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Are you moving enough? There are activity guidelines that you should be meeting in order to avoid disease and be leaner. Your body needs muscle-strengthening activities (at least two days a week) as well as cardio (at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes at a vigorous intensity weekly).

But let’s be honest, not everybody enjoys working out. Fortunately, there are numerous ways in which you can burn calories. If you already meet the aerobic and strength training guidelines but want to get more exercise, or you are just getting started and want to be more active, there are many ways in which you can increase your activity levels. Here are some nonconventional ways to get some exercise ⤵️

  • Laugh: Laughing is not only good for the soul but helps you to burn calories. It is estimated that 15 minutes of laughter a day can burn 10 to 40 calories.  
  • Sports: Playing sports is another form of exercise that has numerous benefits (healthy muscles, joints, and bones, a strong cardiovascular system, robust lungs, better sleep, fat loss, stress reduction, and mood improvement). Additionally, playing sports can help you make new friends, increase your confidence and self-esteem, and develop problem-solving and team-building skills.
  • Go for a Walk: Walking is a low-intensity exercise that burns calories and keeps your systems healthy (immune, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, pulmonary, nervous, and digestive systems). Another plus is that anyone can do it – it’s great for beginners and people with knee, ankle, and back problems.
  • Hike: This is another form of walking that offers all its benefits but it’s a bit more challenging. In addition, hiking gives you the opportunity to explore and helps to improve balance, ease stress, and feel more peaceful due to being in nature.
  • Wall / Rock Climbing: This can be fun and challenging at the same time. Climbing works out your arms, back, forearms, and even the legs. Leveling up at different heights can be stimulating and rewarding too.
  • Take the Stairs: Instead of using the elevator, opt for the stairs. You burn more calories stair climbing than walking or jogging. Using the stairs is a workout in itself and can even be a high-intensity workout if you do it at high speed. Plus, stairs are found everywhere and don’t require any equipment or costs.

  • Move while Talking: Instead of having a phone conversation while sitting or lying down, pace around or, at least, stand-up. You’ll be surprised how fast time passes and how many steps you take without even noticing.
  • Stand Up: A lot of people spend the majority of their day sitting. And unfortunately, long hours of sitting are linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer (colon or breast), back pain, and even premature death. So whenever possible stand up. Standing, also, helps lower blood sugar levels, especially after lunch. You can even use a standing desk so you can remain productive while you stand.
  • Park Far Away: This is another way to get more steps in. Instead of parking next to your desired location, park further. Most people circle around looking for that parking spot next to the entrance, which can be frustrating. In this manner, this mild stressor can be totally removed as well.
  • Carry Shopping Bags: Instead of using a shopping cart to put your bags in your car, carry the bags whenever possible. This is like doing Farmer’s Walks, an exercise that helps you gain strength, stamina, endurance, and works your back, shoulders, core, and grip.
  • Clean: Cleaning is not considered the most enjoyable chore by most, but it can burn a lot of calories. For instance, a 150-pound person can burn around 160 calories per hour doing light cleaning (sweeping, dusting, straightening up, etc) and over 300 calories doing harsh cleaning (polishing, mopping, scrubbing, etc.). Check out this calorie calculator so you can see in detail how much can you burn per activity.

  • Have Sex: It is estimated that having sex helps you burn between 70 and 250 calories per half hour. Besides, sex has many benefits such as boosting your confidence, fighting off stress, and increasing your endurance.
  • Fidget: This restless or nervous moving that involves moving your legs, tapping your fingers or feet, or playing with rings can increase your metabolic rate and help you burn five times more calories than when seating still.
  • Chew gum: Besides promoting feelings of fullness, chewing gum can speed up your metabolism. Chewing gum for 20 minutes can contribute to the number of calories you burn each day. Yet, chew sugar-free and aspartame-free gum so you protect your teeth and avoid consuming toxic artificial sweeteners.
  • Have Fun: There are many activities that are fun and can be a form of exercise, accelerating your metabolism. Dancing, laughing, playing active video games, playing a musical instrument, and roughhousing with your kids can burn many calories.

During these times, it’s essential to keep your immune system healthy. You can do so by exercising and increase your activity levels. Now that you know many surprising ways to get exercise, you can start incorporating them into your day to accelerate your metabolic rate and burn more calories.

To a Fitter Healthier You,

Adriana Albritton

The Fitness Wellness Mentor

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