If you're looking to drop a few pounds that you gained during the holidays and don't feel like heading to the gym, work it off in bed. According to an article published in London's Telegraph, a study at Canada's University of Quebec found that sex is as beneficial for burning calories as many forms of exercise, such as a vigorous uphill walk, and is a lot more fun!

The study involved 20 heterosexual couples who were asked to have sex once a week for a month and also to jog on a treadmill for 30 minutes. According to the Telegraph, they wore armbands during both activities to measure how much energy their bodies used. They also filled out questionnaires on how much they enjoyed both activities.  

While subjects burned twice as many calories on the treadmill as they burned having sex, the number of calories burned was roughly the same during sex as playing tennis or walking uphill.

"These results suggest that sexual activity may potentially be considered, at times, as a significant exercise," the authors wrote. "Moreover, both men and women reported that sexual activity was highly enjoyable and more appreciated than the 30 min exercise session on the treadmill. Therefore, this study could have implications for the planning of intervention programs as part of a healthy lifestyle by health care professionals."

To read the entire Telegraph story, go here.