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You don't need to hit the gym to burn 100 calories. Try painting your room for a half hour, or (believe it or not) taking a long nap.
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updated 7/17/2011 7:06:36 AM ET 2011-07-17T11:06:36

Fun ways to sneak in a burn and shed pounds effortlessly!

Host a dinner party

Turn off Top Chef and become one yourself. Between chopping and table setting, you'll burn 100 calories in 38 minutes. SELF's Chicken and Cheese Slidersrecipe (yum!) takes about that long to whip up. And it's a crowd-pleaser!

Play off the pounds

At last, a way to exact revenge on edible nemeses like soda and pepperoni pizza. The new Kinect Sports: Calorie Challenge for Xbox Live ($4; Xbox.com) lets you go head-to-head against a virtual treat, such as the Super Soda avatar, and burn off that item's calories (100-plus for the pop!) with activities such as boxing or running.

Grow to shrink

Sow pumpkin seeds now and you'll reap jack-o'-lanterns by Halloween. Spend 21 minutes tilling soil and planting in your backyardto meet your triple-digit goal. Can you dig it?

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Have a doggone good time 

Leash your canine companionand hoof it to the dog park at a relaxed pace to burn 30 calories in 10 minutes. At the park, use the leash to jump ropefor four minutes (40 calories). Stroll back to the homestead to erase the last 30. Bow wow!

Get the ball rolling

Watch America's dream team of female soccer stars trounce the competition in the FIFA Women's World Cup, June 26 through July 17. And do some fancy footwork of your own. Dribble and shoot your way through soccer drills for 14 minutes to boot 100 calories. Score!

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Make a scene

Ever wish you were part of a flash mob? You can be! Pick a pump-you-up jam (we're partial to Britney's "Till the World Ends"), gather 10 of your most up-for-anything buddies, and practice your own choreographed dance; repeating a song four times, you'll torch 100 calories. Then set out for a park or a pub to unveil your skills. (Don't forget to videotape the performance to upload to YouTube!)

Create a night to remember

Check event listings for an outdoor screening of an oldie but goody movie. Prepare and pack a picnic (20 calories in 10 minutes), lug it from the car to the grass (18 calories in 5 minutes), and toss a Frisbee for 20 minutes as you wait for the opening credits (64 calories). Then kick back, relax, and enjoy the show. Those 100 calories? Hasta la vista, baby.

Turn up the heat

Go to TimeAndDate.comto find out when the sun sets, then grab your honey's hand and head to a romantic overlook (a 10-minute walk there will melt away 30 calories). After a little canoodling to set an amorous mood(15 calories gone in 15 minutes), saunter back home (another 30 calories, poof!), and slide under the sheets for 16 minutes to burn the final 25. You can feel free, of course, to blast more than 100.

Jump for joy

Bouncing on a trampoline jiggles off 100 calories in 27 minutes and tones your legs, buttand abs. Oh, and it's also fun as all get-out. To increase the burn and get extra ab tightening, do knee tucks, suggests Kathy Kaehler, a celebrity trainer in Los Angeles: Jump up and pull your knees to your chest, reaching for your feet. Repeat, repeat, repeat!

Kick it old-school

Time to relive those carefree childhood summers. Bring a kite to the park or beach, wait for a big gust of wind, and then fly high! You'll blow away 100 calories in 12 minutes. Or pull on a pair of roller skates and take off (with a helmet, naturally), doing your best figure eights and spins whenever possible (100 nixed in 14 minutes).

Be a fair lady

The state fair may be the hub for fried, well, everything, but it's also a sweet place to tone and trim. Hit the batting cages for 10 minutes (54 calories), play a round of mini golf for 13 minutes (42 calories), and swing by the strength-o-meter to take a crack (6 calories).

Go coupon-crazy

Surf Groupon.comto find great deals on adventures near you. Redeem a coupon for rock climbing, one of the site's frequently discounted activities, and you'll burn 100 calories in 9 minutes while scaling a wall. Or nab an amusement park day pass, another site favorite, and you'll lose 100 in 31 minutes as you meander from ride to ride.

Make the most of a getaway

Sizzle while you sightsee. Climb the steps of Machu Picchu (or any ancient ruin) for 14 minutes to make 100 calories history. Or torch the same number wandering through a museum for 37 minutes.

Do a machine medley

Erase 100 calories the way SELF fitness director Meaghan B. Murphy does — fast! Hit the elliptical for 5 minutes (40 calories), then go all out on the rowing machine for 5 minutes (60 calories). Didn't even have time to get bored, did ya?

Hit the mat with a pal

Have a partner hold on to your feet for 5 minutes of crunches (42 calories). Then do side-by-side mountain climbers for 4 minutes (34 calories). Cap it off with 3 minutes of jumping jacks (26 calories).

Lose in the locker room

After cruising by the snack bar two (or three!) times to see the adorable guy you've had your eye on (6 minutes, 20 calories), hit the locker room for a cool-off shower (15 minutes, 40 calories). Blow-dry your hair, dress, and get ready (25 minutes, 40 calories). Bam: 100!

More Happy Ways to Burn 100*

*Calories burned based on a 135-pound woman.

Mountain bike: 11 minutes

Help a friend move: 19 minutes

Bodysurfing: 31 minutes

Paddle a kayak: 19 minutes

Shoot hoops: 21 minutes

Run around with kids: 19 minutes

Weed your garden: 21 minutes

Give a massage: 24 minutes

Sail a boat: 31 minutes

Throw darts: 38 minutes

Jam on a guitar: 31 minutes 

Play hacky sack: 24 minutes

Take a hike: 16 minutes

Carry a small child: 31 minutes

Tread water: 10 minutes

Ride a horse: 24 minutes

Paint your room: 31 minutes

Play badminton: 21 minutes

Take a long nap: 104 minutes

Water-ski: 16 minutes

Play dodgeball: 19 minutes

Scuba dive: 14 minutes

Go shopping at the mall: 41 minutes

Dance the tango: 31 minutes

Give your dog a bath: 27 minutes

Bike around town (11 mph): 16 minutes

Play hopscotch: 19 minutes

Have a fencing match: 16 minutes

Do pull-ups on the monkey bars: 12 minutes

Play softball: 19 minutes

Practice the piano: 38 minutes

Do tai chi: 24 minutes

Email long-lost friends: 63 minutes

Box with a pal: 10 minutes

Raft big rapids: 19 minutes

Watch television: 94 minutes

Play beach volleyball: 12 minutes

More from SELF

Track Your Workout Progress with SELF’s Fitness Log
Get Fitness Moves Delivered Right To Your Inbox with SELF’s Newsletter
Feel-Like-It Fat Burners for Fast Weight Loss
Get Lady Gaga’s Flat-Ab Workout
Free Bikini Body Workout and Meal Plan
6 Moves for Sexy Sundress Arms

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