Many people want to lose weight. Also, you’ve probably heard that sex burns more calories than cardio exercise.
Scientifically, many benefits of sex life have been demonstrated: it strengthens relationships, improves confidence, favors self-esteem, and can increase the perception of happiness. But how many calories can you burn in a sexual encounter? Could it be replaced by a workout?
These are the questions that many people ask, but, according to a study by the University of Montreal, having sex does not burn more calories than during cardio exercise. Because, according to this research, for about 30 minutes of sex, a woman could burn 69 calories and a man 101; instead, running the same amount of time, a man would burn 276 and a woman 213. Thus, by having sex, 3.6 calories per minute are consumed.
In addition, this Montreal research concludes that men spend more calories than women doing any physical activity, but not because of the effort they invest, but purely due to a metabolic issue.
Key factors: intensity, position, and time
Still, as with any activity, the longer we have sex, the more calories we burn. So, when do we burn more calories in intercourse? This may depend on two factors, according to the University of Montreal study:
– The intensity: at the higher rate, the higher energy expenditure.
– Sexual positions: The person on top would expend more calories than the person lying on the bottom.
Other research that speaks to the most common myths of obesity and weight loss, which was published in 2013 by The New England Journal of Medicine, concluded that sex is overrated as a factor in physical activity.
The study, in which the intensity of the activity, the body weight in kilograms of the person and the time spent, concluded that the cost of calories is the same as walking at a moderate rate the same period of time: A man who weighs 70 kg would spend approximately 3.5 calories per minute (210 calories per hour) during a stimulation and orgasm session. Since the average period of sexual activity lasts about 6 minutes, a man at 30 could spend about 21 calories during sex, the study states.
Finally, the International Society of Sexual Medicine (ISSM) has also determined that the amount of energy that can be burned during intercourse varies according to the time, physical conditions of the couple, and the intensity of exercise.
As in any physical activity, the calories burned in sex will depend on time, intensity, and posture. In addition, there is no ideal time to practice intercourse, although several studies have calculated that its duration would be an average of 6 minutes. Thus, it has been scientifically shown that sexual encounters are not a physical activity that can help lose weight and tone the muscles.
In conclusion, trying to make exercise more intense during sex could be an experience for the couple, but increasing it only with the intention of burning calories could end up in an unpleasant and unenjoyable moment.