7 Hobbies That Can Help You Lose Weight

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

About

Constance Tambakis Odom, MD graduated in 1987 with her Doctorate of Medicine from the New York Medical College, and was an Anesthesiologist Resident from 1988 to 1991 at the Brookdale Medical Center PGY II (CA-I)-PGY IV (CA-III). She is Board Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology since 1998 and American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine since 2002. Constance Odom, MD is affiliated with the American Medical Association, American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, American Society of Anesthesiology, Georgia Society of Anesthesiology, Hellenic Medical Society of New York, North Carolina Society of Anesthesiology, and Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia.

Credentials

Medical Director At:

• Nu Image Medical
• MetroMedispa P.A.

Staff Anesthesiologist at:

• Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in Dunn, NC
• Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, NC
• Duplin General Hospital in Kenansville, NC

Director of Anesthesia Services at:

• Jacksonville Surgery Center in Jacksonville, NC

Written by our editorial team.

Last Edited 9 years ago · 7 min read

Having several hobbies that can help you lose weight and avoid a sedentary lifestyle can be crucial for your weight loss efforts. Any little bit extra that you do to lose weight can add up quickly, and when you aren't very active you can gain weight even if you have a healthy diet. By having hobbies that help you stay fit and lose weight, you won't have to spend a ton of extra time and effort on your weight loss because you'll be doing something you actually enjoy. If you spend a lot of time sitting down or at a computer, you need to have at least a few hobbies that get you up and moving for some of the day. If you have some free time and are interested in starting a new hobby, try out some of these hobbies and see if they can help you lose weight and avoid an unhealthy sedentary lifestyle.

Dancing is a great form of exercise

If you're into dancing you are in luck because it is one of the best hobbies for weight loss. Dancing can burn up to 440 calories per hour, and there is a good reason why many professional dancers are in excellent shape. You can try out a new style of dancing to get started with this hobby, and there are also exercise programs that incorporate dancing in them, but if you enjoy it you should try to get out and dance as much as you can. Taking a class can be beneficial for helping you stay motivated, and if you find going to the gym for the specific purpose of exercising difficult, dancing classes may be the way to go as a hobby that can help you stay fit.

Amateur sports can help you stay in shape

Not only are amateur sports fun, they are a great way to stay in shape and help you avoid weight gain. Find a sport that you love like basketball, tennis, golf, hockey, soccer, and participate in amateur competitions. There is almost always a local league for your favorite sport that you can join, or you can take lessons for a sport that you're interested in learning. Even sports like golf and bowling can help you stay fit and avoid a sedentary lifestyle, but the more active sports like basketball, tennis and soccer are much better for your health and will have the most weight loss benefits. You can expect to burn about 150 to 300 calories per 30 minutes playing an active sport like basketball or soccer, and the time can quickly fly when you are playing sports as the competition can help you focus.

Hiking is a fun hobby that can help you stay in shape

Hiking is a great hobby because of how fun it is, and it is also one of the best ways to stay in shape. Most people can burn over 400 calories per hour hiking, and even more calories when the hike is particularly difficult. The more that you weigh, the more calories you will burn per hour hiking, and you can burn even more calories by increasing the speed of your hike. There are studies that have shown that higher intensity hikes help you burn calories later on during the day, and can increase your human growth hormone production, and the extra metabolism boost can last for up to 15 hours after your hike is finished. Hiking is also easy to do for several hours at a time, and you get the benefit of being able to sightsee and enjoy nature while staying fit and losing weight.

Gardening is a great hobby to help you stay active

Gardening isn't going to burn a ton of calories per hour, but it is a great hobby to get you out of the house and to help you avoid sitting down for a large portion of the day. Gardening will burn anywhere from 100 to 200 calories per hour, and even better it can activate your core muscles to help you burn midsection fat. If you spend several days per week gardening it can definitely help you stay thin, and the more hobbies that you have that involve any form of physical activity the better. Try to combine gardening with other more active hobbies like sports or hiking to get the most benefit out of it, and try to also combine your gardening with other yard work like shoveling and raking leaves for an even better workout.

Cooking is one of the best weight loss hobbies

Cooking is a great hobby for weight loss for several reasons; you will learn how to make your own nutritious food which is probably the most important thing when it comes to eating healthy, and you will also learn more about nutrition. Being able to cook healthy meals quickly on a regular basis is a great skill to have when you are trying to stay thin, and not only will you save money on restaurant food, you'll be able to make foods that you really enjoy and won't have to rely on packaged foods or junk foods. If you haven't learned how to cook yet, start with simple recipes that take just a few minutes to prepare like salads, sandwiches and smoothie recipes and work your way up to more difficult recipes from there. Also taking a class or two can be very beneficial to helping you get started.

Dog walking can keep you fit too

Dog walking is a fun hobby that can help both you and your pet stay fit, and if you have been on the fence about getting a dog it can be another incentive for you to own one. Some breeds need more exercise than others, but it can definitely be a great way to get out of the house on a daily basis, and it's a great idea for people who work at home or who otherwise wouldn't have much standing exercise. A 10 to 15 minute stroll every day can help you avoid weight gain and can keep you moderately fit, and it's rewarding for both you and your pet. It might even motivate you to start a dog walking business on the side if you really enjoy it, as many people don't have the time to walk their dogs as much as they need to be walked.

Cycling is one of the best weight loss hobbies

Cycling can get you outdoors and it is a fun hobby for many people that also happens to be one of the best forms of exercise out there. Like hiking, cycling is better when it is done at a higher intensity, but even light cycling is effective for weight loss. You can expect to burn 460 calories per hour if you are cycling at a moderate pace of about 10-12 mph, and increasing your speed just a few mph can burn even more calories per hour. The time really flies by when you are cycling and it can be a great way to get regular exercise into your schedule while having fun and seeing new areas in your local geography. Look for cycling groups in your area or do this hobby with friends to help make it even more fun and to keep you motivated.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your physician about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Nu Image Medical may not offer the medications or services mentioned in this article.