10 easy ways to burn 100 more calories a day

Isn't this good news? You can actually burn 100 more calories a day in easy and simple ways. Rest assured, I’m not going to ask you to put on your gym outfit and sweat it off. What you have to do instead, is slightly modify your routine and watch how you burn those 100 extra calories every day! You can burn 100 calories in just a few short minutes of your day.

1. Take It Outside

Skip the treadmill altogether and walk or jog outdoors. The natural terrain forces your body to work harder and eliminates the use of handlebars for support, which can burn up to 100 extra calories during a 30 minute workout.

2. Burn Calories in Your Sleep

Adding two to five pounds of lean muscle mass can burn an estimated 100 extra calories overnight while you sleep. To boost your muscle mass, up your protein intake and incorporate more resistance and strength training into your gym routine.

3. Get Your Dose of D

Getting enough Vitamin D may help you burn both calories and fat. A 2009 study found overweight women with low calcium levels who took vitamin D and calcium supplements saw a much bigger fat loss than those who didn't. Other research suggests consuming recommended amounts of Vitamin D may allow your body to burn up to 10 percent more calories per day.

4. Meditate

A calorie-busting move that doesn't actually involve moving at all? A short meditation, even if it's an just an eight-count breath in and out, helps reduce stress, and lowers cortisol. When you decrease stress, your hormones are in a better place to burn calories.

5. Break It Up

Set reminder timers throughout the day to fit in three 10-minute walking or stretching breaks. Or, do 10 squats and 10 push-ups against the wall three times a day for a quick total body workout.

6. Try a 'Free' Workout

Use free weights instead of machines during your next half-hour strength training session. “Because your body is recruiting more muscles to stabilize the weight you’ll burn 100 more calories than you would by using machines that allow the rest of your body to relax during the same 30-minute workout,” says Corrective Exercise Specialist Kristen Dusold.

7. Stand Up While You Wait

It may be unrealistic to install a standing desk at your workstation, but staying upright is a must in our largely sedentary daily lives. Standing burns 33 percent more calories than sitting, so skip collapsing onto the folding chairs while waiting for your doctor, or lounging on the bleachers during your son's soccer game.

8. Spice Things Up

When you bite into a really hot pepper, you may notice sweat building on your nose, and feel as if your body is heating up. It is. Those are all little signals that something is going on internally to speed up calorie burning. Studies have found that using a half-teaspoon of cayenne pepper naturally raises your metabolism, so for dinner tonight, consider southwestern chicken.

9. Turn Up The Music

Vacuuming up dog hair for the umpteenth time this week isn't exactly enjoyable, but you might as well make count. Blast your favorite upbeat tunes next time you do household chores and you may just break a sweat. If the movement is twisting-oriented, you more than likely will move your body faster while doing the unpleasant activity.

10. Pace While You Walk

Whether you're arranging play-dates, paying bills, or in the office, take calls on a mobile or cordless phone, and use talk-time as an opportunity to pace around. Before you've gone to the gym or done any kind of real workout, you'll easily hit that 100-calorie mark.