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Health and Fitness - The Huffington Post
Ask Healthy Living: Does Sex Really Count As Exercise?
Welcome to Ask Healthy Living -- in which you submit your most burning health questions and we do our best to ask the experts and get back to you. Have a question? Get in touch here and you could appear on Healthy Living!
"Ask Healthy Living" is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a qualified health care professional for personalized medical advice.
Does sex burn enough calories to count as a workout?
It's everyone's favorite workout that doesn't feel like a workout. Sure, it gets your heart pumping and you'll likely break a sweat -- but does sex really live up to its calorie-torching reputation?
Folk wisdom would have us believe the answer is a hearty yes -- and send us all to the bedroom to shed those gym clothes. But a small 2013 study published in the journal PLOS One aimed to find real answers. In the study, 21 heterosexual couples were first asked to complete a 30-minute endurance test on a treadmill at moderate intensity. Then, they were sent home with some sexy activity-monitoring armbands to do the deed at least once a week for a month. They were asked to note how each sex act made them feel "physically and psychologically, especially compared with running on the treadmill," the New York Times reported.
The researchers then crunched the data, finding that sexual activity burned around four calories per minute for men and three per minute for women. The activity between the sheets qualified as "moderate intensity" as measured by METs, or how much energy it takes to complete a task compared to sitting still. In METs, sex ranks at about the equivalent of walking uphill or playing tennis, according to the Times. The treadmill workout, on the other hand, rated more intense in METs and burned more than double the calories, according to the study.
Fine, so it's no run on a treadmill. But something's better than nothing, right? Depends on the somethin' somethin'. Three to four calories a minute can certainly add up, if you're going at it for quite some time. The average time of a sexual act in the study was 25 minutes, including foreplay, which would result in about 75 calories burned for women and 100 for men. Not too shabby! But, at least among users of the data-collecting app Spreadsheets App, sex usually lasts somewhere closer to two to six minutes, resulting in more like 20 calories burned. Womp womp.
Of course, like with any workout, the more, uh, vigorously you go at it, the greater the calorie expenditure you can expect to see. Not to mention there are a wealth of other ways sex does a body good, including strengthening the immune system, boosting heart health and banishing stress.
Bottom line? You probably shouldn't be too quick to swap your next trip to the gym for a roll in the hay. "Sex should not replace regular exercise," study author Antony D. Karelis told Men's Journal. "Rather, sex and exercise should both be incorporated into your routine on a regular basis. Studies show that each improves health, so the combination of the two leads to a greater quality of life."
Have a question? Ask Healthy Living!
"Ask Healthy Living" is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a qualified health care professional for personalized medical advice.
Does sex burn enough calories to count as a workout?
It's everyone's favorite workout that doesn't feel like a workout. Sure, it gets your heart pumping and you'll likely break a sweat -- but does sex really live up to its calorie-torching reputation?
Folk wisdom would have us believe the answer is a hearty yes -- and send us all to the bedroom to shed those gym clothes. But a small 2013 study published in the journal PLOS One aimed to find real answers. In the study, 21 heterosexual couples were first asked to complete a 30-minute endurance test on a treadmill at moderate intensity. Then, they were sent home with some sexy activity-monitoring armbands to do the deed at least once a week for a month. They were asked to note how each sex act made them feel "physically and psychologically, especially compared with running on the treadmill," the New York Times reported.
The researchers then crunched the data, finding that sexual activity burned around four calories per minute for men and three per minute for women. The activity between the sheets qualified as "moderate intensity" as measured by METs, or how much energy it takes to complete a task compared to sitting still. In METs, sex ranks at about the equivalent of walking uphill or playing tennis, according to the Times. The treadmill workout, on the other hand, rated more intense in METs and burned more than double the calories, according to the study.
Fine, so it's no run on a treadmill. But something's better than nothing, right? Depends on the somethin' somethin'. Three to four calories a minute can certainly add up, if you're going at it for quite some time. The average time of a sexual act in the study was 25 minutes, including foreplay, which would result in about 75 calories burned for women and 100 for men. Not too shabby! But, at least among users of the data-collecting app Spreadsheets App, sex usually lasts somewhere closer to two to six minutes, resulting in more like 20 calories burned. Womp womp.
Of course, like with any workout, the more, uh, vigorously you go at it, the greater the calorie expenditure you can expect to see. Not to mention there are a wealth of other ways sex does a body good, including strengthening the immune system, boosting heart health and banishing stress.
Bottom line? You probably shouldn't be too quick to swap your next trip to the gym for a roll in the hay. "Sex should not replace regular exercise," study author Antony D. Karelis told Men's Journal. "Rather, sex and exercise should both be incorporated into your routine on a regular basis. Studies show that each improves health, so the combination of the two leads to a greater quality of life."
Have a question? Ask Healthy Living!
Training Your Proprioception
If you stand on a single leg and then close your eyes, most likely you will hop around and eventually place your foot on the ground to avoid falling. If you switch to the other side and repeat this activity, most likely it will be worse off than the first side or it will be better. Try it.
This activity is one way of measuring proprioception, or your brain's ability to know where your limbs are spatially. As a general rule, we use our eyes to control our balance in life. However, there are also mechanisms in the ear that indicate balance, along with receptors throughout the body that help the brain gauge where the body is in space. It is suggested that people exercise using proprioceptive-enriched environments so that injury risk is decreased as we age. (1, 2)
Some equipment that can challenge proprioception is listed here. Otherwise, if you wish to challenge your balance with the simplicity of your own body weight and the ground, do the program below, all of which are performed in yoga classes:
What you need:
• A second hand clock
• A focal point that will help you with balance (in yoga this is called your Drishti).
• Perform each balance activity for one minute while keeping your focus centered
Single Leg Tadasana:
Stand on your right leg, lifting your left foot off the ground. Find your new center of gravity balancing on the one leg, pulling your navel in toward your spine and tucking your tailbone slightly toward the earth. Depress your shoulder blades down your back while lifting the chest up slightly. Bring your arms to parallel above your head with your palms facing inward. Squeeze the muscles in the right glute and make sure your right toes are spread wide for a larger foundation. Switch sides.
Single Leg Tadasana with Eyes Closed:
Same exercise as above, but this time have your hands either in prayer or out to the side for balance. You will see that the difficulty of this exercise increased significantly from the first. Switch sides.
Airplane Pose:
Starting on your right foot, engage your stomach muscles while lifting your left leg back behind you into hip extension. Tilt your left hip toward the earth as you point your left toes toward the ground. Lean your trunk (your torso) forward so that your body is in a "T" shape, with your balance remaining on your right leg. Bring your arms back to remain actively parallel at your side with your thumbs facing toward the sky. Find your drishti and hold. Switch sides.
Tree Pose:
Standing on your left leg, lift your right foot and place the entire sole of your foot on either the inside of your left thigh or on the left calf. Never balance your foot on your knee joint. Once you connect the foot to the opposite leg, focus on lifting your being upward while pulling your navel in toward your spine and tucking your tailbone downward slightly. Externally rotate (Turn out) the right knee toward behind you. You may either place your hands at prayer or bring your arms overhead to where your palms are facing inward, your arms are straight and your shoulders are depressed away from your ears. Switch sides.
Standing Bow Pose:
Same as Airplane pose, except you should kick your back foot into the hand on the same side before shifting your weight into the "T" shape with your body. Once you feel the strong grip on your foot, then kick back and upward. Reach the opposite arm forward as you create a slight lift in the chest. Be sure to engage your core muscles to avoid overextending your back, and to also help with balance. Switch sides.
Lunge with Trunk Rotation:
Start in a staggered stance with one foot forward, one foot back. Supposing you begin with your right leg forward, make sure your right knee tracks directly in line with your right ankle at a ninety degree angle. Your back leg should be bent at 90 degrees as well. Take your arms out to a "t" shape and while maintaining neutral spine, rotate your arm right and follow your right hand as you bring your arms parallel to your legs. Be sure to keep your hips facing forward and your knees straight, not tilted outward/inward. Perform 10 reps, then switch sides.
Standing Splits:
Standing one leg, reach your hands to the opposite side of the standing foot dropping your chest forward toward your balancing leg. Reach the opposite leg skyward, while descending deeper into the stretch. If you cannot reach the ground, you can use a yoga block, bringing the ground up toward you. If you are more advanced, you can grip onto the back of your calf pulling your chest and forehead closer to your standing leg. Switch sides.
Hand to Foot Pose:
Standing on your right leg, take your left foot into your hand and grip the bottom of the foot. You can hold it here, or you can extend your left leg out in front of you. If you extend your leg out, be sure to lean your weight back slightly into the right leg as you kick the left foot into your hand. Be sure to also keep your standing leg straight. If you can, bring your forehead toward the left leg and slightly flare your elbows out to the side, engaging your back muscles and releasing any shoulder tension/elevation. Switch legs.
References:
(1) Mandelbaum, et al (2005) Effectiveness of a Neuromuscular and Proprioceptive Training Program in Preventing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Female Athletes. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 33:7; 1003-1010. http://ift.tt/1etybdP
(2) Malliou et al (2005).Proprioceptive training (balance exercises) reduces lower extremity injuries in young soccer players.Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 17:3-4;101-104. http://ift.tt/1iTn7UB
Photo Credits: Ellie Panger
This activity is one way of measuring proprioception, or your brain's ability to know where your limbs are spatially. As a general rule, we use our eyes to control our balance in life. However, there are also mechanisms in the ear that indicate balance, along with receptors throughout the body that help the brain gauge where the body is in space. It is suggested that people exercise using proprioceptive-enriched environments so that injury risk is decreased as we age. (1, 2)
Some equipment that can challenge proprioception is listed here. Otherwise, if you wish to challenge your balance with the simplicity of your own body weight and the ground, do the program below, all of which are performed in yoga classes:
What you need:
• A second hand clock
• A focal point that will help you with balance (in yoga this is called your Drishti).
• Perform each balance activity for one minute while keeping your focus centered
Single Leg Tadasana:
Stand on your right leg, lifting your left foot off the ground. Find your new center of gravity balancing on the one leg, pulling your navel in toward your spine and tucking your tailbone slightly toward the earth. Depress your shoulder blades down your back while lifting the chest up slightly. Bring your arms to parallel above your head with your palms facing inward. Squeeze the muscles in the right glute and make sure your right toes are spread wide for a larger foundation. Switch sides.
Single Leg Tadasana with Eyes Closed:
Same exercise as above, but this time have your hands either in prayer or out to the side for balance. You will see that the difficulty of this exercise increased significantly from the first. Switch sides.
Airplane Pose:
Starting on your right foot, engage your stomach muscles while lifting your left leg back behind you into hip extension. Tilt your left hip toward the earth as you point your left toes toward the ground. Lean your trunk (your torso) forward so that your body is in a "T" shape, with your balance remaining on your right leg. Bring your arms back to remain actively parallel at your side with your thumbs facing toward the sky. Find your drishti and hold. Switch sides.
Tree Pose:
Standing on your left leg, lift your right foot and place the entire sole of your foot on either the inside of your left thigh or on the left calf. Never balance your foot on your knee joint. Once you connect the foot to the opposite leg, focus on lifting your being upward while pulling your navel in toward your spine and tucking your tailbone downward slightly. Externally rotate (Turn out) the right knee toward behind you. You may either place your hands at prayer or bring your arms overhead to where your palms are facing inward, your arms are straight and your shoulders are depressed away from your ears. Switch sides.
Standing Bow Pose:
Same as Airplane pose, except you should kick your back foot into the hand on the same side before shifting your weight into the "T" shape with your body. Once you feel the strong grip on your foot, then kick back and upward. Reach the opposite arm forward as you create a slight lift in the chest. Be sure to engage your core muscles to avoid overextending your back, and to also help with balance. Switch sides.
Lunge with Trunk Rotation:
Start in a staggered stance with one foot forward, one foot back. Supposing you begin with your right leg forward, make sure your right knee tracks directly in line with your right ankle at a ninety degree angle. Your back leg should be bent at 90 degrees as well. Take your arms out to a "t" shape and while maintaining neutral spine, rotate your arm right and follow your right hand as you bring your arms parallel to your legs. Be sure to keep your hips facing forward and your knees straight, not tilted outward/inward. Perform 10 reps, then switch sides.
Standing Splits:
Standing one leg, reach your hands to the opposite side of the standing foot dropping your chest forward toward your balancing leg. Reach the opposite leg skyward, while descending deeper into the stretch. If you cannot reach the ground, you can use a yoga block, bringing the ground up toward you. If you are more advanced, you can grip onto the back of your calf pulling your chest and forehead closer to your standing leg. Switch sides.
Hand to Foot Pose:
Standing on your right leg, take your left foot into your hand and grip the bottom of the foot. You can hold it here, or you can extend your left leg out in front of you. If you extend your leg out, be sure to lean your weight back slightly into the right leg as you kick the left foot into your hand. Be sure to also keep your standing leg straight. If you can, bring your forehead toward the left leg and slightly flare your elbows out to the side, engaging your back muscles and releasing any shoulder tension/elevation. Switch legs.
References:
(1) Mandelbaum, et al (2005) Effectiveness of a Neuromuscular and Proprioceptive Training Program in Preventing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Female Athletes. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 33:7; 1003-1010. http://ift.tt/1etybdP
(2) Malliou et al (2005).Proprioceptive training (balance exercises) reduces lower extremity injuries in young soccer players.Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 17:3-4;101-104. http://ift.tt/1iTn7UB
Photo Credits: Ellie Panger
What France Can Teach The Rest Of The World About Living Well
Our Living Well, On Location series explores cities and countries from around the world. How do other people pursue health and happiness? We're going coast to coast, country to country to find out.
Turns out the French haven't banned email after 6 p.m. after all, as American media rushed to report last week. Turns out, the labor agreement that was largely -- optimistically? -- misinterpreted, only applies to a small group of independent contractors, who, it should be mentioned, can already legally work up to 13 hours a day.
But the idea of limiting connectivity to work outside of working hours is still a good one, considering there's essentially no quicker route to burnout than never disconnecting.
And it's not the only way the French show their appreciation for la belle vie. Here are a few things we could all stand to learn from les Français.
They value uni-tasking.
President François Hollande recently banned cell phones from cabinet meetings, to make sure government ministers are paying attention. "Each of us will now have to talk and listen to what is said and will no longer be able to tap away at this magnificent tool," government spokesperson Stephane Le Foll told reporters, the Guardian reported.
Most of us -- French or not -- probably consider ourselves pretty good at multitasking, but you're not fooling anyone with that sorry attempt to text under the table. Multitasking actually makes us less efficient and more stressed -- and could hurt our memory to boot.
Their work week is only 35 hours long.
At least in theory. Yes, the 35-hour workweek is legally on the books, but turns out, in practice, French workers are most likely logging paid overtime, the BBC reported. "It's really the 35 hours that have created this false idea that the French don't work a lot," a French worker who asked to only be named as Olivier told the BBC. "The idea sticks in people's minds. But it's not a reality."
Like employees around the world, many French workers have been tasked with more in a struggling economy, Reuters reported. Still, we much prefer the lingering idea of a 35-hour work week than the stereotype of one that lasts 100 hours.
They're not afraid of carbs.
You have not lived until you've eaten a freshly-baked French baguette from a French pâtisserie. Trust us on this one. Not to mention a diet with too few carbs can seriously dampen your mood.
Higher education is affordable.
Because most large universities in France are public schools, tuition bills range from 181 euros (about $250!) per academic year for undergraduates to 380 euros ($525) a year for Ph.D. students, according to French Agency for the Promotion of Higher Education. (Business and engineering schools, as well as private schools and France's famed grandes écoles can be much more expensive.) While other governments have cut funding over the past few years, France pledged to increase it, bumping up higher education spending by 5.3 percent from 2009 to 2010, according to Time. Not only does education enrich a person's intellectual and professional life, it seems to help people make healthier decisions and live up to nine years longer, according to a CDC report.
They don't eat on the go.
There is no Starbucks on the subway to work, or finishing up breakfast as you run out the door. It might seem simple, but the French make time to sit down to eat -- which makes a surprisingly big difference when it comes to eating mindfully. Taking the time to sit and eat helps us monitor exactly what we're eating (which can in turn promote weight loss or healthy weight maintenance) while giving us the opportunity to savor each bite.
They take vacation seriously.
French workers are given 30 paid vacation days a year, and their vacation days begin to accrue as soon as they're hired, 24/7 Wall St. reported. They also take all 30 of those days, Expedia reported, often, like much of Europe, during the month of August. We know we don't need to convince you that vacations, in theory, are good, but U.S. employees do need some convincing when it comes to actually taking them: The average American workers uses just 51 percent of his or her paid vacation days, according to a Harris Interactive survey.
France wants to help parents raise kids.
A wide range of childcare services are completely covered by the government. There are government subsidies for in-home childcare and cash benefits for having larger families. In practice, France's childcare system may not always work smoothly, critics say, but the intention is a good one: "The French don't often get the how right, but they have the what right, and they’ve had it right for well over a century," Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry writes for Forbes. The French government aims to improve the highly-selective process of enrolling a young child in a day care center -- called a crèche -- by creating 275,000 "additional childcare solutions" by 2017, according to the European Union website.
The French embrace civil unions.
In 1999, France created a civil union system meant to address same-sex marriage. But opposite-sex couples quickly adopted the pacte civil de solidarité, or PACS: 95 percent of couples who signed a civil union in 2009 were heterosexual, the New York Times reported.
Despite a steadily declining marriage rate in France, "getting PACS'ed" quickly gained popularity, until there were two civil unions for every three marriages in the country, according to the Times.
"It has the air of social independence associated with the time-honored arrangement that the French call the 'free union' but with major financial and other advantages," the Washington Post reported. "It is also far easier to get out of than marriage." Whether it's simply for tax purposes or more like a trial marriage, coupling more permanently has noted health benefits, including a longer life.
Did we miss anything? Tell us in the comments!
Turns out the French haven't banned email after 6 p.m. after all, as American media rushed to report last week. Turns out, the labor agreement that was largely -- optimistically? -- misinterpreted, only applies to a small group of independent contractors, who, it should be mentioned, can already legally work up to 13 hours a day.
But the idea of limiting connectivity to work outside of working hours is still a good one, considering there's essentially no quicker route to burnout than never disconnecting.
And it's not the only way the French show their appreciation for la belle vie. Here are a few things we could all stand to learn from les Français.
They value uni-tasking.
President François Hollande recently banned cell phones from cabinet meetings, to make sure government ministers are paying attention. "Each of us will now have to talk and listen to what is said and will no longer be able to tap away at this magnificent tool," government spokesperson Stephane Le Foll told reporters, the Guardian reported.
Most of us -- French or not -- probably consider ourselves pretty good at multitasking, but you're not fooling anyone with that sorry attempt to text under the table. Multitasking actually makes us less efficient and more stressed -- and could hurt our memory to boot.
Their work week is only 35 hours long.
At least in theory. Yes, the 35-hour workweek is legally on the books, but turns out, in practice, French workers are most likely logging paid overtime, the BBC reported. "It's really the 35 hours that have created this false idea that the French don't work a lot," a French worker who asked to only be named as Olivier told the BBC. "The idea sticks in people's minds. But it's not a reality."
Like employees around the world, many French workers have been tasked with more in a struggling economy, Reuters reported. Still, we much prefer the lingering idea of a 35-hour work week than the stereotype of one that lasts 100 hours.
They're not afraid of carbs.
You have not lived until you've eaten a freshly-baked French baguette from a French pâtisserie. Trust us on this one. Not to mention a diet with too few carbs can seriously dampen your mood.
Higher education is affordable.
Because most large universities in France are public schools, tuition bills range from 181 euros (about $250!) per academic year for undergraduates to 380 euros ($525) a year for Ph.D. students, according to French Agency for the Promotion of Higher Education. (Business and engineering schools, as well as private schools and France's famed grandes écoles can be much more expensive.) While other governments have cut funding over the past few years, France pledged to increase it, bumping up higher education spending by 5.3 percent from 2009 to 2010, according to Time. Not only does education enrich a person's intellectual and professional life, it seems to help people make healthier decisions and live up to nine years longer, according to a CDC report.
They don't eat on the go.
There is no Starbucks on the subway to work, or finishing up breakfast as you run out the door. It might seem simple, but the French make time to sit down to eat -- which makes a surprisingly big difference when it comes to eating mindfully. Taking the time to sit and eat helps us monitor exactly what we're eating (which can in turn promote weight loss or healthy weight maintenance) while giving us the opportunity to savor each bite.
They take vacation seriously.
French workers are given 30 paid vacation days a year, and their vacation days begin to accrue as soon as they're hired, 24/7 Wall St. reported. They also take all 30 of those days, Expedia reported, often, like much of Europe, during the month of August. We know we don't need to convince you that vacations, in theory, are good, but U.S. employees do need some convincing when it comes to actually taking them: The average American workers uses just 51 percent of his or her paid vacation days, according to a Harris Interactive survey.
France wants to help parents raise kids.
A wide range of childcare services are completely covered by the government. There are government subsidies for in-home childcare and cash benefits for having larger families. In practice, France's childcare system may not always work smoothly, critics say, but the intention is a good one: "The French don't often get the how right, but they have the what right, and they’ve had it right for well over a century," Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry writes for Forbes. The French government aims to improve the highly-selective process of enrolling a young child in a day care center -- called a crèche -- by creating 275,000 "additional childcare solutions" by 2017, according to the European Union website.
The French embrace civil unions.
In 1999, France created a civil union system meant to address same-sex marriage. But opposite-sex couples quickly adopted the pacte civil de solidarité, or PACS: 95 percent of couples who signed a civil union in 2009 were heterosexual, the New York Times reported.
Despite a steadily declining marriage rate in France, "getting PACS'ed" quickly gained popularity, until there were two civil unions for every three marriages in the country, according to the Times.
"It has the air of social independence associated with the time-honored arrangement that the French call the 'free union' but with major financial and other advantages," the Washington Post reported. "It is also far easier to get out of than marriage." Whether it's simply for tax purposes or more like a trial marriage, coupling more permanently has noted health benefits, including a longer life.
Did we miss anything? Tell us in the comments!
#idahomentalhealth
from Anxiety Agoraphobia Bipolar Disorder Evaluations and Treatment in Boise, Treasure Valley, Idaho http://ift.tt/1hRicRF