The truth about sex and weight loss: the facts revealed
People are always looking for fun ways to get fit and drop a few pounds. If you have ever searched for workout alternatives, you have probably heard the old rumour that an active session in the bedroom can burn hundreds of calories. Some magazines even claim it is better than going for a jog and say sex for weight loss is a great way to feel fitter and get healthier.
It is easy to see why this idea is so popular. Getting fit without leaving the house, spending money on a gym membership, or wearing uncomfortable workout gear sounds brilliant. But if you are genuinely trying to slim down, you need to know if the connection between sex and weight loss is based on science or just wishful thinking.
In this guide, I will look at the actual numbers or calories burned in sex for weight loss. We will review exactly how many calories you use during intimacy, based on real medical research and how it compares to other daily activities. I will share whether it counts towards your weekly fitness goals, and how you can naturally burn a little more energy while having fun.
How many calories do you actually burn during sex?
For a long time, the number of calories burned during intimacy was a complete guessing game. People threw around wild numbers, sometimes claiming you could burn up to 300 calories in a single session. But are sex and weight loss so linked?
Thankfully, scientists decided to find out the truth. A well-known study conducted by researchers at the University of Quebec in Montreal and published in the journal PLOS ONE finally gave us some exact figures.
The researchers gave 21 healthy young couples wearable fitness trackers to monitor their energy use during intimacy over a month to track sex and weight loss or calories burned. They also had the same couples run on a treadmill for 30 minutes to compare the results. The findings were very interesting.
The study revealed that the average sexual encounter lasted about 24.7 minutes. During that time, the calorie burn looked like this:
Men burned an average of 101 calories per session. This works out to about 4.2 calories per minute.
Women burned an average of 69.1 calories per session. This equals around 3.1 calories per minute.
You might wonder why men burned more energy than women in this study. The researchers noted that men generally weigh more than women. Because it takes more energy to move a heavier body, a heavier person will naturally burn more calories doing the exact same activity. Men also tend to be the more physically active partners in traditional positions, which requires more effort. This is all relevant in the sex and weight loss debate.
Does intimacy count as a real workout?
Burning between 69 and 101 calories is certainly better than sitting on the sofa watching television. But it actually count as exercise? Are sex and weight loss really linked and as good as walking for weight loss, for example?
Health professionals use a system called METs to measure how hard your body is working. MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. Sitting quietly and doing nothing is equal to 1 MET.
The Montreal study found that sexual activity requires an average of 5.8 METs. This means that during intimacy, your body is working nearly six times harder than when you are resting.
In the fitness world, anything between 3 and 6 METs is considered moderate-intensity physical activity. To put that into perspective, walking at a brisk pace is about 4 to 5 METs. Because sex sits at 5.8 METs, it officially qualifies as moderate exercise. Sex and weight loss therefore is just as likely as walking and weight loss!
The NHS physical activity guidelines recommend that adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week. This helps keep your heart healthy and reduces the risk of long-term health problems. So, if you are looking to top up your weekly activity minutes, an active sex life absolutely counts towards your goal.
Comparing sex and weight loss to other types of exercise
While the numbers are positive, we need to be realistic about sex and weight loss. Let us look at how the energy used in the bedroom compares to other common activities.
In the same Montreal study, the participants spent 30 minutes jogging on a treadmill. During that half-hour, the men burned an average of 276 calories, and the women burned 213 calories. The treadmill workout burned nearly three times as much energy as the physical intimacy.
If you want a more gentle comparison, think about going for a walk. A 30-minute brisk walk can easily burn around 150 calories, depending on your weight and speed. If you are curious about your own numbers, you can check out this helpful guide on how many calories walking burns.
You can also use a free walking calories calculator to see how a stroll around your local park compares to your bedroom activities. You will likely find that a good walk burns slightly more energy than a standard session of intimacy, simply because you are constantly moving your entire body weight for a set period. I am not saying don’t consider sex and weight loss as useful, but they aren’t going to be better than other activities!
Can sex and weight loss go hand in hand?
To understand how intimacy fits into your weight loss journey, you have to understand how fat loss works. It all comes down to a very simple rule: you must use more energy than you take in from food and drink. This is known as a calorie deficit.
To lose one pound of body fat, you need to create a deficit of about 3,500 calories over time. If you want to lose weight safely, health experts usually suggest aiming for a deficit of about 500 calories a day.
If a woman burns about 69 calories during sex, that is a great little bonus for her daily energy use. However, it is not enough on its own to cause dramatic weight loss. A single chocolate biscuit or a sugary coffee will quickly replace those 69 calories. So before you get excited about sex and weight loss, see it as just that, a little help!
Therefore, relying entirely on sex and weight loss happening together without changing your diet or doing other activities will probably leave you feeling disappointed. Intimacy should be viewed as a wonderful addition to a healthy lifestyle, rather than your main strategy for shedding pounds.
If you strongly dislike traditional gym workouts, there are many other enjoyable ways to move your body. You might want to explore some fun exercise ideas for women who hate exercise. Combining a few of those activities with an active love life is a fantastic way to boost your daily calorie burn. Sex and weight loss could be part of the bigger picture.
How to burn more calories during sex
If you want to maximise the fitness benefits of your romantic time, there are a few simple tweaks you can make. You do not need to turn your bedroom into a gym, but a little extra effort can increase your heart rate and your energy use. If you want to look at sex and weight loss together these tips should help.
Make it last a little longer
The longer you are active, the more energy you will use. The average session in the Montreal study lasted 24 minutes, which included foreplay. Spending more time kissing, massaging, and moving around before the main event is a very pleasant way to keep your heart rate up for a longer period. Whether you do this with sex toys or just more fun together, it will help you burn a few extra calories, and have more fun!
Take on the active role
The person doing the most moving naturally gets the biggest workout. If you usually let your partner do all the heavy lifting, try taking the lead. This is the way to make sex and weight loss work together. Being on top requires you to use your leg muscles, core muscles, and arms to support your own body weight. This extra effort will significantly bump up your calorie burn.
Try different positions
Switching things up forces your body to use different muscle groups. Standing positions, for example, require a lot of balance and leg strength. Positions where you have to support your upper body with your arms act a bit like doing push-ups or holding a plank.
Turn up the heat
Exercising in a warmer room makes you sweat more and slightly increases your heart rate as your body works to cool itself down. Keeping the bedroom a little warmer than usual can make your romantic time feel a bit more like a mild workout.
Add some fun beforehand
Why not put on some music and dance together in the living room before heading to the bedroom? Dancing is a brilliant cardiovascular exercise. It gets you both laughing, warms up your muscles, and gets you in the mood while burning plenty of extra calories.
Other surprising health benefits of intimacy
Even if it does not burn enough calories to replace a gym session, having regular sex is incredibly good for your overall health. It offers benefits that can actually help support your weight loss goals indirectly.
Reduces your stress levels
When you are intimate with someone, your body releases a hormone called oxytocin. This is often called the “cuddle hormone” because it makes you feel happy and relaxed. At the same time, intimacy lowers your levels of cortisol, which is the body’s main stress hormone. High cortisol levels are linked to storing fat around the stomach. By reducing your stress, you are helping your body manage your weight much better.
Improves your sleep quality
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to fall asleep after being intimate? That release of oxytocin, combined with another hormone called prolactin, helps you drift off into a deep, restful sleep. Getting a good night of sleep is vital for weight loss. When you are tired, your body craves sugary, high-calorie foods for quick energy. Sleeping well helps you make better food choices the next day.
Boosts your immune system
Regular physical intimacy has been shown to increase the levels of certain antibodies in your system. This helps your body fight off common colds and minor illnesses. When you are healthy, you are much more likely to stick to your healthy eating plans and stay active.
Protects your heart
Because sex raises your heart rate and gets your blood pumping, it acts as a mild form of cardiovascular exercise. Keeping your heart healthy is essential as you get older, and an active sex life is a very enjoyable way to give your heart a little workout.
Sex and Weight Loss – Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Does having sex more help you lose weight?
Having sex more often will increase the total number of calories you burn each week. However, the amount of energy used is relatively small (around 70 to 100 calories per session). If you want to see noticeable weight loss, you need to combine an active sex life with a balanced diet and other forms of physical activity.
Is sex a good substitute for the gym?
It depends on your goals. If you are looking for a moderate-intensity activity to keep your heart healthy, sex is a great option. It reaches about 5.8 METs, which is similar to a brisk walk. But if you want to build strong muscles or greatly improve your cardiovascular fitness, you will still need to include traditional exercises like swimming, cycling, or weight training in your routine.
How can I track the calories burned during sex?
Many people use wearable fitness trackers or smartwatches to monitor their heart rate during the day. If you wear your watch during intimacy, it will track your elevated heart rate and give you a fairly accurate estimate of how many calories you used. Just remember to take it off if it gets in the way!
Does the time of day matter?
Your body burns calories the same way whether it is morning, afternoon, or night. However, some people find that morning sex gives them a burst of energy and puts them in a good mood for the rest of the day. Others prefer the evening because the relaxing hormones help them sleep better. Choose whatever time works best for you and your partner. Sex and weight loss aren’t impacted by the time of day, but your mood might be.
Does kissing burn calories?
Yes, but only a very small amount. A passionate kiss might burn about 1 to 2 calories per minute. While a 10-minute kissing session might only use 20 calories, it is an excellent way to connect with your partner and get your heart rate up slightly before moving on to more active things.
Are there any calories in sperm?
This is a surprisingly common question. Yes, there are calories in semen, but the amount is incredibly tiny. An average ejaculation contains roughly 5 to 7 calories. It is made up of water, sperm, and small amounts of proteins and sugars. It will certainly not affect your daily calorie goals or your weight loss journey.
Your next steps for a healthy lifestyle
The link between sex and weight loss is definitely real, but it is perhaps not the magic solution that some magazines claim it to be. Burning around 85 calories on average is a lovely bonus to your day. More importantly, the stress relief, improved sleep, and heart health benefits make intimacy a vital part of a happy, balanced life.
If you are looking to lose weight, try to view your romantic life as just one piece of the puzzle. Keep enjoying yourself in the bedroom, but make sure you are also taking care of your diet and finding other ways to move your body that bring you joy.
Whether that means going for a long walk with the dog, dancing in your kitchen, or following a quick home workout video, every little bit of movement counts. Keep making small, healthy choices every day, and the results will follow.
