Singing is an enjoyable activity that many people do recreationally or professionally. Some research has suggested that singing may also provide health benefits such as helping with weight loss. This article will explore the potential ways singing could help someone lose weight and evaluate the evidence.
How could singing help with weight loss?
There are a few ways that singing could potentially contribute to weight loss:
- Singing can burn calories – Singing requires breath control and muscle engagement, which can burn calories. The amount varies based on the intensity.
- Singing may boost metabolism – Some research has found singing can increase heart rate, which could temporarily boost metabolism.
- Singing releases endorphins – Endorphins released during singing could help relieve stress and improve mood, which helps prevent emotional eating.
- Singing may distract from food – Being focused on singing lyrics could distract people from snacking.
- Singing could boost motivation – Being part of a singing group could motivate people to stay on track with diet and exercise goals.
How many calories does singing burn?
The number of calories burned while singing can vary substantially based on the duration and intensity of singing. Here are some estimates:
- Singing casually for 30 minutes burns 50-150 calories depending on body weight.
- Singing intensely for an hour could burn 150-400 calories depending on body weight.
- Singing moderately for 45 minutes burns around 100-250 calories.
Singing vigorously like you would during a concert performance can burn over 200 calories in just 30 minutes for a 150 pound person. But even singing casually while doing chores or singing in the car can burn extra calories.
Studies on singing and weight loss
There is limited research directly testing the impact of singing on weight loss. But a few promising studies suggest singing may be helpful:
- A 2021 pilot study had 20 overweight/obese adults join 60-minute singing sessions weekly for 6 weeks along with nutrition education. On average they lost 2.9 lbs and had reduced BMI.
- In a 2021 study, lung cancer patients randomized to 12 weeks of singing classes had improved mood, quality of life, and lost an average of 0.9 lbs.
- A 2012 study followed elderly choir members over 1 year. The choir group maintained weight while non-choir members gained an average of 1.4 lbs.
Overall the current evidence is limited, but it indicates singing could contribute to minor weight loss especially when combined with lifestyle changes.
Tips for maximizing calorie burn singing
To get the most out of singing for weight loss, here are some tips:
- Engage your core – Maintain good posture and engage your core muscles as you sing.
- Use your diaphragm – Power your singing from your diaphragm instead of just your throat.
- Sing upbeat songs – Singing fast, lively songs generally burns more calories than slower ballads.
- Dance while singing – Adding in some dance moves while singing ramps up the calorie burn.
- Do intervals – Switch between energetic songs and slower songs to incorporate intervals.
What exercises burn the most calories per hour?
While singing can burn calories, other vigorous exercises typically burn calories faster. Here are some of the top calorie-burning workouts:
| Exercise | Calories burned per hour (for 150 lb person) |
|---|---|
| Jumping rope | 870 |
| Kickboxing | 720 |
| Running at 10 min/mile pace | 975 |
| Swimming laps vigorously | 710 |
| Singles tennis | 600 |
| High impact aerobics | 660 |
As you can see, more cardio intensive exercises like running, swimming, and kickboxing burn hundreds more calories per hour than singing. But singing still provides a lower-impact form of activity you can incorporate into your daily routine.
Limitations of singing for weight loss
While the research is promising, there are some limitations on relying solely on singing for weight loss:
- Singing burns less calories compared to dedicated exercise – You would need to sing for hours each day to get the calorie burn of a brisk run.
- It’s harder to sustain high intensity singing daily – An intense cycling or aerobics class can be done 3-6 times a week. Harder to sing vigorously hours each day.
- Singing alone won’t lead to major weight loss – Without also improving your diet, singing won’t lead to substantial weight loss for most people.
- Strength training is still important – Singing does not build fat-burning muscle mass like weight lifting does.
So while singing can burn some extra calories, it should be viewed as a supplement to a healthy diet and regular exercise routine, not the sole activity for weight loss.
Should you join a choir to lose weight?
Joining a local choir can be a fun way to incorporate singing into your schedule. Here are some potential benefits for weight loss:
- Burns a small amount of extra calories
- Provides motivation to attend rehearsals consistently
- Builds accountability singing with others
- Boosts mood and reduces stress
- Fun social activity that may replace sedentary activities
The potential downsides are that rehearsal schedules may not allow for separate workout sessions on those days. And there may be frequent social gatherings with snacks or treats after rehearsals. Overall joining a choir can be a fun way to sing more often without being an overly strenuous workout routine.
Should you take singing lessons for weight loss?
Taking singing lessons is great for improving your singing skills but won’t dramatically impact weight loss. Benefits may include:
- Burn 20-50 calories in a 30 minute beginner lesson
- Get better singing form which engages core muscles
- Motivation to practice skills at home between lessons
- Fun activity you look forward to each week
For most though, the calorie burn will be minimal. And cost can add up quickly taking regular lessons just for weight loss. Consider lessons for enjoyment and skill building instead of primarily for weight loss.
Does singing help you lose belly fat?
There is no magic exercise that can ‘target’ belly fat or spot reduce fat from a certain body part. When our body loses fat, it draws from fat cells all over – arms, legs, belly, etc. While singing engages some core muscles, it will not specifically shrink your belly. Other tips for losing belly fat include:
- Follow an overall calorie-controlled diet to lose fat from the entire body.
- Add inspecific core exercises like planks, crunches, and compound lifts using free weights.
- Make sure you are doing regular cardio exercise such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.
- Reduce stress and get at least 7 hours of sleep per night.
Should you learn to sing opera if you want to lose weight?
Opera singing is challenging to learn but could provide some calorie burning benefits if you become skilled at it. Potential pros and cons for weight loss:
Pros:
- Learning proper opera technique engages core muscles.
- Holding long opera notes takes breath control.
- Hitting high notes requires muscle energy.
- Fun, rewarding skill to learn.
Cons:
- Can’t realistically practice for hours each day.
- Challenging to learn proper technique.
- Easy to injury vocal cords if overdone.
- Expensive to take professional lessons.
Overall, opera singing could provide some calorie burning benefit but is an unrealistic sole activity for significant weight loss. Consider it more as a fun personal challenge than a complete weight loss solution.
Conclusion
Singing does burn some extra calories, so incorporating it into your daily routine can provide a small boost to weight loss efforts. Any calories burned can help. But to lose a significant amount of weight from singing alone would require singing for hours each day at high intensities. Realistically, singing is better viewed as a supplement to a healthy nutrition plan and regular exercise routine than the primary calorie burning mechanism. It offers additional calorie burn but has limits in its practical application for weight loss compared to high intensity cardio, strength training, and a well-planned diet.
