Calories Burned

• Your weight will determine how many calories you burn when sitting. The more you weigh, the more calories you burn. Sitting at rest, without thinking or moving, will burn the least amount of calories. For example, according to Coolnurse.com, a person who weighs 150 lbs. will burn approximately 1.6 calories in an hour. Approximate numbers from Tooele County Health Department say that 60 calories are burnt per hour during sleep. Seventy calories are burnt per 30 minutes while sitting down and eating. Seventy-five calories are burned while reading, watching TV or participating in any activity that uses the brain. While sitting and writing, playing cards or participating in some other sort of movement, 114 calories are burnt per hour.
  
  

Ways to Burn More

• There are ways to increase the number of calories we burn while sitting. According to Searchwarp.com, drinking an ice cold glass of water versus a room temperature glass will burn an extra 7.69 calories. Therefore, if you drink eight glasses per day, that's 64 extra calories. Laughing for approximately 15 to 20 minutes will burn up to 50 extra calories, so take time out of your day to laugh and relax. Chewing a stick of sugar-free gum will also burn up to 11 extra calories.
  
  

Activities to Include

• If your occupation demands long hours of sitting, add activities to the rest of your day that make up for the calories not burnt while sitting. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, and try taking the stairs two at a time. Park in the parking spot farthest from the door. Every hour, take a break to walk to the bathroom, the kitchen or just around the office to get your blood flowing again. On your lunch break, take a walk outside or head to a nearby gym for a quick workout. Eat small and healthy snacks throughout the day to keep your metabolism working, but store the snacks in the kitchen. This forces you to get up and walk to your food.
  
  

Posture & Stretching

• Some of us have jobs that don't allow for frequent walks around the office. While we are sitting, there are still ways to keep our blood flowing and our calories burning. Remain in an upright position in your chair, with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle, your feet flat on the floor, your back up against the chair and your head straight ahead. This posture works your back and stomach muscles. Consider sitting on an exercise ball instead of a chair, even if it's just for a few hours a day. Flex and stretch your muscles every hour, such as twisting your ankles in circles, clenching your fists and then releasing, turning your head from side to side, and rolling your shoulders.
  
  

Keep Moving

• Remember to stretch, to allow yourself breaks from sitting throughout the day and to find alternative ways to move. In order to burn more calories, you have to keep your body moving. Even slight movements, such as writing a note, typing at a quick speed, tapping your foot against the ground, changing positions in your chair or getting up to walk to the printer or the bathroom will cause extra calorie burning than sitting still. It's also healthier for your joints, muscles, mind and blood flow.