Little things to lose extra calories during the day

I tend to park as far away from the door as I can at the shopping center, or grocery store. If there is a ramp, and steps offered, I always chose the steps.

Even at work, when it's very cold outside, I will go out for my breaks without my coat on to force myself to shiver for the next five-to-fifteen minutes.

I don't even know if any of this is helpful, but it's my small things, during the day, to lose extra calories.

Do you do anything like this?
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Replies

  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    I do every one of those things. I've also gotten into the annoying habit (for co-workers) of bouncing my legs under my desk. It can't hurt right?
  • Oh, that's a good one! I may start doing that lol.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Can I just say how refreshing it is to see a topic where 'lose' is spelled correctly? 9 times out of 10, it would be something like 'Top 10 things to loose weight'. Or 'Help, I can't loose my pudgy arms!'. etc.

    :flowerforyou:
  • Wildstorms
    Wildstorms Posts: 72 Member
    Maybe they are typing the extra 'o' to aid calorie loss ;P

    I try to fidget more. Run up and downstairs at home, sometime missing a step.
  • Lindsay_1984
    Lindsay_1984 Posts: 85 Member
    I take short walks whenever I can, 10-15 minutes usually. Especially after meals because that helps my blood sugar. I work a desk job, so I will stand up every 30 minutes or so and do some stretching and squats. I use the bathroom on the other side of the building so that I have to walk further.
  • Sarahnade42x
    Sarahnade42x Posts: 308 Member
    I do all of those! I also do impromptu bicep curls with anything heavy-ish I happen to be carrying, forward lunges to the printer and back, and calf raises/leg lifts at my desk. I don't know if it makes a huge difference, but it's nice to feel like I'm making healthy choices throughout the day and not just sitting there.
  • Same here. I work at a desk so, if I don't do these little things, I feel like I've sat in a blob for 9 hours and have done nothing constructive.
  • I'm glad that I could make you laugh! And thank you for the wish of good luck. I appreciate it, really.

    Have a good day! :happy:
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Parking farther away, taking the stairs...yes. Making myself cold for a slight increase in calorie burn? Never!!
  • kelleybean1
    kelleybean1 Posts: 312 Member
    I'm shakin' no to the shiver diet too!
  • kelleybean1
    kelleybean1 Posts: 312 Member
    Can I just say how refreshing it is to see a topic where 'lose' is spelled correctly? 9 times out of 10, it would be something like 'Top 10 things to loose weight'. Or 'Help, I can't loose my pudgy arms!'. etc.

    :flowerforyou:

    ITA! I always get tickled thinking about "how to loose pudgy arms"--are they trying to pry the fat off?
  • pittbullgirl
    pittbullgirl Posts: 341 Member
    I park far away from the store, take stairs, walk a few extra laps around a store to get what I need (I mainly do these things to "squeeze more movement out of my day").
    I dont do them in place of regular exercise though.
  • TheBoldCat
    TheBoldCat Posts: 159 Member
    when I need to go shopping, i don't walk, i run...coming back, doing "weight lifting" with the shopping bags...
  • I try to add more activity by standing when I might otherwise lay in a desk chair. I read and do at least half my computer work standing up. I like it better.
  • To clarify: I don't do this in the place of regular exercise. I do it as an addendum to exercise, to keep my body moving.

    Now, judging from two comments already that have been either snobbery, or mockery, I believe I am done with the "community" portion of this website.

    I get enough garbage from the people in my life already. I don't need it from people here. Have your message board back. I'll stick to my homepage.
  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
    Shivering burns calories? How much? Lol my job wont let me wear a sweater so I shivered a lot this week. Didn't know my job was doing me a favor.
  • I started off by making a decision not to use my car for journeys under 1-mile. Actually, now the car is gone (easy for me, living in a city, I appreciate that) ...

    The British Cycling team have been massively successful by making a lot of small incremental tweaks. Each one adds little on its own, but added together ...

    So, yeah, take the stairs, park further away, definitely. As the OP said, do these things as an addendum to the main lifestyle changes, not as the sole strategy to weight loss ...
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Rather than shivering, just go for a walk during your break...with a jacket on.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    To clarify: I don't do this in the place of regular exercise. I do it as an addendum to exercise, to keep my body moving.

    Now, judging from two comments already that have been either snobbery, or mockery, I believe I am done with the "community" portion of this website.

    I get enough garbage from the people in my life already. I don't need it from people here. Have your message board back. I'll stick to my homepage.
    you are going to flounce from the forums because you didnt like a few comments?

    how about just placing those users on ignore if you dont want to see what they have to say?
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    I'm not going to apologize to you. Going outside without a jacket to shake calories off is plain stupid. Sorry if that's harsh...but people need healthy ways to burn calories...not crazy **** like that.

    ^This. So much this. That's so dumb to force yourself to shiver because you think it's going to help burn some extra calories. Hope you've got some good medical insurance and money to invest in a lot of cold medicine and kleenex.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Rather than shivering, just go for a walk during your break...with a jacket on.

    This.
  • astralpictures
    astralpictures Posts: 218 Member
    I try to do the stand-up desk thing at work as much as possible. Getting up off my bum helps my back too.
  • CherieB_Akiko
    CherieB_Akiko Posts: 13 Member
    Not a fan of the shivering but I've heard of people swaying or tapping their feet when they are waiting idly for something or talking to somebody. I'm a fan of walking during breaks, especially if you have an office job.
  • For all of those wondering about the shivering. You can burn up to 400 calories an hour by simply shivering.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/317620-how-many-calories-are-burned-by-being-cold/
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
    For all of those wondering about the shivering. You can burn up to 400 calories an hour by simply shivering.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/317620-how-many-calories-are-burned-by-being-cold/

    I get colds easily enough thankyou without doing stupid things like this.

    You can keep your 400 calories. I'll find some other way to burn them.
  • Flutter_By
    Flutter_By Posts: 8 Member
    I walk when I'm on my cell phone. Sometimes I walk in circles around the island in my kitchen or up and down the tracks at the train station while I talk to people.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    For all of those wondering about the shivering. You can burn up to 400 calories an hour by simply shivering.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/317620-how-many-calories-are-burned-by-being-cold/

    I often wonder if Darwin would have rethought his theory if he were alive today.
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    There is some research indicating that fidgeting can help. I do a few of the others that people have suggested -- parking a bit farther away or stairs instead of elevators, even walking on the escalator.

    I try to leave out some calories that I don't miss:
    * drinking water instead of other drinks,
    * leaving sugar out of my tea, dressing off my salad (with good ingredients I don't miss it), using mustard instead of mayonnaise or ketchup, etc.

    Also, I like what I call "sneak exercise" :
    * march in place while brushing my teeth,
    * a couple of counter top pushups while I'm waiting for the microwave,
    * ab & glut exercises in the car at red lights,
    * lunges using the shopping cart while waiting in the checkout line,
    * extra curls while carrying a water bottle or other item that adds a bit of weight,
    * partial squats while showering and washing my hair (safety first, I would worry about balance with a real squat, but I can bend my knees a bit and tighten some muscles),
    * exercise while watching TV,
    * partial leg lift on a plane or train (basically lift your legs under the seat in front of you),
    * where I used to work there was more than one break room, so sometimes I'd go to the further one,
    * taking a walk as part of a break.

    Edited to clarify.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    At work, I try to find little "errands" to run: make a copy, send something to the printer, take a restroom/water break--but go upstairs. At home, I walk the dogs extra, bounce on my rebounder, do pull-ups when I go by the guest room, do extra house cleaning.
  • doctorsookie
    doctorsookie Posts: 1,084 Member
    I turned my office sedentary workstation into a standing workstation with the option of sitting when necessary. I stand most of the day and break my tasks up in segments to assure I get lots of walking in. I also listen to music and move to the beat. My coworkers are very entertained. It doesn't bother hem that I stand. It also helps m keep from getting stiff from my arthritic hips and knees.