Having a baby is filled with a myriad of joys and excitement, particularly when it is your very first pregnancy. From choosing baby names to getting the baby room ready maternity is one of the most special occasions in a woman’s life. However it also comes along with its own list of distinctive challenges and unexpected situations. Among the least appealing facets of pregnancy is weight gain. But putting on weight while pregnant doesn't need to be extreme. You are able to keep yourself fit and trim during pregnancy with a combination of cardiovascular exercise and safe abdominal exercises during pregnancy.

High intensity exercise has been shown over time to be the best way to burn more fat. Part of this is due to the exercise after-burn, also referred to as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This is the number of calories expended (above resting values) after an exercise bout.

The oxygen consumption the body uses to return to its pre-exercise state represents EPOC.

The physiologic mechanisms responsible for increased metabolism following exercise include oxygen replenishment, phosphagen (ATP-PC) resynthesis, lactic acid removal, increased ventilation, and increased blood circulation and body temperature.