We’ve all been there — you get home from work, grab a bag of chips, and pop a serving (or five) into your mouth while you watch TV. It’s easy to think a 30-minute walk will make up for your snack session, but one serving (yes, just one) of Lay’s potato chips is 160 calories. How many calories did your half-hour walk burn? Probably around 150.
Not all of us are built for marathon running or long bike rides. And a busy life calls for an abbreviated workout that blasts calories quickly. While we can’t promise a miracle, you can definitely torch some serious calories in half an hour or less. Here are 15 exercises that will get you fit in no time.
Calories burned: A 150-pound person can burn 500 calories in 45 minutes.
Whether you hop on a stationary bike at the gym or take a trendy spin class, you’re in for a serious workout. At a moderate intensity, Livestrong.com reports a 180-pound person will burn about 570 calories in an hour. If you take a class, however, expect that number to skyrocket; Byrdie says the average person burns between 500 and 700 calories during one 45-minute SoulCycle session. (Keep in mind that this requires you to keep the resistance up on your bike. A more “leisurely” spin class won’t give you the same calorie burn!)
Next: You probably didn’t realize how many calories this exercise burned as a kid.