Burn Calories Without Really Trying
I’m a personal trainer, so even thinking of giving you guys these tips feels like a slap in the face to my career, but if weight loss is your goal, every little calorie burned counts.
Of course a good, sweaty workout is best way to blast major calories fast, but adding some of these tiny things to your daily routine can add up quick. There are 3,500 calories to a pound, so burning 500 extra calories a day equals an extra pound down on the scale.
Here are some simple, sweat-free calorie burners to try:
- Drink caffeine. Coffee, tea and diet soda all have caffeine which is a stimulant and burns more calories. Don’t go nuts, though- too much caffeine can leach calcium from your bones which isn’t worth the calorie burn.
- Drink green tea. Green tea has caffeine, like above, but it also contains polyphenols which further boosts metabolism.
- Fidget. Shake your foot, drum your fingers and pacing back and forth can help you burn calories even when you’re sitting. The faster you fidget, the more calories you’ll burn.
- Chew gum. Chewing gum burns around 11 calories an hour.
- Laugh often. 10 minutes of laughing burns 50 calories.
- Drink water. Being properly hydrated boost your metabolism by 30 percent.
- Drink cold water. Your body burns more calories by warming the water up to your body’s core temp. 8 glasses of ice water can burn 70 calories a day.
- Take a cold shower (if you can stand it) Your body burns calories to keep you warm when your cold, and added bonus- you’ll save money on your water bill!
- Sleep. Not only can you not eat when you sleep, but being properly rested helps boost your metabolism. A 150 pound person burns about 60 calories per hour so get those 8 hours!
- Eat spicy foods. The verdict is still out on this one, but many people believe that spicy foods can boost your metabolism. It’s worth a shot, right?
- Have sex. Most couples burn an average of 300 calories doing the nasty.
I wouldn’t be a trainer if I didn’t point out that exercise is about more than burning calories. Getting your heart rate up blasts fat and calories, but it also helps reduce your risk of disease and strength training boosts metabolism, increases bone density, strength, balance and coordination, and gives you the firm, toned look everyone wants.
