A healthy diet and regular engagement in physical activity help maintain a healthy body composition. Which type of physical activities have long-term calorie-burning effects after completion?

Resistance training activities are known for their long-term calorie-burning effects because they increase muscle mass, which in turn elevates the resting metabolic rate. When you engage in resistance training, you create micro-tears in your muscle fibers. The body requires energy to repair these muscles, leading to additional calorie burn even after the workout has ended. This phenomenon is often referred to as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), or the "afterburn" effect, and can last for hours or even days depending on the intensity and volume of the resistance workout.

In contrast, cardiovascular activities primarily focus on improving heart and lung capacity and burn a significant amount of calories during the activity itself, but they do not induce the same level of muscle repair and metabolic increase post-exercise as resistance training does. Stretching activities generally do not contribute significantly to calorie expenditure, and while Pilates can enhance core strength and flexibility, its calorie-burning effects post-exercise are not as robust as those of resistance training. Thus, resistance training stands out as the type of physical activity most likely to provide lasting benefits to calorie burning once the session is complete.