Sex is an activity that has been advertised to have numerous benefits, and one of the popular benefits linked to sex is weight loss. Many health and lifestyle blogs tout sex as an excellent way to burn calories and lose weight without hitting the gym.

But, does sex burn calories, or is it a mere myth?.

Well, the answer is yes, sex can burn calories. However, the amount of calories burned during sex varies widely and might not be enough to contribute significantly to weight loss.

In this article, we will explore the ways that sex burns calories, how much it burns, and the effectiveness of sex as a weight-loss strategy.

How sex burns calories

Sex is an engaging and enjoyable physical activity that involves various bodily movements that can burn calories. During sex, bodily movements include thrusting, kissing, and touching, and they all require energy expenditure.

The amount of energy your body exerts during sexual activity depends on several factors, including the intensity of the activity, duration, and your body weight and composition.

Sex can be compared to moderate-intensity exercises such as walking, yoga, and biking, which are known to burn calories.

Like these exercises, sexual activity increases heart rate, breathing rate, and blood flow, which are all signs of energy expenditure. According to a small study conducted on young hetero-sexually active couples, sex burns an average of about 101 calories for men and 69 calories for women per session.

How much calories does sex really burn?

The amount of calories you burn during sex depends on several factors such as:.

The frequency and duration of sexual activity
The intensity of sexual activity
Your body weight and composition
Sex positions

Let’s take a look at how many calories sex burns for the average person.

According to a Harvard Health Blog, someone who weighs 155 pounds (70.3 kg) can burn an average of 149 calories during 30 minutes of vigorous sex. The same person weighing 185 pounds (83.9 kg) can burn approximately 177 calories in 30 minutes.

In comparison, running at a 6mph pace can burn 298 calories in the same time. Therefore, it is clear that sex may not be the most effective way to burn calories, but it is still a form of physical activity that can contribute to calorie burning.

Sexual positions can influence the amount of calorie burning during sex. For instance, sexual positions that involve standing or sitting require more energy and can, therefore, burn more calories than those that involve lying down.

More active sex positions such as cowgirl, reverse cowgirl, and doggy style are likely to burn more calories than less active positions such as missionary.

Sex as a Weight-Loss Strategy

While sex can contribute to calorie burning, it might not be the most effective way of losing weight. The number of calories burned during sex may not be significant enough to contribute significantly to weight loss if done alone.

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a person needs to burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound (0.45 kg) of weight.

Therefore, for someone who weighs 155 pounds, it would take approximately 23 sessions of vigorous sex to burn one pound of fat. Achieving a calorie deficit through the combination of diet and exercise is therefore a more effective strategy for weight loss.

The Bottom Line

Sex does have some calorie-burning benefits, but its effectiveness as a weight-loss strategy may be limited.

Factors such as frequency, duration and intensity of sexual activity, body weight and composition, and sexual positions all influence the number of calories burned during sexual activity. However, sex alone may not produce significant changes in weight or body composition.

Therefore, to achieve sustainable and substantial weight loss or weight management, a combination of healthy eating and regular exercise is still the most effective approach.

However, sex can be an enjoyable and fun way to supplement a weight loss regime, especially when combined with other exercises.