All of us watching our weight or trying to shake off a few pounds know the basic rule of weight loss: burn more calories than you consume. But between the temptations you’re trying not to give into and the disappointing calorie count when you get off the treadmill drenched in sweat, you can’t help but wonder: “how am I ever going to get there?”. But we have good news – everything you do burns calories!

How many calories you burn in a day depends on your weight and level of activity – for instance, a heavier person will burn more calories during the same activity performed by a skinnier person (they also require a greater calorie intake), and so would a person with an active job, like a construction worker or a waitress.

When your goal is to lose weight, however, you need to crank it up a notch. But what happens when you don’t have time to hit the gym? Even if you’re not a workout junkie, you can still shave off some calories just by performing regular daily activities. Find out below how many calories you burn in a day doing mundane tasks, such as brushing your teeth or washing the dishes!

Cleaning

This is a no-brainer for homemakers everywhere: household work can really make you break a sweat. Washing dishes, vacuuming, dusting, mopping the floor, ironing and folding clothes are things some of us do every day, and more often than not, we profoundly resent them. Next time you’re doing household chores and thinking about all the other things you’d rather be doing, think of some 140 calories you could burn in just an hour of cleaning the house.

Shopping

Pushing or carrying around a shopping cart full of groceries is no easy task – especially the part where you have to carry them home and put them away in their designed places. An hour of grocery shopping can burn up to 90 calories while stocking the fridge or pantry with the purchased items will get rid of 26 extra calories per 15 minutes. Also, the same goes for clothes shopping – so shop ‘til you drop.

Sleeping

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for your health: it gives you better skin, increased productivity, and surprise, surprise – it can help you lose weight. A night of good eight-hour sleep can shave off up to 500 calories!

How many calories you burn in a day depends on how much REM sleep you get (also known as deep-sleep, where dreams occur) – without it, you won’t get the rest you need and your body won’t be able to recharge properly. Also, sleeping in a cool environment can help you burn even more because your body uses energy to warm itself up. However, be careful not to eat or drink alcohol right before bed – it slows down your metabolism.

Personal grooming

If you’re the kind of person that spends too much time in the bathroom or in front of the mirror, there may be an upside to it. Taking a shower, brushing your teeth, doing your hair, even putting on makeup takes energy, especially if you’re standing or moving around a lot. An hour of grooming burns about 68 calories, while a 15-minute shower shaves off an additional 17 calories.

Talking

Carrying a conversation is not as passive as you might think, especially if you’re standing, pacing around or gesturing a lot. Moreover, many of us multitask while we’re on the phone, which can add to the energy you spend during the activity. Talking for an hour, while standing or moving around burns about 54 calories, so next time your mom calls you to ask what you’re doing with your life, consider biting the bullet – a heated conversation will increase your heart rate, which burns even more calories.

Playing with your little one(s)

When we say “little ones”, we refer to any little troublemakers you might have in your house – this includes both children and pets (goldfish and tarantulas probably don’t count). Spending time playing and taking care of them isn’t just fun and rewarding – it can also be quite the workout. Throwing a ball around, giving them a bath, grooming them, feeding them, changing them – all of these burn calories, and bring joy to everyone in the house. Joining your little ones for an hour of playtime can help you burn up to 100 calories, so give them the attention they deserve.

Cooking

Eating healthy isn’t always fun, especially since you have to spend more time in the kitchen than you’d like. But the good part is that while you’re slicing and dicing, blending and mixing, you’re actually using up some of the energy you’ll get from that meal. One hour of cooking can burn up to 70 calories, more if you’re multitasking or moving around a lot.

Kissing

Making out isn’t just for teenagers – physical affection not only improves your general mood and builds intimacy with your partner, but you can make it into an actual workout. A passionate, active session of smooching can burn up to 60 calories in an hour, more if you include petting and rolling around. Try new positions and think sexy thoughts – this will amp up your heart rate and make you burn even more.

Driving

When walking from point A to point B just isn’t feasible, driving can be a not too shabby substitute. While riding the bus or taking the subway does next to nothing, driving a car for an hour can burn about 68 calories. That being said, you should always be a responsible driver – don’t drink alcohol before getting behind the wheel, and don’t perform other activities that could distract you while driving, such as talking on the phone, drinking coffee or smoking.

Desk work

Even if you have a sedentary job, which involves sitting at a desk, writing or using the computer, don’t despair – you’re burning calories just by reading this article! In fact, an hour of desk work, such as typing, studying or writing can burn up to 54 calories. Multiply that by the number of hours you spend at work every day, and you’ve really got something!

Note: The values provided in this article are for a person weighing 150 lbs – a person who weighs less will burn less, and a person who weighs more, will burn more. How many calories you burn in a day also depends on your age, sex, and metabolism.

Now that we’re in full-blown swimsuit season, extra pounds and unsightly cellulite have no business making us feel self-conscious and ruining our holiday mood. Get your body bikini-ready with these 5 easy anti-cellulite exercises that you can do every day, in the comfort of your own home!

Summertime means vacation, fun and dreams of exotic islands with sandy beaches and refreshing waters. But for many of us, summer also brings about the anxiety and pressure of getting into shape and looking our best in that summer dress or swimsuit we had our eye on. To that end, we have put together a list of the best, easiest and most effective anti-cellulite exercises, so that you can enjoy your vacation and feel good about yourself.

The butterfly plank

This exercise works pretty much every muscle group: your thighs, your legs, your glutes, your abs and your arms. But, most importantly, it works your inner-thighs, which are harder to engage in classic legs & thighs exercises.

You start in a classic plank position, resting on your forearms and keeping your back straight and in line with the rest of your body. Place two pieces of paper under your toes (you can skip this step if you have slippery floors and wear socks for this exercise), and slowly spread your legs apart as far as you can by gliding on the floor, and bring them back together. Do as many reps as you can in 30 seconds, rest, and then do another set.

The frog crunch

Lie on your stomach, your arms and legs spread apart like a frog. Keeping your abs tight, raise your arms and legs from the ground simultaneously, hold for a few seconds, and then come back down. Do about 30 reps, and then hold the position for 30 seconds.

This exercise works wonders for your hamstrings and glutes, and it also engages your abs and back muscles.

The spring & squat

Start from a classic squat position, with your thighs parallel to the ground and your back nice and straight. As you come up from the squat, raise your right leg and kick it back as high as you can, aiming to touch your buttock with your heel. Go back into the squat, and repeat the movement with your left leg. Once you get used to the motion, speed it up a bit and add a little spring to your step to get your blood flowing and burn more calories.

This exercise is great because it’s easy to do and it works all of your leg muscles. If you want an extra challenge, perform the same exercise using ankle weights.

The tabletop leg-raise

Get in a simple tabletop position – on all fours, with your back straight and your abs engaged. Raise your right leg, bending it so that at the top of the movement your thigh is parallel to the ground. You can do a regular leg raise on each leg, for 30 reps, or, for an extra challenge, you can keep your working leg in the top position and thrust it upwards as if you were trying to kick the ceiling with your heel.

This exercise is perfect for you if you can’t (or won’t) do squats, because it engages all the same muscles, with special focus on your glutes and hamstrings.

The candle thrust

While lying on your back, put your legs together and raise them straight up in the air, imagining your ankles are tied together and pulled up towards the ceiling. Lay your hands on your sides for support, and thrust upwards for 30 seconds, without touching the ground between reps.

This exercise is perfect for those with bad knees or joint problems, because it takes the weight and pressure off of them, while still working those glutes, legs, and abs.

If you want to include other anti-cellulite exercises in your routine, remember to choose exercises that target the problem-areas where cellulite likes to nest: thighs, legs and buttocks.

While going to the gym 3 times a week is something you tell yourself you’re going to do every other month, there are always excuses: it’s too expensive, too far, you feel self-conscious in front of other people, etc. But what if you brought the gym to you instead?

Working out isn’t fun for everyone. Besides the extra pounds we constantly obsess over, some of us deal with all sorts of fears and insecurities, which can make going to the gym daunting and intimidating. If the gym is a no-go for you, here are 5 pieces of home gym equipment to help you set up a comfortable, yet efficient weight loss environment.

A set of dumbbells

Dumbbells are the most accessible pieces of home gym equipment you can include in your fitness regimen. They add variation and difficulty to your exercises, depending on their size and weight. They come in sets of two, weighing between 5 and 100 pounds each, and exercises are performed holding one in each hand.

Using dumbbells helps you work out your upper body strength, as well as engaging multiple muscle groups at a time. As a beginner, you should start with lighter weights and work your way up.

Gym mat

A good gym mat is a necessity for any home-athlete in the making – “love the pain” doesn’t refer to back injuries and carpet burns. You can find them in a variety of sizes, colors, and designs. The most popular varieties are yoga mats, which are thin and compact and made of rubber and latex. They are quite versatile, but they can be quite pricy.

Pick your gym mat according to your budget and available space, as well as the type of workout you’re going for – but don’t spend too much money on this item, it’s not going to burn calories for you.

Jump rope

The jump rope is a fun and useful addition to your home gym equipment – it’s also cheap, compact and easy to use. Jump rope exercises make for great cardio, they improve balance and coordination and they also bring back some childhood nostalgia. You can find them at any department store – the ones you find at gym equipment stores can be more expensive.

Ankle weights

Ankle weights are great for those who prefer jogging, cycling or even dancing – they increase the level of difficulty without hindering mobility, and they are much safer to use than other free weights (it’s harder to drop an ankle weight on your foot than a kettlebell). They are also quite versatile, as they can be used both indoors and outdoors, depending on your preference.

Make sure you adjust them properly so that they fit snuggly and comfortably on your feet and keep them (and all other home gym equipment) clean.

Resistance band

In the absence of complex workout machines, a resistance band is a perfect addition to your home gym. They are among the cheapest home workout equipment, but also the most versatile – they can be used for both your upper and lower body, including arms, legs, and chest.

You can find them in a wide variety of colors, designs, and resistance levels, which can make you break more or less of a sweat.

Wintertime can be a bit of a challenge: taking long walks isn’t an option anymore in the freezing cold and with the holidays coming up, our Christmas cravings start to emerge – gingerbread, hot cocoa, and delicious comfort food. How do you stay in shape during winter? Try this 5-step workout program to keep your abs toned and firm under your favorite reindeer sweater.

“W” leg raises

Lie flat on your back and raise your legs straight in the air, right over your hips. Bring them down and as you get close to the ground, spread them apart and raise them upwards, as if you were making a slightly rounded “w” line with your legs. Bring them down again and do 20 repetitions. Make sure your back is flat on the ground the entire time and only spread your legs as far as you feel comfortable.

Front plank

You’re probably already familiar with the plank, which engages both your abs and your buttocks. Get into a normal push-up position, only in this case you will be supporting yourself on your forearms. Maintain the position for 50 seconds.

Frog-legs crunches

Lie on your back as you would for regular crunches, only this time you will bring the soles of your feet together and stick your knees out, as if you were trying to applaud using your feet. Raise your back slowly off the floor, keeping your abs engaged and bring your knees up too, as if you were folding yourself in half. Do 15 repetitions.

Figure “4” leg raises

This one sounds more complicated than it actually is. Lie on your back and bend one of your knees, resting that foot on your other leg, making a figure “4” shape with your legs. Lift your legs up over your hips and bring them back down, as close to the ground as you can. Remember to keep your back flat on the floor, your neck relaxed and your abs tight. Do 15 repetitions.

Leg raise toe taps

Lie back and prop yourself up on your elbows, raising your legs up at about 45° degrees from the ground. Bend one knee at a time, briefly tapping the ground with your toes, keeping your thighs completely flat and your abs contracted. This exercise is great for your legs and thighs, as well as your waistline. Do 30 repetitions.

After you’re done with all the exercises, take a 1-2 minute break, and then start over with another set. Focus on maintaining the correct form and posture, rather than speeding through the exercises and stop if you start feeling any kind of pain. Reward yourself with a warm cup of tea after you’re finished.