Sneaky Ways to Burn Calories

Hello dear readers,

Look at how faithful I'm being!  Two posts in a row!  Told you I'd be back.

I thought you all would be interested in this... how do we burn calories, without really "working out?"

Here are 8 "sneaky" ways...

1. Don't sit still! If you're a nervous leg bouncer or pencil tapper, you're in luck. On average, fidgeting can burn between 300-350 extra calories per day, though that number will vary widely depending on your fave form of fidgeting. (For example: pacing will burn more calories than table drumming.)

2. Laugh...a lot! According to a Vanderbilt University Medical Center study, "Ten to 15 minutes of laughter could increase energy expenditure by 10 to 40 calories per day, which could translate into about four pounds a year."

3. Spice it up! Research shows that chili peppers can boost your metabolic rate, causing the body to burn 50 more calories a day.

4. Chomp away! Chewing gum burns roughly 11 calories an hour. Make sure you use sugarless to avoid added calories and cavities. Extra credit for walking at the same time.

5. Clean up! Don't groan at your to-do list, thank it: light housework like dusting and laundry burns 170 calories per hour. Tackle bigger chores like washing the car or cleaning the gutters and up your burn to 204 calories per hour.


6. Shop 'til you drop! Roaming the aisles and swiping the credit card is more taxing than you think. The typical grocery shopping trip incinerates 156 calories per hour. Up that burn even more by parking far away from the store, carrying your groceries to the car yourself, and multiple trips to bring them inside. Just don't ruin that burn by filling your cart with junk.


7. Drink up! According to Men's Health, drinking eight pints of ice water a day will cause your body to expend 123 calories of heat to warm that water to body temperature. When it comes to water, the colder, the better.

8. Just dance! Just 20 minutes of dancing can burn 100 calories. If you don't have the smoothest of moves, just turn down the shades, crank up the tunes and go nuts!


*Calories burnt are based on a 150lb woman

Stay tuned.

Health Tip: Little changes, BIG results

Hello dear readers!

I've left you again.  My apologies.  It is a busy, busy season.  I have a few small fun facts for you.  I hope they inspire thought!

1) Gum chewing can burn 20 calories per hour.  If you chew gum for 6 hours a day that is 120 extra calories burnt a day!  That is 840 extra calories a week!  That is equivalent to an 8.5 mile run for the average person.  I'm not saying you should chew gum every day for 6 hours, but that small activity added up to a BIG calorie expenditure.  Think little activities throughout the day!  You don't need to hit up a gym six days a week to see huge improvements in weight loss.

2) Choose after-work-activities wisely!  If you come home from work and watch TV all night, you are probably burning 50-75 calories for that evening...just sitting.  If you come home from work and rake leaves then paint a bedroom (or clean...or take the dog for a walk..or something), you can expect to burn 100-150 calories an HOUR.  So while the TV watcher burns 50, you burn 600-900 calories.  That makes a big difference! 

Many people get "bogged down" and overwhelmed with the idea of loosing weight, mainly because they envision the gym.  However, most weight loss happens OUTSIDE of a gym.  And people who are lean, usually just burn more throughout the day...not at the gym. 

So do butt crunches on car rides, stand up periodically and stretch, if you watch TV do crunches and push ups during commercials, park far away, take the stairs, stand more then you sit, jump up and down ten times fifteen times a day, whatever it takes!  Increase your energy output.

Have a fantastic day ya'll. 

Stay tuned.  I promise to be more consistent!