Being a busy working father of 2, spare time is not something that I have plenty of. In order to maximize my calories expenditure I try and incorporate several calorie-burning techniques that fit easily into my everyday life.

Here are a few of the techniques that work for me.

#1) Sleep more:
We could all use more sleep and there never seems to be enough hours in the day. Research shows that getting less than four hours per day can decrease your metabolism, which can lead to weight gain. Aim for seven to nine hours per night.

#2) Watch less television:
We watch television when we’re bored. We have our favorite shows and it offers us a break from reality. We’ve all spent hours flipping through the channels only to find nothing on, yet continue to flip. By reducing your TV watching by half, you can burn an extra 100 calories without decreasing your calorie intake.

#3) Cook your own food:
I love going out to eat, and after a busy day at work then taking the kids to their different sports activities, the last thing I want to do is cook. But consider all the extra calories that go into your take-out. The average takeout diner item has nearly 1500 calories, and are packed with nearly the daily dosage of sodium.

#4) Get active socially:
Instead of sitting around checking in on your friends on social media, why not get them all together and do something active. Go bowling, play soccer in the park, or go dancing. Each of these can burn well over 200 calories.

#5) Get yourself a pedometer:
Strap one of these on and aim for more than 10,000 steps each day. This is equal to 8 km and depending on your age, sex and weight, can burn between 250 and 500 calories a day.

#7) Move quickly:
Next time you visit the mall, look at the activity of different people. The ones who appear to be walking more quickly and with a purpose are generally more fit than those doing their tasks more slowly. If you’d like to burn a few extra calories, walk through your daily tasks like you’re late for an appointment. You’ll also benefit from completing them faster which means you’ll have more time for everything else going on in your life.