50 Easy Ways to Burn 100 Calories

 

 

 

Torch Your Way to the Top with These Activities

Everything you do burns calories—breathing, sleeping, standing, and all of the active pursuits you enjoy. But what does it take to burn just 100 calories? You may be surprised by how little—or how much—activity you have to do to achieve that goal! To put it all in perspective for you, we’ve gathered 50 different ways to burn 100 calories. From standard exercises you do at the gym, to everyday chores around the house, you can burn 100 calories in just a few short minutes of your day.

Keep in mind that not all movement is created equal. In order to classify an activity as a cardio ''exercise,'' you must be working at 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. (You can calculate your target heart rate here.) However, even though periods of less intense activity may not count as part of your workout, they still provide health benefits and burn extra calories. After all, the less sitting you do, the better!

50 Ways to Burn 100 Calories

(Values are approximate and are based on a 150-pound person.)

 
Workouts:                                                                                                                        

1. Cardio dance class: 15 minutes
2. Elliptical: 8 minutes
3. Jumping rope: 9 minutes at a moderate intensity
4. Lifting weights, vigorously: 15 minutes
5. Pilates: 24 minutes
6. Rowing machine: 13 minutes
7. Running stairs: 6 minutes
8. Running: 9 minutes of running at a 6 mph pace
9. Swimming: 15 minutes moderate intensity
10. Walking stairs: 11 minutes
11. Walking: 20 minutes of walking at a 3 mph pace
12. Water aerobics: 23 minutes
13. Yoga: 20 minutes
14. Zumba: 11 minutes
15. Biking: 23 minutes of casual cycling

Sports and Leisure Activities:

16. Basketball, shooting hoops: 20 minutes
17. Bowling: 30 minutes
18. Dancing around living room: 20 minutes
19. Darts: 35 minutes
20. Golfing, carrying clubs: 15 minutes
21. Ice skating, moderate: 18 minutes
22. Kickball: 13 minutes
23. Mini golf or driving range: 30 minutes
24. Playing catch with a football: 35 minutes
25. Playing Frisbee: 30 minutes
26. Playing soccer, casual: 13 minutes
27. Skiing, downhill: 10 minutes
28. Softball or baseball: 18 minutes
29. Tennis (doubles): 21 minutes
30. Tennis (singles): 15 minutes
31. Treading water, moderate effort: 23 minutes
32. Volleyball, recreational: 26 minutes
33. Water skiing: 15 minutes

Yard Work:

34. Mowing the lawn: 20 minutes
35. Painting house: 18 minutes
36. Raking leaves: 23 minutes
37. Shovelling snow: 15 minutes
38. Washing the car: 20 minutes
39. Weeding the garden: 18 minutes

Everyday Activities:

40. Carrying an infant: 24 minutes
41. Cleaning, moderate effort: 26 minutes
42. Cooking: 34 minutes
43. Doing dishes: 40 minutes
44. Mopping the floor: 20 minutes
45. Playing with children: 23 minutes
46. Pushing a stroller: 35 minutes
47. Rearranging furniture: 14 minutes
48. Shopping: 38 minutes
49. Sweeping: 23 minutes
50. Walking the dog, 26 minutes

Were you surprised by the amount of time it takes to burn 100 calories? Which of these activities can you incorporate into your life to burn an extra 100 calories per day? Pick one that fits into your schedule and go for it!

 

 Ref -  Erin Whitehead, Health and Fitness Writer

 

 

Cut Caloies Without Dieting

 

 

 

The word "diet" doesn’t always mean eating less to lose weight—although that’s what we commonly associate it with today. Someone "on a diet" is trying to eat less, or stop eating sweets to fit into a smaller pant size.

Diet has another meaning. It also describes the food that you normally consume—following a vegetarian diet, an American diet, or "My diet consists of meat and potatoes." Improving your normal diet by making gradual, but permanent changes is a healthier way to lose weight than by just restricting calories.

Low calorie and fad diets can have serious health implications—insufficient vitamin and nutritional intake, lethargy, slowed metabolism, hormonal effects, and even dehydration. Dieters commonly experience intense feelings of hunger and deprivation, which can lead to "cheating" or bingeing over time.

Here are a few tips to help you decrease your caloric intake without "dieting" or feeling deprived.

Don’t eyeball it
Studies show that people tend to underestimate how much they really eat every day. In doing so, we consume too many calories without realizing it. Research shows that keeping a log by recording exercise and food intake is one of the best predictors of successful weight loss.

• A written record can point out your eating patterns (eating in front of the TV or in the car, eating the same breakfast every day), triggers (stress, sadness, boredom, time of day), and areas where nutritional changes can be made. You may find that you are eating less fruits than you thought or drinking too much soda, for example. Then you’ll know where you can implement healthy changes.
• Reading food labels is key to healthy portion sizes. At a quick glance, a bottle of juice (or bag of chips, candy bar, or frozen entrée) may appear to contain 100 calories, but a closer look will reveal that the package includes two or more servings, which doubles the caloric content.
• After familiarizing yourself with portion sizes, be sure to measure. Be exact if cooking at home, but when eating out, think about common objects. Two tablespoons of peanut butter, mayo, or dressing is about the size of a golf ball. A serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. A medium piece of fruit is similar to a baseball.
• Having trouble stopping at one serving of pretzels or chips? Buy single-serving packages of your favourite foods for built-in portion control, or measure out single servings into baggies or containers.

Hold the fat

It’s important to remember that not all fats are bad. Certain oils (olive, canola), and nuts are nutritious and healthy to eat. However, fat does have more than twice the calories per gram than carbohydrates and protein (9, 4, and 4, respectively). And generally, people consume too much and the wrong kinds of fats, which means excessive calories.

• When cooking, limit the amount of oil you use by using a non-stick pan. You can also use spray-able oils (avoid substitutes and go for the real olive and canola oil sprays) to coat your pans with virtually zero calories. A MISTO sprayer, available in department stores, can evenly distribute 1/2 teaspoon of oil or salad dressing, compared to the 2-3 teaspoons that you would usually pour on for the same purpose—a savings of 100 calories.
• Skimp on butters, dressings, and creams, using just enough for taste. Try a baked potato flavoured with salsa rather than butter, and forgo the "secret sauce" on your favourite burger. Search for light or reduced-fat versions of certain condiments, like dressings and sauces. One serving of light mayo has less than half the calories (85) of regular mayo (200), but is almost identical taste and texture.
• Blotting the fat from greasy foods like cheese pizza or burgers is also worth the effort. One could easily soak up a teaspoon of grease, 5 grams of fat, and 40 calories from two slices of pizza alone.
• Add flavour to foods without excess calories and fat by using herbs, fresh or dried. An added bonus: studies show that spicy foods, flavoured with red peppers or chilli peppers, may boost metabolism and help you to stop eating sooner.
• When cutting out high-fat and high-calorie foods, replace them with fruits and vegetables. These essentials are low in calories, but high in volume, fibre and nutrients, which can give a feeling of fullness. They make great snacks and are easy to pack. Stick to whole foods as much as possible. A potato is a better option than an order of fries, just as an apple is healthier than a slice of apple pie.

Drink water, not alcohol
Not only does alcohol contain 7 calories per gram, but it also lowers self-control when it comes to food. Limit your alcohol intake and your body will thank you. Save alcohol for a post-meal indulgence, rather than drinking it before or with food. Studies show that alcohol lowers inhibitions and control when it comes to eating, causing people to eat more than those who waited to drink after finishing a meal.

Drink water throughout the day, before, and during meals to help curb your appetite. Oftentimes, people think they are hungry when they are actually thirsty or dehydrated. Dehydration can slow metabolism, but the process of drinking water and warming it to body temperature involves energy and burns calories. Plus, being well hydrated gives body at least 10 minutes more energy for exercise, according to a study in the International Journal of Sports Medicine.
To lose a healthy one pound of fat per week, all it takes is a 500-calorie deficit per day (which can be achieved by reducing calories, exercising more, or a combination of both). For a healthy lifestyle, not a diet, that is easy to stick with, try incorporating some or all of these easy strategies to reduce calories without giving up the pleasures of eating.

Ref - Nicole Nichols