what's your sneaky calorie burn??

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TheBakerGirl
TheBakerGirl Posts: 151
in Fitness and Exercise
I love finding creative ways to burn a few extra calories without even realizing it. I'm sure some of you must have interesting methods that the rest of us could borrow. We've all heard the "park farther away", "take the stairs", yeah yeah yeah, but what are some weird ones we may not have heard before?

I've recently been washing my dishes by hand instead of just throwing them in the dishwasher. This doesn't always work if I'm pressed for time or if I'm cleaning up after a lot of people...but if it's just one or two sets of breakfast/lunch dishes, why not save the cost of electric energy and burn your own energy to get those dishes clean?

My other sneaky burn is also in the kitchen…while I'm prepping a meal or cooking, I have music playing nearly 100% of the time. I find it not only improves my mood, but encourages me to dance while I'm cooking. Earning extra calories to enjoy that meal I'm preparing!

Another idea, if I'm having popcorn or some similar snack while at home on my computer, I try to measure out what I want, but leave the bowl in the kitchen. I make myself get up and walk back into the kitchen every time I want another handful instead of just plopping it down at arm's reach on my desk.

Give us more ideas! :wink:

Replies

  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
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    I do muscle training at my desk and driving my car (whenever I am stopped at a traffic light). Working the abs is easy. I suck them in and let the out. Or I try to make a wave down and up my abs (belly dance move, but great for strengthening!). Sometimes I do "potty squats." I do 5 chair squats prior to using the toilet!
  • PinkEarthMama
    PinkEarthMama Posts: 987 Member
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    I do lungest & squats while picking up the kids toys... ( I have a lot of toys.... )

    I dance while I unload the dishwasher.

    I make sure *I* get up, and not the kids ... to get something for me.

    I shovel the driveway while waiting for the children's bus. Even when the driveway doesn't really need it...
  • TheBakerGirl
    TheBakerGirl Posts: 151
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    I do muscle training at my desk and driving my car (whenever I am stopped at a traffic light). Working the abs is easy. I suck them in and let the out. Or I try to make a wave down and up my abs (belly dance move, but great for strengthening!). Sometimes I do "potty squats." I do 5 chair squats prior to using the toilet!

    haha!! I love the potty squats! I'm sometimes guilty of toothbrush squats. :D
  • secoke
    secoke Posts: 69 Member
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    I do toothbrush squats too! Sometimes my husband just shakes his head and laughs. My washer/dryer is also in the basement and we live on the second floor, plus it's a European sized washer so multiple trips up and down the stairs with laundry :)
  • xxx_Pink_Princess_xxx
    xxx_Pink_Princess_xxx Posts: 876 Member
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    I do muscle training at my desk and driving my car (whenever I am stopped at a traffic light). Working the abs is easy. I suck them in and let the out. Or I try to make a wave down and up my abs (belly dance move, but great for strengthening!). Sometimes I do "potty squats." I do 5 chair squats prior to using the toilet!

    Haha potty squats - LOVE it!! Im so gonna do that now lol!!

    I can really add to the list :(
  • Poison5119
    Poison5119 Posts: 1,460 Member
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    Do Kegels count? J/k....

    seriously, though, have you ever known someone who will sit there and wiggle their foot non-stop all morning? it's like a nervous twitch. I do this anytime I'm sitting. I don't know the cal burn, but it's gotta count for a little.
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
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    Standing up at my workstation... I have read that it can burn between an extra 10-50 calories per hour, just standing up at your desk instead of sitting... and I tested it with my HRM... I burned AT LEAST an extra 50 calories per hour just by standing. Mostly cause you are more prone to move around while you are standing... Like when I turn on Pandora, I'm "dancing" around... and I will do calf raises at my desk...
  • JanetLM73
    JanetLM73 Posts: 1,277 Member
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    I park at the end of the parking lot, when I'm sitting I do butt squeezes. I dance with my daughter every day.
  • mynewself
    mynewself Posts: 22
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    after coming down the stairs,go back up & come back down for no reason. extra cleaning around the house.. because with four kids it always needs it!
  • ❤lindsay❤dawn❤
    ❤lindsay❤dawn❤ Posts: 443
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    *bumping for sneaky ideas* : ))
  • StephTink76
    StephTink76 Posts: 334 Member
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    bumping!!
  • Bronx_Montgomery
    Bronx_Montgomery Posts: 2,287 Member
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    fullsize_11.jpg
  • Moeblessings
    Moeblessings Posts: 215
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    Do Kegels count? J/k....

    seriously, though, have you ever known someone who will sit there and wiggle their foot non-stop all morning? it's like a nervous twitch. I do this anytime I'm sitting. I don't know the cal burn, but it's gotta count for a little.

    HAHA I was wondering the same thing! I am guilty of sucking in the tummy and releasing it after a few seconds and repeating this several times. Does obsessive pen clicking count? I swear my thumb feels solid right now! :laugh:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,526 Member
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    I've recently been washing my dishes by hand instead of just throwing them in the dishwasher. This doesn't always work if I'm pressed for time or if I'm cleaning up after a lot of people...but if it's just one or two sets of breakfast/lunch dishes, why not save the cost of electric energy and burn your own energy to get those dishes clean?
    Just wanted to say that being Asian, I've hand washed dishes almost all my life............but it doesn't save water and little on electricity. Sad fact. If you hand wash, unless you're doing it in the dark, you're using just as much energy keep the lights on (since kitchens are usually very well lit) as if you were running the dishwasher with the lights off. And even if you soaked your dishes and were very frugal with your water, you'd still be using more water. It's something I learned when I uptook ways of being more green.
    But that not to say that you won't add a few more calories burned by doing them by hand.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,526 Member
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    Here's one I used to do when I used to get ready for competitions. Each time I walked into the kitchen to eat, I'd do 30 jumping jacks. It's been studied and shown that physical activity right before eating something helps to reduce overall intake. I'd have to dig it up, but it helped me when I had to reduce my calories for competition.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
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    I have an app called Isometrics on my phone. It gives you various exercises you can do at your desk, and a lot of them can be done without anyone nearby really noticing. It has a trainer function that will let you put in the number and length of reps as well as a rest time in between each, and then it tells you when to hold the position or rest. So I can sit there with my headphones on, doing work, while the thing tells me when to contract my abs or do a leg extension.
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    Options
    I've recently been washing my dishes by hand instead of just throwing them in the dishwasher. This doesn't always work if I'm pressed for time or if I'm cleaning up after a lot of people...but if it's just one or two sets of breakfast/lunch dishes, why not save the cost of electric energy and burn your own energy to get those dishes clean?
    Just wanted to say that being Asian, I've hand washed dishes almost all my life............but it doesn't save water and little on electricity. Sad fact. If you hand wash, unless you're doing it in the dark, you're using just as much energy keep the lights on (since kitchens are usually very well lit) as if you were running the dishwasher with the lights off. And even if you soaked your dishes and were very frugal with your water, you'd still be using more water. It's something I learned when I uptook ways of being more green.
    But that not to say that you won't add a few more calories burned by doing them by hand.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I've never thought of it before, but my habit of air drying laundry to save energy must burn a few extra calories.
  • Moeblessings
    Moeblessings Posts: 215
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    I have an app called Isometrics on my phone. It gives you various exercises you can do at your desk, and a lot of them can be done without anyone nearby really noticing. It has a trainer function that will let you put in the number and length of reps as well as a rest time in between each, and then it tells you when to hold the position or rest. So I can sit there with my headphones on, doing work, while the thing tells me when to contract my abs or do a leg extension.

    Awesome! Thanks for this info....I am downloading it now! :bigsmile:
  • kidrobot3
    kidrobot3 Posts: 63 Member
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    I jog in place when I need some extra burn. I jog in place while I do my hair, or the dishes. Lol. I look like a dork, but what ever.

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