Wouldn't it be great to lose weight without trying? With two out of three women longing to get slimmer, it's clearly a desire amongst many of us. Desire it we may, but finding the inclination to traipse off to a gym after work to burn those extra calories is often far too much to ask.
Well, what if I told you it was possible to shed the pounds without the added addition of any huffing or puffing? Sounds good, doesn't it? Believe it or not, there are loads of easy and painless ways of burning 100 calories, most of which are standard daily tasks you can do from the comfort of your own home. Here are 30 of our favourites:
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1. Run up & down your stairs
I know I said no huffing and puffing required, but this one is worth the effort - trust me. Just an incredible six minutes of dashing up and down your stairs is enough to burn off the 100 cals your jacket potato accounted for at lunch.
The incline will mean your legs will get a killer workout, and the rise in your heart rate will lead to a mood-boosting adrenaline rush. Best of all, you needn't even leave the house!
2. Dance to your favourite tunes
Now you have even more reason to dance like no one's looking - you can burn off 100 calories with just 20 minutes of dancing (around five songs).
If you're struggling to get motivated, head over to Spotify, which has so many options - from old favourites to top hits - that you'll be a dancing queen in no time.
Music is a natural mood lifter, so a few nights spent dancing around your living room will not only leave you lighter, but happier, too!
3. Treat yourself to a healthy, home-cooked dinner
It can be hard to motivate yourself to get creative in the kitchen after a long day at work, but with the knowledge that you'll lose 100 calories after 34 minutes of cooking up a storm, there's more incentive than ever. That's before even considering the added nutritional benefits of cooking homemade, of which there are many.
4. Zen it out
Ahhh, Yoga - it looks so sophisticated, doesn't it? If you've been telling yourself you're going to start the 'hippie' lie for longer than you can remember, now's the time to start. 20 mins of this relaxing and rewarding activity will burn off 100 calories, and leave you feeling at one with the world, or so I'm told!
Yoga classes can be extremely costly, so why not have yours at home, instead? Sarah Beth Yoga has some great at-home videos for the novice and more experience-yogi. From quick five minute vids to long, 30 minute relaxation sessions, Sarah Beth will have you in love with this extremely beneficial exercise in no time.
5. Cycle to the shops
Ditch the car - you'll be doing the environment, and your waist a massive favour. Just a casual 23-minute bike ride is enough to burn off 100 calories, more than the equivalent of eating a boiled egg. Cycling is a great way of getting some fresh air into your lungs, and will leave you with nice toned calves and thighs, too!
6. Mop the floors
Sigh. That time of week again? Most of us have mopped floors more times than we care to remember, so understandably it can be hard to get motivated. How about this for a bit of inspiration: mopping won't just get your floors looking great, 20 minutes will burn 100 calories, so it'll get you looking better than ever in no time, too.
7. Turn your living room into a Zumba
The massive Zumba craze of recent years is by no means over. If you're yet to catch on, I'll give you the facts: 'Pretty much the most awesome workout ever'. Whether you choose to go to a class, or get up a YouTube video and Zumba-around your living room at home, you'll have so much fun slashing 100 calories, the 11 minutes it takes to do so will be over before you know it.
8. Play Mum
Whether you have kids of your own or you have to borrow your friends' and families' doesn't matter - 24 minutes of carrying whoever's child will burn off a tidy 100 calories. Spread the word - with the prospect of those extra pounds being burnt off, you'll find you're friends and family may just change their attitude towards babysitting!
9. Play some football
Football - it's inescapable! Whether it's your nephew, daughter or husband nagging you to kick a ball around with them, think twice before you turn them down. Just 13 minutes of making a fool of yourself - I mean, playing football - will burn off that 100-cal cookie you probably shouldn't have treated yourself to earlier.
10. Have a bowl-tastic time
As if you needed any more encouragement to go bowling! Burning 100 cals during a 30-minute games is more reason that ever to get competitive. Even if you do lose, you'll be safe in the knowledge that your sore loser G&T is burnt off!
11. Walk the dog
They say 'a dog is a man's best friend', but with a 26 minute dog walk burning off 100 extra calories, they make the ideal friend for anyone looking to shed a pound or two. Come rain or shine, your dog will need walking, so no excuses - you'll thank them for it later when you're a few pounds lighter!
Why not teach them a thing or too while you're at it? Anushka has come up with 10 easy ways to teach your pawed pal new tricks from her own, dog-owning experience,
12. Wash the dishes
Are you forever being left to do the dishes alone? Well, my friend, stop complaining. All your lazy diners may just be doing you a favour, as 40 minutes stood at the sink is an extra 100 calories burnt off for you. You'll be thankful of their idleness when you've dropped a dress size!
13. Clean your car
If you're anything like me, you'll dread cleaning your car. The prospect of the freezing water and mucky tyres are bad enough in Summer, but when the colder months start, it only gets worse.
Colleen's smart, car cleaning tips make life much easier, and I have another reason to grit your teeth and bear it: 20 minutes of car-washing is all it takes to burn 100 calories. With such an easy way to lose weight, you might just find yourself offering your car-washing services to your neighbours, too!
14. Give your walls a well-needed refresh
Are your rooms looking as tired as you feel? A quick 18 minutes painting is enough to get drop 100 calories, get your heart rate up, and help you feel reenergized. Hey, why not do the whole house and give your body a sizeable makeover, as well as your walls?
15. Take a stroll
Walking has the potential to be one of the most enjoyable ways to burn off an unwanted 100 calories. 20 minutes spent strolling through the countryside alone or in company is a great way to escape into the outdoors. If you're allergic to anything that comes under the title of 'exercise', a casual walk could be the perfect weight-loss solution for you.
16. End the day with a jog
I know, I know, running isn't exactly easy, but you don't need to work up a sweat in order to banish 100 calories off your tally for the day. A 6mph pace - which isn't much faster than a walk, by the way - for nine minutes is all that's required. Jogging is a producer of the mood-lightening chemical, serotonin, meaning you won't just be smaller, but smilier too!
17. Sing in the shower
Are you unlucky enough to be surrounded by noisy neighbours? Well, it's time to get your own back. Put your favourite songs on loud and sing to your heart's content. Not only will you rightly ruffle their feathers, but 50 minutes spent being a karaoke queen is one of the funnest ways to ditch 100 calories off your day. Sing in the shower, while doing the washing up and when cleaning!
18. Get the ironing out the way
Next time you find yourself dreading the mountain of ironing that's awaiting you at home, ask yourself this: would you rather be at the gym? 40 minutes of standing at the ironing board will burn 100 calories and get all those clothes looking sharp. That's enough to substitute for the gym, surely!
19. Treat your loved one to a massage
Everyone loves a massage. While it's always nice to be the receiver, lying face down for 25 minutes of pampering isn't going to help you on your weight-loss journey. What will, however, is playing masseuse yourself. Give your loved one a treat and burn off 100 calories whilst you're at it - your body will feel pampered enough when it's a few pounds lighter.
20. Practise your skipping
When was the last time you picked up a skipping rope? High school, Primary? Well, it's time to do a #throwback and get jumping. With the knowledge that just nine minutes of jump-rope will wipe 100 calories out of the equation for the day - not to mention the fun you'll have - you'll wonder why you ever stopped!
21. Let your inner child go wild
Are you still a kid at heart? Why not get the family over and enjoy a bit of playtime with the little ones? Yes, it may get a bit noisy, a bit rowdy and probably a bit messy, but it'll definitely be worth it. Oh, did I mention you'll burn 100 calories in 23 minutes without even noticing?
22. Nap the afternoon away
No, I'm not joking! A peaceful and refreshing 20-minute nap can help calm your nerves, enhance creativity and lower blood pressure. When you've accumulated two hours of shut-eye, you'll have burnt off an extra 100 calories. Is this the most preferable way of burning calories ever? I think so.
23. Mow the lawn
There's nothing better than the smell of freshly-cut grass...oh, wait, there is: Spend 20 minutes getting your lawn looking tip-top and you'll burn off 100 calories whilst you're at it. Fresh air, a pretty backyard, and a step towards a slimmer you - with that in mind you'll want to have the best backyard in town!
24. Get musical
The gym, running, tennis - when did weight-loss take over and eradicate the appeal of more creative, skill-enhancing hobbies? Newsflash: it's possible to have the best of both worlds. 40 minutes of piano practising is a tranquil and sophisticated method of burning your 100 calories, and better still, requires no gym clothes at all.
25. Sweat it out in the sauna
Need I say more? Burning calories in the sauna? yes please! Grab your girlfriends and splash out on a spa day. You'll be able to relax by the pool, chat over champagne and indulge in bite-sized sarnies - just be sure to get 15 minutes of 100 calorie-busting sauna time in there, too.
26. Play fetch with your dog
Makes your dog's day: grab their favourite toy and head on outside. Whether it's a trip to the park or just your backyard, you won't regret taking the time to play when you see that tail wagging like crazy. You'll be doing yourself some good, too, as 20 minutes of fetch later and you'll have burnt your 100 calories.
27. Rejig your living room layout
Does your home need a refresh? Before you dash straight to the shops, consider having a move-around first. Swap furniture from room to room, play with angles and positioning and in 14 minutes you'll have a room that looks completely different. Oh, you'll be 100 calories lighter, too.
28. Weed away your worries
Spending time in the garden has a bountiful of benefits, including reduced stress relief and improved brain health as well as the obvious of making your garden look like a wonderland. Even if you're not a lover of the 'great outdoors', you too can reap some rewards: 18 minutes spent weeding = 100 calories lost - maybe you could give 'nature-loving' a go, after all.
29. Do a speed clean
Who says deep cleans are all that? A speed clean not only saves times (and hassle), but you'll burn off an easy, breezy 100 calories in 26 minutes. Stuck for quick cleaning ideas? With Anushka's speed cleaning guide, you'll have your home spotless in no time.
30. Go on a shopping spree
The one you've all been waiting for: opt to shop till you drop to burn those pesky 100 cals in 38 minutes. Now, we all know that a 'good' shopping trip lasts much longer than that, so just imagine how much you burn off in a whole day! Like we needed any more excuses to spend...
We hope you loved these easy ways to burn 100 calories! Looking for more easy weight loss tips? Check out our other blog post now.
We do not provide medical advice, please contact your doctor or health professional with any questions you may have.
What are your weight loss goals and how do you go about achieveing them? From one dieter to another, let me know in the comments below. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and instagram too for even more exclusice home hacks!
You seemed to have forgotten that we are in the middle of a lockdown due to Covid 19. Quite a few of your suggestions would break the rules and help to spread the virus! I suggest you update this article.
Hi June! Of course - not all of these are applicable at this time. We have lots of articles on our website and it would take a very long time to update all of them to reflect what is going on right now. That's not to say you can't save certain ideas for a later date! :-)
How come walking the dog for 26 minutes burns the same as strolling for 20 minuetes
Hi Janye! Thanks for your comment. Walking the dog may involve some periods of brisk walking or jogging, but it may also include stopping frequently to allow the dog to sniff around or relieve itself. On the other hand, strolling may involve a slower, more leisurely pace with fewer changes in speed or terrain.
Thank you for your time. I enjoyed reading this. Great reminder on some of them ??
We're so glad to hear it!
50 mins in the shower singing?! What a waste of water!
Hi Lucy! We don't mean to spend 50 minutes in the shower, but rather to spend 50 minutes singing. This could be in the shower, while getting ready, etc! Hope that helps.