100 calories. It's not much. Have you just eaten an apple? Maybe a third of an avocado? Perhaps you've devoured a hard boiled egg? If so you've just loaded up on 100 calories. If you want to shed this unwanted energy we've compiled a list of 12 great ways to send the calories packing.
1) Head up & down your stairs
Just six minutes of going up and down your work stairs will burn off that baked potato you had a lunch. The stairs works big muscles in the legs which require a lot of energy to get moving. So forget the lift and you'll reap the rewards.
2) Dance
Maybe don't do this one at work. If you set a play list of your favourite 5 tunes and get bopping you'll hammer out 100 calories! So open up Spotify, pick songs with a decent tempo and start dancing! If you find someone to do it with you might feel a little less awkward.
3) Cooking
Yes, you burn calories cooking up a storm. In half an hour of whipping around the kitchen you'll shed 100 calories. So not only can you use the time to cook up a healthy, nutrition recipe, you'll have the added bonus of expelling calories while doing so!
4) Get on your bike
Heading to the shops? Ditch the car and hope on your bike! You'll burn off 100 calories in just 10 minutes of peddling. Not only will you shed that unwanted energy but you'll get fresh air, you're saving the environment and you're helping in the battle against traffic congestion. Go you!
5) Carry the kid
Have a baby or toddler? Well forget the buggy and use a carrier to get from A to B. Why? Because carrying your little one will burn 100 calories in 20 minutes! Remember if you're kids are teenagers there may be some resistance to this idea.
6) Walk the dog
It can be annoying having to bring pooch out so they can do their business, especially now that the weather will be getting colder and the nights shorter. But just remember that 35 minutes of walking the dog will destroy 100 calories. So don't make the kids do it every evening, there's benefit to it and your furry friend will love you even more.
7) Wash the dishes & iron
Need a way to motivate your partner to do some house chores? Let them know that 40 minutes in front of the sink or at the iron will burn 100 calories. Double up for a 200 calorie bonanza!
8) Give a massage
Now you're not going to burn any calories lying half asleep on the massage table. But you will if you're the one giving out the pampering! 25 minutes of working the muscles of one lucky person will shed 100 calories. They'll be forever grateful too, not realising your hidden agenda.
9) Cut the grass
The memories of your childhood in the summer coming rushing back as soon as you smell freshly cut grass. Get out the lawnmower out and after 20 minutes you'll be feeling nostalgic and 100 calories lighter. Haven't got a garden big enough? Make friends with your neighbours by offering to cut theirs! They'll think you've gone mad.
10) Dust off the keys
Eager to learn a musical instrument? Well just remember that 40 minutes of piano practice will be enough to burn 100 calories! Learning music is also great for the mind and you'll be a hit at your next Christmas party.
11) Sweat it out
Just finished a good workout? Well treat yourself to a sauna as you'll actually burn 100 calories in anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. Now there's a lot of debate around this so do your research before you rely on it for genuinely lose weight. Hell, even if it doesn't work the sauna is a great way to chill out.
12) Go Shopping
No one really needs to be forced to go shopping. Most of us love it once there's a few Euro's in the bank. Well while you're out spending your hard earned cash remember that you have the added bonus of burning 100 calories every 38 minutes of flicking through the rails. If ever you needed an excuse...