20 ways to burn 100 calories

Get moving!

You don’t need to log hours at the gym to sneak some extra exercise into your day. In fact, there are many ways you can burn calories just by doing everyday activities. The key, according to Toronto-based personal trainer Kathleen Trotter, is to remember that calories burned will depend on your weight, the intensity of the exercise, and the duration of the activity. Read on to find out some of the best calorie-torching activities*, with variations from the most amount of time required to the least. Start with an easier activity and add intensity or duration as you progress.

*Activities based on a 150-pound person

Walk whenever you can

The secret to burning calories while you walk is all in how you pace yourself. It will take longer to burn 100 calories walking at a slow pace than by walking briskly or climbing stairs. People who climb stairs regularly have greater leg strength than those who use elevators. And as a bonus, taking the stairs can actually be faster than waiting for the elevator.

To burn 100 calories:
1. Walk at a slow pace for 36 minutes. Do this on your lunch break, or have a “walking meeting” and accomplish two things at once.
2. Walk while pushing a stroller on fairly flat ground for 30 minutes.
3. Do some Nordic walking for 27 minutes-using poles while walking makes it a total body workout.
4. Use the stairs for 14 minutes.

Walk whenever you can

The secret to burning calories while you walk is all in how you pace yourself. It will take longer to burn 100 calories walking at a slow pace than by walking briskly or climbing stairs. People who climb stairs regularly have greater leg strength than those who use elevators. And as a bonus, taking the stairs can actually be faster than waiting for the elevator.

To burn 100 calories:
1. Walk at a slow pace for 36 minutes. Do this on your lunch break, or have a “walking meeting” and accomplish two things at once.
2. Walk while pushing a stroller on fairly flat ground for 30 minutes.
3. Do some Nordic walking for 27 minutes-using poles while walking makes it a total body workout.
4. Use the stairs for 14 minutes.

Catch up on housework

You can burn 100 calories just by doing housework! Listen to your favourite tunes while you work to keep the mundane more interesting. HealthLinkBC offers an interactive online tool that will help you figure out just how many calories you’ll torch during your next cleaning spree.

To burn 100 calories:
5. Wallpaper or paint a room for 44 minutes. You will be surprised how much upper-body work is required to apply paint or wallpaper, or simply move a ladder.
6. Iron clothes for 39 minutes.
7. Dust and tidy for 35 minutes at a moderate pace.
8. Scrub the floors for 24 minutes. The vigorous motion works your upper body, and tones your shoulders and biceps while you push and pull.

Don’t forget those outdoor chores

Trotter advises her clients to make positive lifestyle changes and get moving on a daily basis, even if it’s just around the yard. Canada’s Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living recommends starting with 60 minutes of easy daily activity and progressing to more moderate activity for 30 minutes, four days a week. Yard work has the added benefit of fresh air to give your spirits a lift.

To burn 100 calories:

9. Rake the lawn for 21 minutes.
10. Wash the car for 20 minutes.
11. Cut the grass with a push mower for 16 minutes.
12. Shovel snow (by hand) for 15 minutes.

Have some fun!

You may be surprised to learn that laughter is good for your health. As little as 15 minutes of laughter will burn up to 40 calories, according to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity. The study found that genuine voiced laughter causes a 10 to 20 percent elevation in energy expenditure compared to a body at rest.

To burn 100 calories:
13. Laugh it up! It will take 38 minutes to burn 100 calories, but you will also benefit from laughter’s stress relieving-effects.
14. Play Frisbee for 30 minutes.
15. Play golf and carry your clubs for 20 minutes.
16. Go on a bike ride for 15 minutes.

Budget-friendly activities for one

You can do these easy activities by yourself in the comfort of your own home-no expensive gym membership required.

To burn 100 calories:
17. Practice yoga or stretching for 36 minutes. If you are a beginner, consider taking a class, or use a DVD to ensure a proper technique. Regular yoga will boost your fitness and flexibility, as well as calm your mind.
18. Swim some laps-whether in your own backyard or at a community pool-at a moderate pace for 15 minutes.
19. Crank up your favourite tunes and dance around the house at a moderate pace for 14 minutes. You can even add some air guitar if you wish-nobody’s watching!
20. Skip rope for 10 minutes. A skipping rope is the cheapest cardio equipment you can buy, available at any fitness supplier or department store for about $10.

Related:
• 4 ways to burn more calories when walking
• How to lose a pound a week
• The ultimate at-home bootcamp