How to burn more calories while exercising

Again, how many calories you burn during any given exercise is highly variable and often depends on things like your weight, intensity, and individual metabolism. But there are a few things you can do to ramp up your calorie burn, says Albert Matheny, R.D., C.S.C.S., a co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab.

“Certainly, intensity is the No.1 thing,” he says. Ramping up in the intensity can mean different things depending on the exercise you’re doing. “If you’re lifting weights, that means doing the same exercise with heavier weights,” Matheny says. “If it’s cardio, it means you’re moving at a faster pace than you were before.”

Overall, Matheny says that intensity either comes down to weights or speed.

You can also try shortening your recovery time in between sessions that require bursts of speed. “If you’re doing a circuit training workouts, do some active recovery instead of looking at your phone between sets,” Matheny says. That may mean doing squats and pushups between sets, or a one-minute slow jog between more intense moves, he says. “All of that will get your total calorie burn up,” Matheny says.

One more thing to consider, per Matheny: You tend to burn more calories the more muscle you have. Consider adding more strength training to your workout routine to build muscle. Ultimately, it can help you tack on a few extra calories burned while you work out.