How many calories does laughing burn?

Now that the holidays are over, I have been asked, "How much do I have to laugh to burn off the meals that I ate?"  My response to that question was, "Don't ever stop laughing!" To work off the amount of calories from turkey/ham dinners with all the trimmings, cakes, pies and other various treats, one would have to laugh 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. :)

Researchers at Vanderbilt University found adults burn an average of 1.3 calories per minute while laughing with others.  That’s about the same number of calories that you would burn while taking notes in a lecture or while standing and talking on the phone.

Laughter burns calories, relieves emotional stress and it is a workout for the muscles of the diaphragm, abdomen, back and shoulders. It definitely has its benefits, but it is not  a substitute for weight loss programs or daily exercise.  With that being said, keep hope and laughter alive!!

Wishing you all a Safe and Happy 2014!
Ingrid