How Playing Guitar Can Help Burn Off Those Halloween Candy Calories
With Halloween just around the corner, many of us are gearing up for a sweet celebration packed with treats and chocolates. But for anyone trying to stay in shape, the calorie load from Halloween candy can be a bit daunting! Here’s some good news: if you play guitar, you might already have a fun way to burn off those extra calories while enjoying the rhythms you love.
In this post, we’ll explore how playing the guitar can help you shed those sugary calories, the kinds of physical benefits it offers, and a few ways to maximize your calorie burn while jamming.
Calories in Halloween Candy vs. Calories Burned Playing Guitar
On average, a typical Halloween treat like a small chocolate bar contains about 50–100 calories. Eat three or four of these, and the calories add up quickly! Meanwhile, according to studies, playing the guitar while sitting burns around 100–140 calories per hour, while standing and moving can up that burn to 200 or more calories per hour. While it might not be as intense as a gym session, playing guitar still works your upper body, improves your posture, and helps with general endurance. How do you think all those rockstars stay so skinny after all these years?
Here’s a quick comparison of popular Halloween treats and the time needed to burn them off by playing guitar:
| Treat | Approximate Calories | Time Playing Guitar to Burn Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Mini chocolate bar | 50–60 | 25–30 minutes (sitting) |
| Fun-size bag of candy corn | 70 | 35 minutes (sitting) |
| Snack-size peanut butter cup | 100 | 45 minutes (sitting) |
| Full-size candy bar | 200 | 1 hour+ (standing and moving) |
How Playing Guitar Burns Calories
Although playing guitar is not considered a high-intensity workout, it can still engage multiple muscle groups:
- Upper Body Strength: Your arms, shoulders, and back are in constant motion as you strum and pick. Over time, this can build strength and improve muscle tone.
- Core Activation: Maintaining proper posture while playing, especially if standing, activates your core muscles, helping you tone your midsection.
- Fine Motor Skills and Endurance: Guitar playing improves your hand dexterity and finger strength, especially if you’re playing complex chords or fingerstyle. This isn’t just a great way to improve your playing; it also burns more calories than you might think.
How to Maximize Calorie Burn While Playing Guitar
To make the most of your guitar-playing calorie burn, consider incorporating these tips:
- Stand Up and Move: Instead of sitting down, try standing up and moving around as you play. This burns more calories and lets you engage your whole body.
- Play Energetic Songs: Songs with fast tempos and powerful chords require more physical energy, increasing your calorie burn. Rock and punk songs are particularly effective for this!
- Use a Good Pick: A medium (.73) guitar picks require a bit more effort to control, adding slight resistance to your playing and increasing calorie burn.
- Try Fingerstyle or Complex Chords: Techniques like fingerstyle or barre chords engage more muscles in your hands and arms, burning more calories.
- Jam Out Regularly: Make it a habit to play for at least 30 minutes to an hour each day. Not only will you improve as a musician, but you’ll burn a decent amount of calories each week.
Burning Calories, Building Skills
Playing guitar can be a surprisingly effective way to stay active, improve focus, and even burn off a few Halloween candy calories. So, next time you’re indulging in a treat (or three), pick up your guitar, stand up, and let the music carry those calories away. Happy Halloween, and happy shredding!