Now here’s a new twist on losing weight – have more sex. Much more pleasant than lacing up shoes to go jog five miles, sex is good for our health, burns calories, and puts us in a happy mood. With a staggering 75 percent of men and 67 percent of women in the U.S. who are either overweight or obese, we might as well use as many outlets to lose weight and get in shape as possible.
This is especially true when you’ve tried everything under the sun to lose that excess weight
Cutting calories, increasing exercise, low-carb diet, high-protein diet, weight loss shakes, weight loss supplements, fasting – yet you still have those last few stubborn pounds that won’t budge. Sex may be just the supplemental weight loss method you’ve sought. Let’s think about this – sex gets our heart pounding, works up a sweat, increases metabolic rate, stretches and strengthens muscles, and gets us into compromising positions we normally don’t. And can you think of a more fun way to burn calories?
And don’t forget, sex also has been shown to boost the immune system and provide stress relief, just like a good cardio workout.
Yet, to be clear, no one is saying that simply having sex magically results in the loss of excess pounds. A healthy diet and adequate exercise are still the main tools for reaching a healthy body weight. But let’s take a look at how sex could be the ultimate weight loss tool booster to eliminate those last few pounds you’ve been trying to get rid of for a long time:
- Calorie blaster
Instead of lying in bed watching Netflix, turn off the TV and turn on each other. In just a half hour of sex, you will burn approximately 100-150 calories. Not bad for a calorie burn that’s equivalent to climbing stairs for 15 minutes and one that is much more fun. If you have an orgasm, you’ll up the calorie ante.
One study that researched the number of calories burned during sex found that men burned, on average, 101 calories and women 69 calories. The average intensity is higher than walking yet lower than jogging, placing sex in the category of moderate-intensity exercise.
Plus, kissing, snuggling, and getting into various positions can keep the body toned, and muscles taunt. You can even give (and receive) a massage that ramps the heart rate, kicking the calorie burn.
- Controls cortisol
Do you know how they say sex is good for relieving stress? Well, it’s true, and what a more pleasurable way to do so. Whenever we are under high anxiety or stressed, our body activates the adrenal glands to release cortisol. Cortisol increases your appetite for foods you don’t need – foods high in fat and sugar. If you do succumb to devouring that jelly doughnut you’re craving, your body will store those extra calories as fat around your midsection.
That’s where a romp under the covers can help. Sex reduces the body’s “fight or flight” response to stress as intercourse lowers blood pressure, putting you into a more relaxed state of mind. Afterward, you feel more serene and peaceful and less likely to reach for junk food.
- You’ll sleep like a baby
Lack of sleep is a known factor in blocking fat and weight loss. When we have a lovemaking session right before falling asleep, our body releases the hormone oxytocin, known as the “cuddle hormone.” During intimacy, our skin-to-skin contact causes oxytocin levels to rise. This triggers the release of endorphins and testosterone, which cascade into arousal. Further touching releases even more oxytocin, responsible for achieving explosive orgasms.
So how does this help with sleep and weight loss? Oxytocin regulates sleep patterns and calms you leading to a feeling of well-being, and lulling you into dreamland. The better you sleep at night, the more rested you feel the next day, giving you the energy to do a workout or cook a healthy meal at home instead of picking up fast food at a drive-thru window.
- You’re more likely to stick to a healthy eating and exercise plan
Frequent sex makes you feel loved and gives you that required self-esteem boost to keep up the good work of taking care of yourself. Knowing that your spouse finds you attractive and wants to express their passion for you motivates you to look your best.
You don’t need to be a “10” to have a good body image, just the self-motivation and determination to become your best you. Besides, all that healthy eating and working out pays off not only in reducing the risk of disease but in better enjoyment of sex.
Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. Dr. Samadi is a medical contributor to NewsMax TV and is also the author of The Ultimate MANual, Dr. Samadi’s Guide to Men’s Health and Wellness, available online both on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911.
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