5 fun ways to burn 100 calories

Exercise is an important part of staying healthy, but making time for it can feel impossible. Diane Meader-Schenk, an exercise physiologist and coordinator of the Cardiac Rehabilitation program at Advocate South Suburban Hospital offers these tips for making every calorie count:

• Bust a move. Dancing is a fun way to shake some calories off. Throw on some comfortable shoes, crank up your favorite songs and get moving! Just 15 minutes of aerobic dancing can help you burn 100 calories or more.
• Whip up a home cooked meal. This may seem counterintuitive, but chopping, dicing and slicing for 45 minutes can help you burn calories. Add in the clean-up process and you’re on your way to working off dessert!
• Plan a playful date night. Skip the traditional dinner and a movie and find your inner child instead. Rack up the pool balls, go bowling or hit up the Skee-Ball machine at the local arcade. An hour of playtime can help you work off calories.
• Laugh more. Believe it or not, hearty laughter can burn as many calories as taking a walk. Laughing can also decreases stress hormones and lower your blood pressure. Who knew a funny movie could be good for your health?
• Go for a ride. Casual bicycling can help you burn 100 calories in just 20 minutes. The next time you need to run a quick local errand, consider leaving your car keys at home and hopping on your bike instead.