Quick Ways to Burn Calories
Author: Shannon Miller Lifestyle
Ever had one of those days where you have limited time, and you want to feel good about accomplishing something for yourself?
You might be doing more than you realize. Add a little exercise and burn calories. Just a little more activity in your day can burn off a few extra calories and perhaps do your heart, lungs, and muscles some good, too!
All of the following statistics are examples based on a 150 pound female with around 20% body fat. Everyone’s exact numbers are different, depending on their age, size, metabolism, and body composition. It is fun to estimate some of these for yourself. To get a better estimate, try our fun calorie app at SML Fitness Tools.
Burn 100 Calories in an Hour
Did you know vigorous studying and writing at the computer will burn 100 calories? That’s right. Put your concentration cap on and get your work done quickly, knowing that if you do, you’re using more energy!
Bonus: Burn more calories while working if you add a very slow treadmill. It won’t add up to much, since you can’t go quickly while concentrating on your work (for heaven’s sake, don’t fall off the thing!), but you could walk very slowly at an uphill incline and add about 100 extra calories to that office time burn.
Don’t renig that calorie burn with office snacks like cakes and candies. Instead, opt for fruits and raw nuts.
Burn 100 Calories in 45 minutes
Get in that kitchen and do some serious cooking. Chop, grate, mince, squeeze. Cook, bake, sear, and roast. Work hard at your healthy meal for 45 minutes, and you’ve already burned off the first 100 calories!
Bonus: cook something fresh and delicious, not something fried and full of preservatives.
Don’t renig that calorie burn by snacking as you go. Save the nosh for the table.
Burn 100 Calories in 30 minutes
Hit the weights for a good 30 minutes. Build up a sweat. Keep it moving from one exercise to another. You can get a good weight-training workout in 30 minutes and burn calories if you keep it moving.
Bonus: for every cell of muscle you add to your body, you ramp up your metabolism. That means, you will burn more calories all day and change your body density.
Don’t renig that calorie burn by adding fattening shakes or sugary drinks to your workout. Stick to plain water, and then choose a recovery snack, such as a Shakeology or a Larabar, after you’re done.
Burn 100 calories in 20 minutes
Get in there with the kids and pull out the “Just Dance” game or the “Zumba” game for your Wii or XBox. Dancing is great exercise, it’s fun, and you can do it with the family.
Bonus: dancing is great for coordination, balance, muscle toning, and cardiovascular endurance.
Don’t renig that calorie burn with kid-snacks. Have fresh air-popped popcorn as a treat instead.
Burn 100 calories in 10 minutes
Got a pool? If you’re a swimmer and you want to shave an extra 100 calories onto the end of your swim, tread water for 10 minutes. You will definitely feel the burn as your body works hard to keep you afloat.
Bonus: You’ll stay cool in the water
Don’t renig that calorie burn by pigging out after your workout! The cool water tricks the body into thinking that cold weather is coming, which can cause a hungry after-effect. If this happens, try some hot tea to calm the body, and then eat a reasonable snack.
What to do if you only have 5 minutes?
- burn 60 calories road racing on a bike
- burn 50 calories climbing stairs
- burn 40 calories in a quick, high-intensity basketball game
- burn 30 calories fencing
- burn 20 calories hacky sacking!
With all this fun, who wants to stop there? Remember that activity burns calories, keeps you healthy, and increases your cellular mitochondria. What does that mean? Well, it’s like Newton’s third law. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. For every vigorous activity that requires energy, you will feel a return of energy to you. You have to use energy to feel energy! Keep moving!