You have probably heard that breastfeeding is a calorie-burner. Your body is working around the clock to create one-of-a-kind nourishment for your growing baby. But there are still people who will try to tell you breastfeeding is "easy." So next time someone tried to tell you that breastfeeding requires no work at all, you can put it into perspective by sharing the workouts that are equivalent to breastfeeding.
As Women's Health magazine noted, breastfeeding can burn between 300 to 500 calories per day. This is about 20 calories burned for every ounce of breast milk your body creates, according to Shape magazine. And because breastfeeding burns calories, Kelly Mom pointed out that breastfeeding moms should take in 1,800 to 2,200 (or more) calories per day. Consuming less than 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day are putting their milk supply at risk. If you are exclusively breastfeeding, you should be consuming 300 to 500 more calories than you did prior to pregnancy. In other words, you should be consuming as many additional calories as those you burn during breastfeeding.
The sole reason for breastfeeding shouldn't be to lose weight. It should be done because you feel it is the best way to feed your baby. That being said, it is pretty mind-blowing to compare your daily breastfeeding sessions to a daily sweat session. Here are just a few workouts that burn just as many calories as breastfeeding.
1
Walking
According to Very Well, the amount of calories you burn by walking depends on how much you weigh and the speed at which you walk. That being said, for a person who weighs 130 lbs. walking at a brisk pace for two hours will burn 500 calories.
2
Running
In order to burn 500 calories, Cosmopolitan magazine reported that a person weighing 125 lbs. must run for one hour and maintain a 6-mile-per-hour pace.
3
Cycling
If you'd rather ride your bike, Bicycling.com noted that someone weighing 135 lbs., who maintains a 12 to 14 mile per hour rate, can burn around 500 calories in one hour.
4
Rowing
According to an interview with Women's Health magazine, certified strength and conditioning specialists Josh Kernen said that rowing utilizes nine major muscle groups, including the quads, hamstrings, abs, triceps, and biceps. This exercise can burn anywhere from 600 to 800 calories in one hour.
5
Kickboxing
Sammie Kennedy, CEO and creator of women’s-only kickboxing program Femme Fitale, told Reader's Digest magazine that a kickboxing class can burn up to 750 calories in an hour.
6
Jumping Rope
You can burn more than 100 calories in one 10-minute jump rope session, according to Shape magazine. Jumping rope strengthens your legs, butt, shoulders, and arms. Add more sessions, or mix and match with other workouts to burn more calories.
7
Zumba
Seattle Refined writer Jamie June used a digital tracker to test how many calories a one hour Zumba workout would burn. Standing a 5 feet tall and weighing 108 lbs., June burned 450 calories during her Zumba class.
8
Inline Skating
If you haven't busted out the roller blades since middle school, you may want to dust them off. According to Women's Health magazine, someone weighing 125 lbs. can burn 420 calories inline skating for one hour.
9
Elliptical Machine
According to the website for Harvard Medical School, a 155 lb. person can can burn up to 670 calories in one hour of using the elliptical machine. If you weigh 125 lbs., you can burn 540 calories during the same workout.
