If you’re looking for a guilt-free way to take it easy, these six low-key activities will help you burn calories while chilling out. (Note: All calorie estimates are based on the average number burned by a 155-pound person every 30 minutes.)
- Hit the beach. Snoozing in the sun is one (admittedly great) way to enjoy the beach, but this sandy spot is also full of calorie–burning opportunities. Even a leisurely swim blasts about 216 calories every half hour.
- Beautify your yard. Playing in the dirt is a great way to unwind — and it burns calories, too. Raking, planting or weeding wipes out calories and leaves your garden tidy. Mowing? Opt for a push-mower and you can burn 198 calories in half an hour.
- Put one foot in front of the other. If you’re not in a running mood, a gentle stroll is a great way to unwind while still exercising your muscles. Walking will burn approximately 162 calories in 30 minutes (at a 15-minute-per-mile pace). Pick up the pace to bump up the calorie burn.
- Take up leisure sports. Even if you’re not an athlete, there are plenty of low-key sports you can participate in to unwind. Toss a Frisbee with your pals, or hit the bowling lanes to delete 108 calories per half hour. Golfing burns 198 calories every 30 minutes if you leave the cart behind and carry your clubs.
- Go with the flow. A relaxing half hour of gentle hatha yoga (a slower-paced yoga with basic poses and breathing exercises) burns 144 calories. If you prefer meditation in motion, tai chi burns 144 calories in 30 minutes, and both are excellent stress busters.
- Up your sitting game. What if you really, truly don’t want to get off the couch? While 30 minutes of watching TV can burn up to 81 calories, you can boost your calorie burn by using commercial time to get up and move around.
