You won’t reap the same cardiovascular benefits doing small movements, but it’s easy to rev up your metabolism. You need to take a mental break at some point during the workday for your own sanity, and lounging on the couch all weekend isn’t too much fun. Try doing one of these activities to burn 100 calories in 20 minutes or less. (All calculations are for an individual of approximately 150 pounds. Calories burned in a certain amount of time vary based on individual weight.)
Take a walk during your coffee break. In just 20 minutes, you will burn 100 calories walking at a leisurely 3 miles per hour. You may even find a walk and fresh air were all you needed to boost your energy level and opt for decaf instead. Feeling like an over achiever? Increase the pace, but be sure to keep it to a conversational level. If you’re too out of breath to talk, you’re moving a little faster than you need to.
Stretch. Sitting all day can leave you with stiff muscles, and stretching for 20 minutes can help increase your flexibility and reduce stress. Burning 90 calories each time you do this is just a bonus. Before you know it, the whole office will join in. Even if they don’t, your productivity and sanity are reason enough!
Dance it out. If you don’t feel like hitting the gym on the weekend, blast your favorite tunes, and move to the beat. Put everything you have into it and you’ll reach the 100-calorie mark in just 15 minutes.
Ride your bike. If you live close enough to the office, consider forgoing the car, taxi, or train, and ride your bike to work instead. Not only is it good for your health (in just 10 minutes you burn 100 calories cycling at comfortable 12 to 14 miles per hour), but it’s good for the environment too. If you can’t make the trip during the week, it’s also a fun weekend activity for the whole family.
Take the stairs. Walking three flights of stairs burns 20 calories—you can do that in no time! If you repeat this cycle five times throughout the day, you reach 100 calories. Plus, it gives you extra motivation to get out of your chair. Work on the 12th floor? Split the trip between the stairs and the elevator. Every few weeks, spend a little more time on the stairs and you’ll be burning through an awful lot of calories.
Wash your car. The automatic car wash is tempting, but in the 20 minutes it takes you to do the deed, you can put 100 calories in the bank. You won’t have to feel quite so guilty when you splurge on a dessert.
Garden. Work your muscles and burn some calories digging in the dirt. When the weather is nice, it can help reduce stress. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself sweating after 20 minutes—you just burned 100 calories. Think about taking on a weekend project that you were planning on hiring out; later, work out the dollar to calorie ratio for a mental pick me up.