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Health

Five new health facts you need to know this month

From sex to sitting, our health news roundup proves exercise is hidden in unexpected places.
Five new health facts you need to know this month

Photo, Deborah Jaffe/Getty Images.

Health News March 2014

Burn calories the fun way!

How’s this for a good-news quickie: Montreal researchers say sex qualifies as “significant” exercise. And in fact we burn just as many calories doing it as we do playing doubles tennis or walking uphill for 25 minutes. The study found sex burns 3.1 calories a minute for women, on average, while a tougher workout like running on a treadmill burns 7.1.

Calories aside, 98 percent of participants also said they found sex much more fun than running (duh!).

Bottom line: You can count sexy time toward your grand total for the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity each week.

Couple-playing-on-a-white-bedPhoto, Deborah Jaffe/Getty Images.

Trend alert: active sitting

Did you know Canadians spend an average of 10 hours a day sitting? Luckily, there’s a new way to combat the sitting disease, and it doesn’t involve getting up!What it is: Active sitting is all about engaging different muscles in your body by doing little movements to improve posture and burn extra calories during your nine-to-five.How it works: There are three important components, says Josh Holland, who teaches active sitting at Core Club in N.Y.C. Roll your shoulders up and back; direct your head and gaze forward; plant your feet firmly in front of you. Now squeeze your glutes and abs, and shift your weight back and forth. Repeat. It’s that simple!Upgrade your seat: Smart stability balls and ergonomic chairs now come with QR codes to make active sitting even easier. Wirelessly enabled, they sync workouts via your smartphone.Spotted at: Ontario start-up CoreChair promises flat abs fast with its new sculpted seat. German company Aeris rolled out a line of 3Dee seats designed to strengthen your back. And techies will love Technogym’s Wellness Ball, which gives automatic feedback on your sitting style.

woman-sitting-on-swiss-ball-with-laptop-on-lap-for-sitting-exercisesPhoto, Masterfile.

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Trick your sweet tooth!

Grab hold of your snack attack with tongs! You’ll eat up to 30 percent fewer calories grasping treats with this tool, says a study in Appetite. The more obstacles between us and sweets, the easier it is to avoid indulging. Not ready to stash tongs in your purse? Slow down with individually wrapped snacks!

Colourful-candy-gummiesPhoto, G. Merrill/Getty Images.

Get fit, earn fab freebies

Start cashing in on your sweat equity with Sears’ new Fit Studio. The program lets you earn spending points when you exercise. Try it today: Join the 2014 Fitness Challenge at Fit Studio and log your stats using fitness trackers, apps or Netpulse-enabled gym equipment. For every 14 miles you walk or run, you’ll score 5,000 points ($5), redeemable at Sears for whatever you fancy. We suggest a new pair of sneakers!

woman-model-exercising-looking-at-phonePhoto, Matthew Leete/Getty Images.

Health crush of the month: Heather Moyse

Lady we love: Olympic gold medallist Heather Moyse, 35, returned to the two-woman bobsled event in Sochi and won gold for Canada!

Sound bite: “When it comes to any obstacle in your life, it’s all about perspective. You can treat that obstacle either as a problem or as a challenge. And I think if you change your mindset to treat it as a challenge, that obstacle becomes a motivator instead of a hindrance.”

For more from our in-depth convo with Heather Moyse click here.

Heather Moyse Olympian byVincentLionsPhoto, Vincent Lions.

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