Losing weight doesn't have to be a major undertaking. We found 19 easy ways to burn calories that don't require a trip to fitness boot camp.
19 Easy Ways You Can Torch 200 Calories In a Blink of an Eye
Cut a rug
No, not literally. Invite some pals over, turn on some tunes, and have an impromptu dance party. We know you haven’t forgotten the Macarena, and just a half-hour of dancing meets your calories-burned goal. If you feel inspired by the music, turn it into a weekly dance-inspired workout session.
Say ahh
Give your honey an end-of-the-day massage for 42 minutes and you’ll burn around 200 calories. Not to mention all of the other health benefits you get from a massage. Just make sure you get one in return. Flying solo for the moment?
Move things around
Liven up the layout of your favorite room with 30 minutes of furniture rearranging. Move your bed closer to a window, or push your reading chair into that warm patch of sunlight on the floor. But be warned: Once you start, you may want to rearrange the rest of your house. These foods help you burn extra calories.
Hit the bull’s-eye
Darts is one of those bar games you always see but are too nervous to actually play. (Not just for fear you’ll be bad, but you definitely wouldn’t want to hit someone else.) Boost your confidence by telling a couple witty bar jokes your friends are guaranteed to laugh at, and then spend 1 hour and 10 minutes playing a friendly game of darts at your favorite watering hole.
Makeover your casa
Rolling on a new coat of paint burns 204 calories an hour. Give your living room a fresh hue—just make sure it’s the right color. For instance, a soft shade of orange gives off a warm, inviting tone.
Scrub-a-dub
Cleaning may seem like a chore—OK, it is a chore. But that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Turn up your favorite playlist, then get down to it: vacuum, sweep the patio, dust, and straighten up. The added bonus? You’ll torch at least 200 calories. Check out our chart of just how many calories each chore burns.
Hit the market
As long as you never buy any of these foods again, grocery shopping can be a lot healthier than you think. Buy the groceries (45 minutes of cart-pushing burns 117 calories), carry them inside (5 minutes of schlepping them up stairs burns 43), and put them away (40 calories in 14 minutes).
Bat a birdie around
At your next backyard party, challenge partygoers to a friendly game of badminton and burn about 200 calories in 40 minutes. Don’t have the equipment? Substitute it for lawn-sized Jenga or tic-tac-toe. See how long you can keep a volleyball in the air. Otherwise, go straight to the outdoor party classic, corn hole. These summer activities burn the most calories.
Act out
Charades is the perfect excuse to laugh until your sides hurt and watch your friends make fools of themselves. Up the antics with crazy categories to choose from: college professors, famous movie lines, spirit animals (real or fictional). You won’t even notice you’re burning calories after an hour of fun.
Sing, laugh, repeat
Settle in for an hour of Glee and participate by belting out those lyrics; you’ll burn more if you do it standing, chorus style. When it’s your turn to rest your chops, laugh. Singing zaps 136 calories an hour, and 20 minutes of giggling torches another 67.
Shut off the TV
Classic board games are for more than just childhood nostalgia. A 2-hour game of Scrabble will make you smarter and 200 calories thinner. Try these easy ways to burn calories without even noticing.
Hit the mini-golf course
When’s the last time you played putt-putt? With virtual reality and Wii golf, it’s probably been a while. Luckily, this childhood pastime doubles as a calorie-burning workout. All it takes is about an hour of play to slash 200 calories.
Weed and seed
Make your yard happy by uprooting those pesky weeds for 25 minutes (127 calories) and planting some new seedlings (77 calories for 15 minutes). Another surprising benefit of gardening? It actually boosts your immune system so you get sick less often. You’re actually making your yard and yourself healthier at the same time.
Relive recess days
We get it. Convincing your kids to play outside isn’t always the easiest task, especially when they’re glued to multiple screens on multiple devices. So convince them it’s worth it by getting in on them fun! Join the kids in a 20-minute game of hopscotch (113 calories) followed by 22 minutes on the trampoline (87 calories).
Strike out
Meet your pals at the local bowling alley for an hour’s worth of friendly competition. Give extra style points to the person whose outfit clashes most with the rental shoes. Now, bowling tends to go hand-in-hand with obviously unhealthy foods like chips and pizza. But as long as you keep bowling, you’ll probably break-even calorie-wise. Try these other wacky ways to burn extra calories.
Shop it off
Hit the end-of-season sales with your shopping bestie and have a fashion show in the fitting room. You’ll torch 11 calories for every outfit you try on. And don’t just check out one store. After hitting your favorites, try out a thrift store, a new store, and a store with clothes you could never afford.
Get your om on
After a long day of sitting and staring at a screen, stretch out and unwind with some yoga. As long as you steer clear of poses that could injure you, you will feel renewed in body, mind, and spirit. Flowing from Sun Salutations to standing poses like Triangle will burn 200 calories in about 25 minutes.
Clean your machine
Wash and wax your ride, and you’ll burn 204 calories in 40 minutes. Straighten up the inside of your car, too, and you’ll melt those cals even faster.
Tap your toes
Fidgeting has been in the news a lot more than normal, thanks to those fidget spinners your kid keeps talking about. But this is one instance when giving into those twitches is actually a good thing. Fidget throughout the day and you could burn an extra 200 calories before dinnertime. Researchers say people who fidget burn 350 calories a day more than non-fidgeters. Use these fast, easy ways to lose weight without a lick of exercise.
