400 calories, which can easily be eaten back with a single meal, so exercise alone isn't enough for fat loss. Your body adapts to regular exercise and reduces NEAT activity, so total calorie burn doesn't increase as much as you'd expect. The foundation of weight loss is calorie deficit, while exercise supports muscle retention and health, but doesn't replace proper nutrition.

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Low-Fat Diet

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Best Zero-Calorie Sweeteners

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Boosting Metabolism

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Best Protein Shake for Weight Loss

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Healthy Carbs for Weight Loss

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High Fiber Foods for Weight Loss

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Paleo Diet

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Healthy Desserts for Weight Loss

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Calorie Quality

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Creatine

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Basics of Healthy Eating

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Diet Food Preparation

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Diet Mistakes

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Food Portion Size Control

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Appetite Control During Weight Loss

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Reverse Dieting

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Calorie Banking

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Effects of Late Night Eating

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Diet for Muscle Mass Gain

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High Fiber Diet

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Diet for Weight Loss

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Ketogenic Diet

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Low-Carb Diet

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Healthy Snacks

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Mediterranean Diet

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High Protein Foods

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Low Calorie Foods

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Healthy Diet Planning

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Glycemic Load

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Hunger Hormones (Ghrelin, Leptin)

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Thermogenesis

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Best Filling Diet Foods

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Reasons for Weight Loss Slowing Down

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Daily Calorie Needs

Daily calorie needs determine how much you can eat to reach your goals.

High Protein Low Calorie Foods

These foods provide lots of protein with few calories, perfect for weight loss.

Creatine Loading

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Unsaturated Fats

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Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT)

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Cortisol and Fat Storage

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Micronutrients

Micronutrients are needed in small amounts, but your body can't function without them.

Intermittent Fasting

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Post-Workout Meal

Your post-workout meal determines how effective your recovery will be.

Pre-Workout Meal

A pre-workout meal provides the energy needed for effective training.

Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)

During digestion, your body uses energy to process the food you eat.

Muscle Building (Anabolism)

Anabolism is your body's muscle-building process that creates new tissue from protein.

Appetite Suppressing Foods

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Calorie Intake Control

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Fat Loss Supporting Foods

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Muscle Recovery

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High Volume, Low Calorie Foods

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Glycogen Stores

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Whole Foods

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Essential Amino Acids (EAA)

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Calorie Density

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Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your basal metabolic rate determines how many calories your body burns at rest.

Ideal Daily Protein Intake

The right protein intake determines whether you build or lose muscle during fat loss.

Calorie Deficit

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