It’s February, which means the health buzz on campus has shifted to the February Challenge. Although going to Pilates and running five more miles at the gym are the best ways for some, not all of us are so athletically inclined. It’s important to stay healthy and fit, so what can you do to burn calories without completely exhausting yourself? Increase the things you already do on a daily basis! Here’s a list of a few calorie-burning activities that you may be overlooking.
Burn 50 Calories:
1) Even though the weather may be a bummer, walking around campus can turn into a calorie burning activity. Walking around for 15 minutes burns about 51 calories, if not more in the wintertime.
2) Dorm rooms a mess? Clean it up for 20 minutes and burn 57 calories. Adding vacuuming for 10 minutes to your workout will help you burn an additional 40 calories.
3) Playing ping-pong in the Warch campus center burns 45 calories in 10 minutes. Fun and effective!
4) Here’s some good news: having sex burns calories too! Getting it on with your significant other for 30 minutes burns 41 calories.
5) If the gym is too much, try a low impact exercise like yoga and burn 57 calories in 20 minutes.
Burn 100 Calories:
Getting a bit bored stuck indoors during blizzard season? Explore the kitchen in your dorm and cook yourself a delicious and healthy meal. Cooking dinner for 40 minutes burns 104 calories, which makes your meal all the better. Additionally, the grocery shopping you did beforehand for 35 minutes burned an extra 99 calories.
Nothing beats the winter blues than breaking the Lawrence bubble for a bit. Go to a local bowling alley and in 30 minutes you will have burned 102 calories.
Take a break and go diving in at the YMCA and work on your swan dive. Diving for 30 minutes in the pool will burn 102 calories. And who knows, just being in the Y might inspire you!
Burn 200 Calories:
Challenge your roommate to a game of badminton in the Rec or the YMCA. After 35 fun minutes, you will have burned 198 calories.
There’s nothing wrong with an impromptu dance party in your dorm room! Dance away the stress of midterms and burn 204 calories in 30 minutes.
Winter keeps campus bundled up in doors, but dare to explore the winter wonderland around campus for a change of pace. Go ice skating or sliding on Ormsby lake and burn 198 calories in 25 minutes.
Take a quick 30 minute dip in the pool and challenge yourself to swim laps (they are really a lot more fun than they sound) and burn 204 calories.
The most important thing is keep moving this winter! Every little thing counts!