Your weight varies based on many factors, but burning fat relies on the calorie equation of ‘Calories in < (is less than) Calories burned’. Active8me offers a really useful, detailed FREE guide all about this, , but here is a quick break down for you, with a number of little tips that can help you burn bonus calories.
The ‘calories in’ part of the equation is all about making sensible food choices (the calories you consume). ‘Calories burned’ is made up of two things. Firstly, your mere existence burns calories – breathing, eating, sleeping, standing, smiling or ANY activity that requires daily functioning! This is called your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)– the energy (calories) required to keep you alive. The second part of ‘calories burned’ is all about movement.
Active8me has you covered on all of this, with specifically designed programs formulated to maximise your fat burning potential by providing nutritious meal plans and stimulating workouts. BUT, everyone loves bonuses in life, so why not cash in on some of your regular activities to burn bonus calories? These minor changes can see you reap even bigger rewards.
Be a Clean Freak
Turn those chores into a better butt, stronger arms and tighter torso. Ok, well that might be taking it a little far, but you can certainly burn bonus calories by putting some energy into household cleaning. A timed, concerted effort will see you get through vacuuming, mopping and dusting at a faster speed, with a higher heart rate. Doing these activities for 20 minutes consecutively will see you burning similar calories to a brisk walk, plus you get the extra achievement of a sparkling abode. Think about ways you can incorporate extra muscle movement during your everyday tasks, try calf raises while doing the dishes, clenching your glutes (butt muscles) while brushing your teeth or lunges or sumo squats to pick up dirty laundry.
Standing is the new sexy
Just the act of standing interrupts sedentary behaviour, so that is a start! You will notice that if you stand during times you would normally sit that you activate a variety of muscles, more often. For example, consider standing next time you catch the bus or train, or go one step further. Perhaps, shift your weight from side to side, flex your arms to hold on to a rail and concentrate on specifically engaging your core muscles. Another opportunity to stand may be at work. A small study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise concluded that, compared to sitting, two hours of standing during office work increased muscle activity and your body preferred to burn fat (over the readily available carbohydrates) as an energy source. Take a stand, literally, and see some bonus fat burned! Learn more about the dangers of sitting too much and some tips to get you upright more often.
Get some groove
Get your tunes working for you. According to an International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology paper, listening to music during repetitive activities can reduce your rate of perceived exertion, improve your energy efficiency and lead to an increased work output. Meaning you burn more calories without realising the amount of effort. They added that the positive impact on both your psychological state and physical performance is magnified with your preferred style of ‘motivating’ music. So why not extend the benefits of energizing music to your morning routine? Pump up the volume and dance your way around your home. You’ll improve how you feel about the day, you’ll have fun, and you’ll step out of the door having burned a few more calories than normal.
Be cool
When your body is cold it burns more calories to get warm. There is no need to feel the constant shiver, but adjusting the air conditioning or having a cool shower can jump start your fat burning. And interestingly, some studies have found that drinking ice cold or chilled water while exercising in hot and humid environments had positive effects on performance in numerous ways, especially when it comes to endurance levels. The good news is, by drinking chilled water you feel you’re able to exercise a little longer, giving you the ability to push that workout a fraction more with the bonus of burning extra calories.
LOL
When was the last time you heartily laughed out loud? There are real health benefits associated to enjoying that funny meme or even laughing at yourself. Your heart beats faster, your stomach muscles work harder, your facial muscles get a workout and you have a release of ‘feel good’ hormones, that are thought to help boost immunity. Research in the International Journal of Obesity found that genuine laughter can increase heart rate and calorie burning by up to 20% above resting. They further estimated that laughing out loud for 15 minutes per day for a year could translate to up to a 2kg weight loss. What a fun bonus!
Phone Fidget
This one is immensely simple, but often overlooked. There is a general tendency to stop moving when on the phone, but you can easily make it a habit to move more whilst on your phone. Add a funky ringtone or upbeat notification chime that you associate with ‘moving’, so when you answer your call or message it becomes synonymous with a certain activity, maybe even fidgeting. Studies have found devices that promote fidgeting, particularly while sitting, can burn an extra 20 to 30% more calories. Try tapping your foot; doing some yoga moves or stretches; do some squats, lunges or calf raises; stand up or pace while you’re talking and so on. You get the idea, fidget your way to burning bonus calories!
At the end of the day, incorporating lots of little activities can equate to burning bonus calories. Try implementing some of these tips into your everyday life and you’ll be boosting your potential fat loss without even thinking about it.
Share your bonus calorie burning tricks, comment below on how you get some extra benefits out of your day?
