In trying to lose a few pounds, I’ve been doing research into how many calories I need to maintain (1500 per day) or lose (fewer!) Watching Halloween
H20 and the original Halloween had me all scrunched up in the corner of the couch, muscles tensed, heart racing, etc. So…can I assume that I burn more calories watching a scary movie or tense drama than the news? What about a comedy, which may cause me to laugh? Do any of these tv-watching scenarios cause me to burn more calories than just sitting there? Or is it such a small amount that it doesn’t really make a difference?
The phrase “within measurement error” comes to mind.
you find horror movies scarier than the news?!?
You burn calories when you use your muscles to do work. That, in turn, gets your heart pumping to get more oxygenated blood to your muscles to fuel that work. But other things (like fear) can get your heart pumping faster in preparation for fight or flight. However, until you do the actual work with your muscles you’re really not burning any more calories.