Burning calories doesn’t always mean hitting the gym or running marathons—I learned this from a friend who’s all about finding “lazy ways to burn calories.” He’s always sharing her favorite tricks for sneaking in calorie-burning activities while lounging at home or even watching TV.
If you’re like him and looking for low-effort ways to boost your metabolism, this post is for you. From simple tweaks to your daily routine, there are plenty of lazy ways to burn calories without intense workouts. Let’s dive into the 10 easy methods she uses to shed fat and feel more energized!
Here are ways to burn calories daily without skipping a meal or sweating it out too much in the gym.
1. Fidgeting: The Secret Calorie Burner
Eliza Flynn [¹], a personal trainer, emphasizes that small movements, like fidgeting, can lead to significant calorie burn over time. Simple actions like tapping your toes or shifting in your seat can burn 350 more calories daily than remaining still. These micro-movements fall under NEAT [²](Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), which helps burn calories outside of traditional exercise.
2. Drinking Cold Water
- Drinking cold water boosts your metabolic rate because your body needs to burn more calories to warm the water to body temperature. This simple habit can lead to higher calorie burn with minimal effort. Drinking black tea or water instead of sugary drinks is a great way to cut calories consumed.
Dr. Adams [³], a metabolism expert, recommends drinking cold water to boost your calorie burn. Your body uses energy to heat up the cold water to body temperature, which helps burn more calories throughout the day. It’s a simple and effective way to increase your daily calorie expenditure without any additional effort.
3. Chewing Gum to Stay Active
- Chewing gum might seem trivial, but it burns calories by keeping your mouth and jaw active. Chewing is a fun way to burn extra calories and even lose weight without any formal exercise.
4. Laughing: A Fun Way to Burn Calories
- Laughing not only improves your mood but also raises your heart rate, giving you a mini-workout. A good laugh can burn 10 to 40 calories in just a half hour.
5. Taking the Stairs
- Instead of using the elevator, take the stairs. Even climbing a few flights can burn more calories than walking on flat ground. This simple habit also strengthens your leg muscles and helps you shed body fat.
Fitness expert David Backe [3] highlights that taking stairs can be an easy way to incorporate more movement into your daily routine.
6. Standing Instead of Sitting
- By switching to a standing desk, you can gradually increase the number of calories burned throughout the day, making it an easy way to stay more active. Even standing while doing light activities like watching TV can help burn more calories than sitting (The Healthy)[³]. Over time, this small change can make a noticeable difference in weight loss.
7. Doing Household Chores
- Simple chores like vacuuming, sweeping, or washing dishes can burn between 200 to 500 calories per hour, depending on the task’s intensity (The Healthy)[³]. Additionally, activities like cleaning, which engage multiple body parts, provide an excellent alternative to traditional exercise, helping you stay active without a formal workout.
8. Stretching Throughout the Day
- Stretching engages your muscles and improves circulation, even while sitting. This helps burn fewer calories than full workouts but is still a good way to keep your body active, especially during meal breaks.
9. Listening to Upbeat Music
- Listening to fast-paced music can subtly encourage movement, often making you more active without even realizing it. Whether you’re tidying up or walking around, moving to the beat can increase your calorie burning. Consider it a mini-dance session that requires no gym membership.
10. Sleeping More to Burn Calories
Quality sleep helps boost your metabolism, and your body burns calories while you’re asleep. Getting enough sleep not only helps you recover energy but also aids in losing body fat(Welcome to UCLA Health)[⁴]. In fact, people who sleep well tend to eat fewer calories and experience more energy during the day.
11. Laugh Often
- Laughing, in addition to being linked to a decrease in stress hormones, can also burn up to 1.3 calories per minute.
Now, spending time laughing in front of the television watching your favorite sitcom does not seem so bad anymore, eh? Indeed, a lazy way to burn calories.
Why not laugh and fidget at the same time to burn more calories?
Consume These Foods and Drinks That Boost Calorie Burning
Caffeinated Drinks
Caffeine has been shown to boost the resting metabolic rate by up to 11 percent and also helps burn fat. However, it is advised to consume caffeinated drinks like coffee or in moderation and also steer clear of the high-calorie ones, to prevent gaining excess weight.
Spices
Spices like cayenne pepper, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric, when added to our diet, increase our metabolism and also play a role in burning fat. Try putting a sprinkle of black pepper onto your green salad, or adding a touch of cinnamon to your tea can do the trick. Indeed, an appetizing way to burn calories.
Chia Seeds
This high-fiber superfood can make us feel fuller quickly because it absorbs water and expands when eaten. Soaking chia seeds overnight can help make a yummy breakfast of chia pudding in the morning.
Quinoa
Quinoa, a superfood high in fiber and protein, has been shown to enhance metabolism and lessen appetite because these grains make you feel full longer. Also, quinoa helps burn calories throughout the day and decreases fat absorption, making it essential to those who want to lose the extra pounds.
Conclusion
These lazy ways to burn calories demonstrate that you don’t need intense workouts to maintain your health. By simply incorporating small changes like drinking more water, standing up frequently, or even fidgeting, you can burn extra calories with minimal effort. However, combining these habits with a balanced diet, such as eating the right foods like green tea and more vegetables, will help you achieve sustainable weight loss. Ultimately, it’s wise to seek out easy, everyday ways to burn calories, as they can effortlessly contribute to maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.
If you are looking for ways to lose weight, build muscle, have more energy throughout the day and get healthier without having to become a total health and fitness nut, then check out the Bodyweight Blender program, here!
FAQ’s
1. Can I burn calories without exercising?
Yes! You can burn calories through NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), which includes everyday activities like fidgeting, standing, walking, and even household chores like cleaning or gardening(
2. How many calories can I burn by drinking cold water?
Drinking cold water burns additional calories because your body uses energy to warm the water to body temperature. While the exact amount is modest, consistently drinking cold water can add up over time and contribute to overall calorie-burning
3. Does standing instead of sitting help burn more calories?
Yes, standing burns more calories than sitting. Studies show that standing can burn about 20-50 extra calories per hour. Using a standing desk or simply standing while doing everyday tasks can make a significant difference
4. Can fidgeting really burn a lot of calories?
Surprisingly, yes! Fidgeting can burn up to 350 more calories per day than sitting still. Activities like tapping your foot, shifting in your chair, or moving your arms all count as calorie-burning movements
5. What household chores burn the most calories?
Tasks like vacuuming, mopping, and washing the car can burn between 200-500 calories per hour, depending on the intensity of the activity and the size of the task. Activities like gardening or mowing the lawn are also great calorie burners.