Painting is not commonly thought of as an effective weight loss strategy. However, emerging research suggests that engaging in creative activities like painting could support weight loss efforts. Painting requires physical activity and mental engagement, both of which can contribute to burning calories and stress relief. While painting alone is unlikely to lead to dramatic weight loss, it may be a useful part of a balanced lifestyle geared towards managing a healthy body weight.
How Does Painting Burn Calories?
Painting requires some degree of physical activity, which can contribute to weight loss. Here are some of the ways that painting can burn calories:
- Standing – Standing while painting can engage several large muscle groups in the legs, core, and back which burn calories.
- Arm movements – The brush strokes and arm movements involved in painting provide upper body exercise.
- Gripping – Gripping and controlling paintbrushes engages the forearms.
- Reaching – Reaching to paint different areas of a canvas involves torso and shoulder movements.
- Walking – Getting paint and washing brushes requires walking back and forth.
The number of calories burned painting will vary based on the intensity and duration of the activity. But in general,expect to burn around 150-200 calories per hour of painting. This equates to what you might burn during light walking or household chores.
How Painting Compares to Other Calorie Burning Activities
While painting does burn some calories, it is not as intense an exercise as many other aerobic activities. Here’s how painting compares in terms of calories burned per hour:
- Walking at 3mph – 200 calories
- Light gardening – 220-300 calories
- Painting – 150-200 calories
- Hiking – 370 calories
- Jogging at 5mph – 400 calories
- High impact aerobics – 480 calories
As you can see, painting burns fewer calories per hour than many other common forms of exercise. While it can contribute to a minor increase in daily calorie expenditure, it would take a large amount of painting to start producing significant weight loss.
The Mental Benefits of Painting
Painting may contribute to weight loss in another important way – through mental health benefits. Painting and other forms of art provide:
- Stress relief
- Relaxation
- Improved mood
- More mindfulness
- Better sleep
Stress takes a major toll on metabolism and weight control. It triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which is linked to increased belly fat storage. It also drives overeating and cravings for unhealthy comfort foods.
By reducing stress levels and promoting relaxation, creating art can support the goals of weight management. Less stress means more energy, controlled eating habits, and better sleep quality, all of which aid weight loss efforts.
Maximizing Calorie Burn Painting
To get the most out of painting as a light calorie burning activity, here are some tips:
- Stand while painting as much as possible to engage the large muscles of the legs, glutes, back, and core.
- Use broad arm movements and engage the shoulder muscles.
- Take breaks from painting to walk around.
- Play upbeat music to stay energized and paint with gusto.
- Choose large canvases that require more movement to cover completely.
- Do not stay sedentary between painting sessions.
Including Painting in a Weight Loss Plan
Painting alone will generally not be enough to produce significant weight loss. To lose weight consistently, it is important to:
- Engage in 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise most weeks.
- Consume a calorie deficit through diet adjustments.
- Build muscle through strength training.
- Make lifestyle changes to manage stress.
That said, painting can be a useful component of a balanced weight loss plan. Possible ways to incorporate it include:
- Taking a weekly community art class as a form of relaxation.
- Painting for 30-60 minutes before or after another workout.
- Joining a paint-and-sip class as a fun social activity.
- Setting aside time to paint during particularly stressful days.
- Spending 2-3 hours painting outdoors as an alternative to screen time.
As a moderate intensity activity that also provides mental health benefits, painting has the potential to complement dieting and frequent exercise for supporting weight management.
Painting for Weight Loss Study
A small study published in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association in 2020 examined the impact of visual art activities on weight loss in obese women. Researchers recruited 40 obese women and randomly assigned them to either:
- Lifestyle modification program only
- Lifestyle program plus twice weekly 90 minute art therapy sessions
After 6 months, the results showed:
| Group | Weight Loss |
|---|---|
| Lifestyle program only | Lost 7.4% of body weight |
| Lifestyle + art therapy | Lost 11.1% of body weight |
The women in the art therapy group lost significantly more weight than the control group. Researchers concluded that visual art activities conferred additional weight loss benefits when added to a standard lifestyle modification program.
However, it’s unclear whether painting alone would provide similar benefits. The art therapy interventions focused on mindfulness training and emotional expression. These factors, rather than just calorie expenditure while painting, may have accounted for the added weight loss effects.
The Bottom Line on Painting and Weight Loss
Based on current evidence, here are some key points on utilizing painting for supporting weight loss goals:
- The calorie burn from painting is modest, similar to light housework or walking.
- To lose weight, painting should be paired with a calorie deficit, more intensive exercise, and strength training.
- The stress relief benefits of painting could provide indirect weight loss benefits by reducing stress eating.
- Incorporating painting into a multifaceted weight loss plan may confer some additional benefits.
- Painting alone is unlikely to produce dramatic weight loss results.
In conclusion, painting should not replace regular exercise, calorie control, and other standard weight loss strategies. But as a relaxing and enjoyable activity that provides some physical exertion, it can be a helpful complement within a balanced weight management plan.
