How to burn calories the fun way

Simple fun-filled recreational activities can help shed those extra pounds and stay in shape without any stress. While visiting a gym and weight training with cardio is a proven way to get fit and stay fit, sometimes, a break from routine workouts can serve you well. Several enjoyable sports and leisure tasks like cycling, or skating can burn a large number of calories in short spurts of time. However, each of these tasks should be associated with proper warm-ups and stretching sessions to get the maximum benefit. Here's how you can stay healthy and active the fun way. Basket ball: An interesting and fun way to add fitness to your life and burn those extra calories is by organizing frequent sessions of basketball with your friends and family. Playing a game of basketball is an easy and effective way to improve your flexibility, endurance level and cardio-respiratory health. The running and the quick alteration in directions while playing the game will also help you tone your muscles while dropping a few calories. On an average, you lose around 600-900 calories while playing basketball for an hour. Swing dancing: Before detailing you about the many benefits of this form of free, fun fitness activity; let us inform you that swing dancing can help you shed around 180 calories in just half an hour. This lively dance style involves the active participation of two people and is characterized by swinging and flipping movements. According to reports by the National Dance Association, swing dancing is even more beneficial for people above the age of 50 as this activity helps you vary the level of physical exertion easily. Tennis: Here's a fun game that will provide you a great opportunity to burn some extra calories while improving your speed, strength and reaction time. A continuous workout of tennis for one hour will help you burn around 600-900 calories of body fat. Outdoor cycling: As compared to indoor static cycling, outdoor forms can do a lot more for your overall fitness levels as it challenges you with different terrains and difficult routes. The amount of calories burnt in cycling usually depends on your speed and the resistance of the route used. On an average, cycling at less than 10mph can burn up to 372 calories, at moderate levels (12-13.9 mph) up to 745 calories and above 20 mph around 1117 calories. Although, this form of fitness program does not help much in terms of upper body workout, it can be a great way to tone your lower limb muscles. Swimming: A perfect overall body workout, swimming a few laps can help you lose weight and tone your body. For swimming, the calories burnt depend on the type of stroke used and the speed involved. For instance, swimming backstroke can cause up to a 413-651 calorie loss, breaststroke 590-931 calories, sidestroke 472-745 calories and butterfly stroke 649-1024 calories. Jumping rope: Simple yet effective; jumping rope for a few inutes can do wonders to your body weight. What's more; it works for your entire body and helps you achieve hand-eye coordination. AS you gradually master the basics of this activity, you can challenge yourself further by using different patterns like side steps, speed steps and cross mode. At moderate levels, you can lose as much as 931 calories by performing this activity for an hour. Jogging: Jogging is another ideal way to work every part of your body and shed some unwanted calories. In order to achieve the best calorie-burning potential, attempt working above 8 mph. You can also offer resistance to motion using rugged, rough terrains and hilly inclined areas.