A sweaty romp in the sack may feel like a workout, but you 're probably burning fewer calories than you think. Old information suggested that a round of lovemaking torches 100 to 300 calories, but a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reveals that the average session burns a paltry 21 calories--the amount in a couple of orange segments.

If you're counting on your boudoir time to help keep your weight in check, fear not: By incorporating a few new tricks into your bedroom activities, you can easily increase your calorie burning--and you may even have more fun.

1. Start with a Massage

Giving your partner a massage as a warn up can seriously increase your energy expenditure, burning more than 70 calories in just 15 minutes for a 150-pound person. If you're lucky, your lover will return the favor.

2. Tighten Your Tummy

"Sucking it in" will not only provide an isometric workout, helping to tone your abdominal muscles, but it will also increase your calorie burning. As an added bonus, your stomach will appear flatter, which may make you feel sexier.

3. Extend the Foreplay

Spending some extra time getting both you and your partner worked up for the main event can pay off, calorie-wise. According to Cosmopolitan, the average person burns about 25 calories in 10 minutes of foreplay. While this doesn't seem like much, it is more than most people burn during the act itself. Besides, kissing and giving your lover some extra attention "down there" can get both of you extra turned on, and could bring you closer together.

4. Try New Positions

Sure, missionary will do, but by performing some mild acrobatic maneuvers you may activate once-dormant muscles and exert more energy stabilizing yourself. Standing up will burn more calories than lying down, and you can even incorporate yoga poses into your routine if you really want to mix things up. Considering a vigorous yoga session burns nearly 115 calories in 15 minutes for a 150-pound person, your position could make a major difference in your calorie tally.

5. Play Wrestle

Rolling around the bed trying to pin each other down can be a turn-on, especially if you like your things on the rough side. While you should take caution during play wrestling--be gentle with each other and avoid hard bedposts--you could burn more than 100 calories in 15 minutes.

6. Do it Often

The more you have, the more calories you'll burn. Doing it every day is wonderful if you've got the energy; aim for several times each week if you don't. Along with increasing your calorie-melting power, regular sessions can do wonders for your health. According to WebMD, sexual activity can boost your immune system, improve your self-esteem, help reduce pain and even lower your risk of having a heart attack. Plus, you'll probably get a better night's sleep.


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