How Many Calories Does Kissing Really Burn?

Staying motivated to work out on the regular can often feel like an impossible task, but no one, not a single person in the history of the world, has ever needed a pep-talk or motivational quote to play tonsil hockey with their crush or partner. There probably wouldn't be much kissing going on if it felt like you were doing a burpee every time you leaned in for a smooch. 

Well, we can thank Mother Nature for small miracles because kissing not only feels good, it can actually help you burn off a few extra calories without you or your puckered-up partner even realizing it (via Healthline). It's time to get those lips locking and tongues dueling because kissing isn't just a fun way to connect with your favorite makeout partner, it's really the most exhilarating way to sneak in a workout without ever setting foot in a gym — unless you're into that, of course.

So how many calories does kissing actually burn? According to the experts at Healthline, it depends on the kiss. PDA-approved pecks will only burn about 2 or 3 calories in a minute, but when things get more hot and heavy, that's when your metabolic rate increases.

A 2013 study published in The American Journal of Medicine found that depending on how intense your passionate makeout session gets, you could burn anywhere from five to 26 calories per minute. Pucker up buttercup! That steamy session could burn off more than a 22 calorie Hershey Kiss, and if that wasn't an invitation to combine chocolate and kisses, what is (via CBSNews)?  Better yet... start letting your hands get in on the action. Healthline says that extra upper body movement could burn up to 150 calories in a 30-minute makeout session. Let's be serious for a second, would you rather jog for almost 20 minutes — or make out for 30 (via EverydayHealth)?