I used to ask this all the time, and most of the time the answers I got were next to none.  But I found this article in a Women’s Day magazine, so I thought I would revisit it with you.   Do you burn calories?  If so, how many?

According to the article:

1. Kissing: 68 calories per hours.  See if you can get into that groove again, say experts. Not only is smooching a great way to show affection and improve your bond as a couple, it can also help you burn fat. “If the kissing is vigorous and involves some petting, it could be even closer to 90 calories burned in an hour,” says Jaiya Kinzbach, a Los Angeles–based sexologist and the author of Red Hot Touch.

2. Undressing: 8 calories total: By upping the energy you put into undressing, you can burn some extra calories. Don’t just strip down in seconds, says Kinzbach; instead, “draw it out and make it part of your foreplay, while getting a great a workout going.” Or undress to tease him, adds Gilda Carle, PhD, a psychotherapist and relationship expert.

3. Massaging: 80 calories per hour: As it turns out, giving a good massage can get your heart rate up and kick your body into calorie-burning mode. But the way to ramp things up even more isn’t to speed things up. Instead, consider going slower, recommends Kinzbach. “This may seem counterintuitive to burning calories,” she says, “but going slower and deeper is not only more sensual, it works different muscles.

4.  Having sex: 144+ calories per half hour: The key for high-calorie-burning sex is making it hot and making it last, say experts. Perhaps the best way to maximize calorie-burning during sex is to make sure you orgasm. Experts estimate that women who orgasm during sex burn more calories during lovemaking than those who don’t.

5. Giving oral sex: 100 calories per half hour:  Here’s a stat you don’t hear every day: Being on the giving end of oral sex may be just as effective as a quick stint on the elliptical machine.

6. Using your hands: 100 calories per hour: Of course, the old-fashioned hand job is a calorie burner, but you can zap an additional 50 calories per half-hour by taking things up a notch. “Get lots of stuff going at once,” suggests Kinzbach. “Try really slow sensual strokes, and position yourself so that you can use your body as well.”

7. Romantic Dancing: 103 calories per half hour: A little dirty dancing—even with your clothes on—can be a workout for you and your husband. Couples who take dance lessons (and practice in the privacy of their homes) can attest to this. Bonus: “It has been shown in scientific studies that right after an aerobic exercise, women become aroused and lubricated more easily

8.  Making out: 238 calories per half hour: A sizzling clothes-on make-out session with the man you love may be the most intense caloric blaster yet. Why? Anticipation, says Dr. Carle, can get your heart rate going. “It gives way to heavy breathing, which gives way to a great calorie burn,” she explains.

If this is true, I don’t have to give up my Christmas chocolate!  No, I’m just kidding.  I really need to find ways to lower my calorie intake, but it’s nice to know that in addition to working out on the elliptical, a little romp with my DH can burn a few calories or 2 as well.

What do you think about the article?