While gyms are excellent places for getting your sweat on, there are a number of activities that do not require you to join a fitness center to accomplish your exercise goals. As a matter of fact, some of the best ways for you to burn calories is to do it outside the gym. They can be done at home, work, or even when you are traveling. The activities you choose may vary, depending on how much time you have, the weather, what your body needs and so on. The key is to get moving. But, you have to remember that the amount of calories you burn will depend on your age, sex, weight, body composition and other factors.
Some of the best ways to get moving in order to burn calories are outlined below.
Climb stairs
There is almost always a staircase close to you, whether you are at home, at the office, or even living in a hotel while traveling. Walking up and down the stairs even for 10 minutes will help you burn a lot of calories. You will also strengthen your legs and shape the muscles in your lower body.
Stretch and relax
You can also burn plenty of calories when you stretch and relax, or even do a yoga workout for half an hour. Not only does it help you burn calories, but also improves the range of motion in your joints, reduces stress and also improves the quality of your sleep.
Walk and talk
When possible, take your phone calls on the move. You can even pace around the office when you are taking calls. You can burn a significant amount of calories when you walk and talk for even half an hour in the day. You can wear a fitness tracker to keep track of the calories you are burning.
Stand up
You can burn almost 10 extra calories every 10 minutes when you choose to stand rather than sit. You can choose to use a standing desk at your office, or hold meetings at a standing location instead of the conference room. Also make it a priority to stand at home, like when you watch TV, or you are reading.
Jump rope
Jumping rope is the fastest way to burn calories at home. You only need to jump for 5 to 10 minutes to burn somewhere close to 100 calories. It also helps you in improving coordination and strengthens your legs simultaneously. If you think you cannot jump for 10 minutes, you can work your way up to it gradually.
Get active
If you are hanging out with your friends or family at home, why not have an impromptu dance party? Half an hour of casual dancing can burn a lot of calories, or you can also play games with kids. Give the hula-hoop a try or have some fun playing hide-and-seek. You can even give basketball a shot if you have the space.
Tidy up
Housework can actually be an excellent exercise session. You can burn many calories through standard housecleaning. Even simple tasks like dusting and vacuuming can be modified into exercises for helping you build strength and burn calories.
