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You know those studies that say boning can help burn calories? That’s awesome, if it’s true. But I’ve always wondered — how legitimate can that belief be? And if it is legit, does that mean we can all skip a day (or three) at the gym?
The age-old question has finally been answered thanks to Kevin Netto, an associate professor of physiotherapy and exercise science at Curtin University in Australia.
This isn’t the first time someone tried figuring out if sex and exercise were synonymous. Studies performed in the 1960’s found that having sex increases your respiratory rate, heart rate and blood pressure, all of which are signs that your body is working at an elevated rate (like it does when you’re running full speed ahead on the treadmill).
More recent studies have been replicated these results. In an article published by The Daily Mail, Netto explains,
Comparing this to what happens during exercise, they showed sexual activity elicits a moderate level of physical stress – up to 75 per cent of maximal exercise.
But they also noticed these physiological stress levels were intermittent. Much of the average time of sexual activity recorded (33 minutes) was spent at lower stress levels.
A more recent study of young Canadian heterosexual couples showed a bout of sexual activity was akin to moderate physical activity – such as brisk walking – when energy expenditure was measured.
So basically, sex counts as legitimate exercise if you consider walking down the street legitimate exercise. Which hey, when I’m hungover, that’s exactly what I consider a good workout. If you have the same thought when you’re not hungover, then yes — forgo that five minute walk for a good wham bam thank you ma’am. You’ll be in shape in no-time!
And by no-time we mean like 25 years, but whatever! You do you.
