11 Ways to Lose Weight This Weekend

11 Ways to Lose Weight This Weekend

The arrival of Saturday and Sunday doesn’t have to throw a wrench in your weight loss—a little fine-tuning will keep you on track

Clean Your Place

A half-hour of mopping can burn 300 calories, vacuuming 131 calories, and scrubbing the bathroom up to 142 calories. 

Go Shopping

Ramp up your mall excursion with a few added challenges. “Do curls with your shopping bags as you walk around the mall,” says Palinski. “You can also wear ankle weights under your pants to help you burn more calories.” 

Switch Up Your Date Plans

nstead of going out to dinner, prepare a meal at home. Not only will the change in plans spice up your routine, you’ll also be able to cook by your own rules. “When you go out to eat, you don’t know exactly what goes into your food,” says Palinski. “You have a lot more control when you cook at home, and can make smaller portions."

Sleep In

Those who are sleep-deprived burn the same number of calories daily as those who do get enough shuteye—but they consume an average of 300 more calories a day, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Why? When you’re exhausted, your body releases the stress hormone cortisol, which makes you think you’re hungry. Pile on a lazy metabolism and more hours awake to nibble, and it’s not surprising that those additional calories develop into pounds. 

Schedule a Girl’s Night

What better way to unwind than strut your stuff on the dance floor with your girlfriends? With the pounding music as your body’s guide, it’s easy to forget that you’re shimmying off unwanted weight. Busting a move can burn up to 337 calories an hour. 

Have Sex

On work-free weekends, you can devote a little more time to…well, taking your time. An hour of hot lovin’ can sizzle up to 300 calories, with kissing adding an extra calorie burned to every minute. 

Sweat It Out In the Sauna

A single sauna sweat session burns anywhere from 300 to 600 calories. The experience also alleviates stress and acts as a natural sleeping pill by stopping the hormone cortisol in its tracks. Research shows that the spike in endorphins usually settles before it’s time to retire for the night, leaving you a mass of relaxed limbs and in need of a deep rest.

Run Outside/ Take a Hike 

Break out from the confines of your cubicle and explore the outdoors. Taking time to enjoy the scenery with a light jog or an evenly paced run can easily torch 500 calories an hour. What’s more, just getting exposure to daylight can spur your body’s natural fat-burner. University of Nottingham scientists discovered that the fat known as brown adipose tissue burns more calories when your body is outside and in cooler temperatures, helping to jumpstart your weight loss.

Tap Into Your Weekend Warrior

f you don’t have much time to devote to the gym during the workweek, see if your fitness center offers longer-length classes on Saturdays and Sundays.