Even though exercise comes with a long list of benefits, we all still hate doing it. And that’s why we’re always trying to find new and effective ways to stay fit while actually enjoying ourselves.
Is it possible that the perfect solution has been there all along? Could sex be the answer to staying fit while having fun, too?
Is Sex Exercise?
Scientists admit that sex can get your heart rate up and that yes, it is a moderately intense form of exercise.
But the duration of sex (around 10 minutes) combined with the frequency of sex (on average, two to three times per week for the average American couple) might make sex a poor substitute for your gym membership.
Then again, it all depends on you. So, let’s see how you can vamp up your sex life to support your fitness goals.
Can Sex Help You Burn Calories?
A study published in Plos One found that men burn around 4.2 calories per minute during sex, and women burn about 3.1 calories for every minute they make love. Now, if you’re enjoying an hour of sex, you can easily burn a considerable amount of calories.
But you’re probably not having sex long enough to make a noticeable impact on your daily fitness efforts. Most sex sessions are under 10 minutes, and that’s not much time for any form of exercise, whether it’s sex, going for a run or doing Pilates.
When you compare sexual activity with an aerobic activity like running, men can burn almost twice as many calories as opposed to when they’re having sex, according to this study.
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Can Sex Help You Lose Weight?
Even though sex doesn’t burn a ton of calories, it does burn some. So, it begs the question: If you can increase your heart rate and burn at least some calories while having sex, can love making reduce your love handles, too?
The answer is yes!
And the more sex you have, the more opportunities you have to burn the calories from that romantic dinner. But sex helps you lose weight in other ways, too. Here are just a couple of examples of how to shed unwanted pounds with the help of some healthy sex:
- Sex lowers cortisol, the stress hormone, and with that, it also lowers your craving for high-carbohydrate and high-fat foods. Sex doesn’t put you on a diet. But it does help to balance your hormone levels, which supports better eating habits, too.
- Sex helps you sleep, and when you’re sleeping better, there’s a much better chance that you’ll see lasting results from your weight loss efforts. That’s because sleep deprivation makes your body hold onto fat longer.
Can Sex Help You Tone Your Body?
Absolutely!
When you’re having sex, you’re not just engaging with your partner. You’re also engaging with your core muscles, and chiseling your six pack. When you’re having sex, you can focus on other muscle groups, too, like your pelvic floor and leg muscles. Not only does this make sex hotter, but it makes you hot, too.
Here are some of the best positions when you really want to work it:
- Doggy Style: When a woman balances on all fours during sex, she really has to engage her core muscles, as well as her quads and glutes.
- Bridge: If you want a full body workout, this position will really fire up your engine. Here, you engage arms, leg and core muscles, all while sharing powerful intimacy with your partner.
- Standing: To enjoy this position, a woman needs to have good arm strength. And if she’s balanced on one leg, her other leg is hard at work to keep her from falling.
- Cowgirl: When the woman’s on top, she activates a lot of muscle groups, including her lower abs and pelvic muscles, as well as her quads and calf muscles.
- Missionary: You probably think that man does all the work in the missionary position. But it’s up to the woman to push back, and the best way she can do this is by engaging her core and glute muscles. It takes a lot of strength, but it’s so much better than using your lower back.
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These positions are only some of the ways women can tone their bodies during sex. But what really makes these positions cool?
They help you become more aware of your body, and how it feels and reacts to your partner. It helps you to become more present and in the moment, and that can change everything.
Switch it Around! Exercise to Improve Your Sex Life
Since sex is an active way to show affection, the more fit you are, the better your sex feels for both you and your partner. So, instead of waiting for sex to get some exercise in, why not exercise to improve the sex?
And here’s an added bonus to convince you: a mere 20 minutes of exercise a day can help you enjoy sex and get aroused more quickly.
And it’s not just strength training and aerobic exercise that makes a difference. Being flexible means you and your partner can branch out and try new positions. This makes sex more exciting, invigorating and pleasurable. Here are some easy moves you can try at home or at the gym.
- Kegels are the quintessential exercise for your lady parts. By tightening and releasing the muscles in your pelvic floor (as if you’re trying to release and stop the flow of urine), you pave the way for better, more controlled orgasms.
- Yoga increases flexibility, which always comes in handy when you’re trying new positions.
- Low side-to-side lounges increase your flexibility where you need it most.
- Squats don’t just strengthen your leg muscles. They also increase blood flow to your reproductive organs and that makes arousal easier.
- Standing hip thrusts are pretty self-explanatory.
- Planks strengthen your entire body, and also give you better endurance during sex. This is especially true for sexual positions like doggy style, standing up and bridge.
- Hinges allow you to feel more pleasure from stimulation.
- Bridge pose strengthens the pelvic muscles and raises endorphins.
- Plies strengthen the muscles of your vagina, which means better and more frequent orgasms.
Sex is an easy way to both share powerful intimacy with your partner, and strengthen your own body in the meantime. And the stronger you are, the better your sex is, too.
