This Is Exactly How Many Calories You Burn During Sex

Best workout ever?

Hooking up

(Getty)

When you’re working out at the gym and doing some cardio, you’re sweating, your heart rate is up, you’re burning off all those beers from the night before, your legs are on fire, and it feels so, so good.

And when you’re having sex, you’re also simultaneously doing cardio, because you’re sweating, your heart is beating a million times a minute, and you’re burning calories! Yes, sex is exercise!

If you’ve ever wondered just how many calories you burn in a good sex sesh, it’s your lucky day! I’m here to enlighten you, because I have the answer.

Before I get into specifics, I just want to forewarn you that the number might not be as big as you might think, so try to keep it together, people.

OK, here goes: A new study from the University of Montreal found that, on average, sex burns around 100 calories for men, and 69 (LOL) for women. 

Probably a little more if you’re really pounding away, and less if you’re just passively starfishing like a pillow prince.

“Men weigh more than women, and because of this, the energy expenditure will be higher in men for the same exercise performed,” says study author Antony Karelis, a professor of human kinetics at the University of Montreal.

Plus, men usually put in a little more effort than women and do most of the physical work, a.k.a. thrusting, which obviously burns more calories than just laying there.

So, in conclusion, does having sex count as exercise? It depends on how you define “exercise.” If you’re cool with working up a sweat for 20 minutes while burning a meager 100 calories, yes. It totally counts. 

H/T: Time

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