Thinking Burns Calories

Step #9 of the 10 Steps to Sexy Diet: Thinkers burn more calories

You burn calories every moment just by being alive and, of course, physical activity increases caloric burn. But another key to optimizing your metabolism is in your mind.

As the head of your internal household, the brain works on autopilot to ensure that your organs are doing what they need to do. However, using your brain for deeper–or even just less routine–thought increases glucose uptake in the brain. In other words, thinking burns calories. 

How many calories does your brain burn?

Now, using your brain to solve a puzzle or memorize a poem probably won’t burn enough calories for significant weight loss. If you’re wondering how many calories does your brain burn, it’s worth knowing but not really something you can count on for a weight loss strategy. It’s estimated that engaging the brain in more exercise will probably only burn up to 50 extra calories per day. But there’s more to using your brain than the simple fact that thinking burns calories.

There is evidence that thinking can improve your sex life. And it may also be true that your sex life can make you a better thinker.

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Thinking can make you a better lover

You see, using your brain in ways that are unusual for you, like driving a new route home from work, will also exercise your cognitive power.

In other words, using your brain in new ways taps into how you understand and react to the world around you. Improving cognitive power is proven to boost your creativity. And harnessing your creativity will make you a more adventurous and in-tune lover.

And by the way, this appears to make you smarter.

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Regular sex may improve brain function

Here’s an interesting twist on using your brain; see if you can wrap your mind around this one:

According to Psychology Today, sex appears to improve many cognitive functions, particularly in older adults. According to research, those with healthy, regular sex lives have greater verbal fluency and memory.

Or maybe, researchers hypothesize, it’s that thinking leads to increased sexual activity rather than that sexual activity leads to better cognition. Either way, we do know one thing for sure, your brain burns calories. (And so does the physical activity of having sex.) 

So keep thinking for the sake of your brain, your body and your lover!

Thinker photo by Erik Aquino

The 10 Steps to Sexy Diet
Step 10

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Amy Reiley

An award-winning author of five aphrodisiac cookbooks with an MA in Gastronomy, Amy Reiley has spent the past 18 years studying the history and science behind aphrodisiac foods. She speaks on aphrodisiacs globally and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac foods to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health writer and wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine. Most importantly, Amy is a mother to 2 human children and 1 standard poodle.

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