THE LAZIEST WAY TO BURN CALORIES

Exercising and eating the right foods are two effective ways to burn extra calories – but you can also do it in more unusual ways.

All movement burns calories. Just sitting on the couch and staring into space burns a few calories.  For example, you burn 40-55 calories per hour while sleeping and slightly more while sitting, watching TV, or reading.
Here are 6 unconventional ways to burn calories:

– Breathing.  Inhale through your nose slowly for eight counts, then hold the air in your lungs for eight counts and exhale slowly for eight counts.  Repeat 10 times.  This will lower your stress hormone cortisol, which is linked to belly fat and also sugar cravings.

– Exposure to cold.  Exposure to cold temperatures can help boost your metabolism.  Turn the thermostat down at night to a lower temperature.  Not only this will save you on heating costs, but the lower temperature helps you burn more calories as your body uses more energy to keep you warm. Of course, you don’t have to endure freezing temperatures to reap this benefit.

A few ways to get the benefits of cold exposure besides lowering the temperature in your home slightly, include taking cold showers and going outside in cold weather.

– Chew gum.  Chewing promotes satiety and reduces calorie intake during snacking.  Some evidence suggests that it can also help speed up your metabolism.  Chewing gum can give your facial muscles a good workout.  Chewing gum appears to increase metabolic rate when chewed after or between meals.  Be sure to choose sugar-free gum to protect your teeth.

– Drink cold water.  Water is the best drink for quenching thirst and keeping hydrated. The idea that drinking cold water must burn more calories developed from the belief that our bodies expend energy to warm themselves.  Drinking water also temporarily boosts metabolism in normal-weight and overweight adults and children.  The effect of water on metabolic rate can vary from person to person.

– Donate blood.  Taking blood increases the number of calories you burn, at least temporarily.  When you donate blood, your body uses energy to synthesize new proteins, red blood cells, and other blood components to replace what is lost.  Researchers found that you can lose up to 650 calories per pint of donated blood. Donating blood reduces the risk of heart disease. Most importantly, you are potentially saving lives.

– Laugh often.  People say often that laughter is the best medicine.  Indeed, research has confirmed that laughter can improve many aspects of mental and physical health.  More laughs, more calories burned.

– Fidget more. More subtle forms of physical activity can also increase your metabolic rate.  This concept is known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), which involves nervousness.  Restlessness involves moving parts of the body in a restless manner, such as repeatedly bouncing one’s leg, tapping one’s toes on a table, and playing with rings.  In one study, people who fidgeted while sitting or standing were found to burn five to six times more calories, on average, than when they were sitting or standing.  One group of researchers suggested that the combination of fidgeting, walking, and standing could burn up to 2,000 extra calories a day – depending on a person’s weight and activity level.  Other ways to benefit from NEAT include taking stairs, using a standing desk, and cleaning.

Your metabolic rate determines the number of calories you burn each day.

Numerous factors affect your metabolism.  With simple lifestyle changes, you could increase your rate, helping you burn more calories and lose weight.

Although the effectiveness of these weight loss strategies may seem insignificant, they could make a difference in the long run.