Saturday 11 June 2011

Can laser tag help you lose weight?

Well if last night is anything to go by, then the answer is a resounding "YES!". 

Last night my son and I went to a parent and child session at the local laser tag centre.  Over the course of an hour we played three 15 minute games and I can't remember the last time I felt so good (or so sweaty!). And judging by today's aches and pains, I can safely say that we definitely got a good work out.

So how many calories do you burn playing laser tag? That, I'm not sure of - but I'm guessing it's similar to a fast paced game of basketball - more than 700 calories for someone who is 14 stone. At 19 stone, I'm guessing it must be about 900 - 1000 calories.

While it isn't a traditional exercise regime, it's fun. I think the worst thing about the exercises we 'should' do is that they might not necesarily appeal to us. So doing them only sets you up for failure in the long term. Instead, explore a range of activities and find the ones you like!

I'm turning my back on fitness classes for now with regular sessions scheduled for laser tag (Fridays), indoor rock climbing (Saturdays), swimming (when I can) and walking (daily). There may be some more additions, but that will do for now. With just the laser tag (900 plus calories) and the rock climbing (approx 900 calories for me) and the walking (approx 2000 per week), that's a one pound loss per week.

How are you tackling the exercise aspect of losing weight? Any new or unusual activities? Let me know!

2 comments:

Mark said...

How long would you play in a normal session?

Karen Cotton said...

A typical session for me is three 20 minute games... but I do sometimes do an evening where I'm taking on six games of 20 minutes! It's sweaty business but really gets you moving.