Kissing someone special is arguably one of the best feelings in the world. The troubles of the world fade away, and you’re in a temporary state of bliss. Besides feeling great, there are also a host of health benefits associated with kissing. Some of which include a boosted immune system, decreased pain and lower stress.
On top of this, kissing has been known to burn calories. And although it won’t equal that of running or full on exercise, it’s definitely advantageous. Here’s how it happens, and how to maximize the calories you burn.
Metabolism Booster
According to Dr. Sharon Stills within the online article “10 real reasons kissing is actually good for you,” a naturopathic physician, kissing burns somewhere around two to three calories per minute, versus an average of approximately one calorie per minute while a person is at rest. So if choosing between kissing and doing nothing at all, kissing doubles, if not triples, your metabolic rate. In the long run, it can help you lose at least a little weight. While this is nowhere near the same as rigorous exercise, it’s safe to say that for most, it is a lot more pleasant than pumping iron or sweating on an exercise machine.
Maximizing the Calories You Burn
If you really want to take advantage of this kissing and calorie-burning phenomenon, there are a few ways to increase the number of burnt calories. For starters, a surprise, stand-up kiss is better than sitting down on the couch and moving in for a smooch. Planting a surprise kiss briefly increases heart rate both participants due to the rush and surprise, speeding up blood flow, and boosting metabolism. Meanwhile, standing up also makes you use your muscles more, burning more calories while the smooching is going on.
Because consuming oxygen plays an integral role in burning calories, getting to the point of heavy breathing also helps you burn more. Regardless of whether it is a quick peck on the lips or a long, passionate kiss, remember to breathe deeply, and slowly. Increasing the oxygen exchange will help you burn calories, lower your heart rate, and make the process more enjoyable by lowering your stress brain waves. Also, being in a warmer environment means that you’ll burn more calories, so, turn up the heat… pun intended!
For this Valentine’s Day, you can kill two birds with one stone by kissing. Not only can you enjoy some passionate on this romantic holiday, but you can also burn some calories at the same time!
