10 Ways to Sneak up on Calories

Cursed demons! They’re everywhere I look - from my breakfast bagle to my midnight snack (Peanut M&Ms…it’s an addiction, that’s all.), calories just won’t leave me the heck alone.  But now they’ve gone too far.  Turns out the trips I make to Starbucks aren’t as innocent as I  thought convinced myself they were.  But a Green Tea Frap sounds so innocent….come on, it’s green tea!

Will I cut back on my multiple trips to Starbucks each week?  Will I start ordering unfrapped Tea or black coffee instead?  (Since I smirked while typing that, my guess is NO.)

Self denial?  Not much into it.  So, I spend a great deal of time trying to work off the calories I just can’t say no, or even wait, to.  If you’re in the same boat I’m in - the one with the Starbucks and Texas Roadhouse below deck - you might want to keep the following information handy.

Here are 10 ways to get a little extra Burn each day.  Calorie Burn, that is.   Each of these activities will burn 150 calories. 

1. Wash and wax your car for 45 -60 minutes.  You might want to line up several!
2. Walk moderately for 1-3/4 miles in 35 minutes or briskly for 2 miles in 30 minutes.
3. Do the twist for 13 minutes.  This one may sound easy peasy, but give it a go.  I thought I was dying after 6. Reallllly swing those arms and hips!
4. Skip rope for 18 minutes.
5. Mow the lawn with a power push mower for 30 minutes.
6. Toss in Fergie’s new CD and Dance for 30 minutes.  Of course, it doesn’t have to be Fergie Ferg - she’s just a fave of mine.  (Great stuff!)
7. Garden for 30 - 45 minutes.
8. Play Frisbee for 22 minutes.
9.  Bicycle leisurely for 5 miles in 30 minutes or fast for 4 miles in 15 minutes.
10. Bowl for 23 minutes or play badminton for 22.

My personal favorite calorie fighter is tennis.  As great as walking is, tennis has it beat hands down…or rather hands up…when it comes to calorie burn.  30 minutes spent walking will burn, at most 150 calories - but 30 minutes playing tennis can burn as much as 272 calories.  For the biggest burn - take only a few balls with you (so you have to run for the ones missed rather than reaching down for the next in the heap).

An hour of singles tennis burns an amazing 545.50 calories.  It’s also a full body workout - especially when you go about it the way my daughters and I do…arms and legs fly everywhere.

Then they fly to Starbucks.