Is Sex a Calorie Burner?

Running, bicycling and kickboxing blast 500 calories per hour and will surely get you in shape in no time, but how about sex? Almost every activity burns calories – even ho hum ones such as washing dishes for 30 minutes burns 72 – so should sex count as cardio?

We are always told that every bit counts when it comes to exercise and that doing some activity is better than nothing. Jokes are often told on how sex can slim you down, but does it stop there – at a joke – or is there some truth in this? Can sex actually help you lose weight?

Weight loss occurs when there is a calorie deficit which means the calories you burn is greater than the calories you eat. So, for sex to be used as a weight loss tool then it must either burn sufficient calories or help decrease our food intake? Does it do either?

Fitness experts believe that sex is a minimal calorie burner lying somewhere between just sitting and walking. Sure, sex is an activity but not all activities are true aerobic workouts that are capable of burning fat. For a workout to burn fat, large muscles groups must be used and the heart rate must be elevated to at least 50 percent of its maximum level and this must be sustained for 20 minutes or more. There is no exact number on how many calories are burned during sex, because it is hard to measure and depends on many variables, but some reports claim that 20 minutes will burn only about 28 calories, 32 at a more energetic rate and 100 if the session lasts for an hour. Other sources claim 30 minutes of sex burns at least 85 calories.

Many people mistakenly believe that breathing hard during sex means that your heart rate is up; this is not necessarily the case. The body when excited, nervous, scared or sexually aroused elicits a hormone response which triggers a faster heart beat, faster breathing and sweatiness but this does not mean that you are getting a cardio work out.

Ok, you cannot count on sex to replace your gym membership, but you may be able to count on it to reduce your food cravings. Studies show that sex stimulates feel-good chemicals (endorphins) that control appetite. Also, the three major factors that contribute to overeating is lack of sleep, excess stress and emotional distress – this is a recipe for weight gain. Sex improves sleep, reduces stress and is overall healthy to our psychological well-being which favors weight loss.

Author of The Ultimate Sex Diet, Kerry McCloskey, cites research that engaging in plenty of sexual activity has many benefits like less depression, a healthy immune system and weight loss. She recommends having intercourse with your partner three to five times during the week and at least once (or more) on the weekends to shed unwanted pounds.

The bottom line is do not replace your traditional exercise routine with sex hoping that it will be enough to keep you fit. To achieve weight loss, a balanced diet, lifestyle changes and regular aerobic activity, along with resistance training, is the proven way to go.

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