When it comes to burning calories, if you give people the choice between an hour on a stair climber or pretty much any amount of time having sex, chances are they’re going to choose the workout that happens in the sheets and not in the gym. But just how many calories is the average horizontal sweat session burning?
HuffPost asked experts to give us the lowdown on the physical benefits of sexual activity. Here’s what you should know about the calories you torch and how else getting busy can boost your physical health:
Yes, researchers actually have data on how many calories a person burns on average during sex…
Antony Karelis, a professor at the department of exercise science at the University of Quebec at Montreal, was part of a research team that conducted a study with 21 heterosexual couples examining energy expenditure during sex. Because no such data existed, Karelis was specifically interested in exploring the subject in units of calories burned, so it could be compared to traditional exercise.
…But ultimately it varies from couple to couple.
Karelis’ research only included couples who were straight, healthy, non-obese and in their early 20s, among other restrictions. So while the study offers a great foundational place to start when understanding the energy expenditure of sex, it can’t deliver accurate caloric data for queer couples, older couples or other populations who weren’t included.
But even without specific data, we know that not everyone burns calories at the same rate during sexual activity, anyway. Men typically burned more calories than women in the study, given that their body mass was generally larger and “the bigger you are, the more you’re going to expend,” Karelis said. But this generally holds true of anyone with a larger body mass index (BMI), regardless of sex, he added.
Those with chronic illnesses like cardiac diseases, cancer or diabetes, as well as those who live a sedentary lifestyle, may burn fewer calories from sexual activity.
“Several factors may explain this, such as these individuals may have higher levels of fatigue… a lower mobility and lower fitness levels. All of these factors can affect burning calories,” Karelis said.
There aren’t calorie breakdowns for specific sexual positions.
Karelis said the study’s participants filled out a survey following each sex session, detailing their experiences along with the positions they used. Karelis noted that most participants used two or three different positions each time, so we know the data is representative of more than just a month of missionary sex. But unless you were to re-do the study with participants only having sex in one specific position, you can’t get a good sense of how different sex moves stack up against each other, calorie-wise.
Just because we don’t know how many calories you burn having sex standing up, let’s say, doesn’t mean we can’t discern other benefits from various positions. Hannah Davis, a Tennessee-based certified strength and conditioning specialist, said that such a position can work your inner thigh muscles if you’re the one being lifted, and could help your partner improve balance as well. And if you’re on top during missionary, you’re probably working your back extensor muscles, too. Silver linings all around.
Sorry, oral sex probably burns fewer calories.
“I don’t think [oral sex] plays a huge role in terms of an energy expenditure here,” Karelis added. “But again, this is actually a hypothesis and not something that’s been able to be documented.”
Sex shouldn’t replace exercise…
This should go without saying it, but we’re reiterating just in case: Sex is a great activity but it’s not a substitute for regular fitness. Karelis’ study compared participants’ calorie burn during sex to their energy expenditure after 30 minutes on a treadmill. No surprise ― sex won’t cut it as a replacement for your cardio routine.
According to his findings, “the energy expenditure during the 30-minute exercise session in men was 276 kCal or 9.2 kCal per minute, and in women 213 kCal or 7.1 kCal per minute” for the treadmill. (Again, sex burned around 101 for men and 69 for women.)
And definitely don’t try to use sex to lose weight. “You will have to expend huge amounts of energy with [sex] in order to start thinking about using that as a weight loss strategy,” Karelis said.
…But there are still plenty of other health benefits.
Even if you’ve got to stick to your gym routine, there are still tons of ways that sex is good for you. For example, sexual activity has been shown to increase cognition in older adults. It can also help you get a good night’s rest: Sex releases prolactin, a hormone that helps you fall asleep.
Getting busy can also help you work different muscle groups than you would at the gym. Davis said that during sex, women can engage their pelvic floor muscles, which she noted weaken over time or with childbirth and are crucial for bladder control.
And yes, there are ways to amp up your calorie burn during sex.
“Number one, make it last longer,” Davis said. The longer you’re aerobically active, the more calories you’re going to burn.