It’s easy to feel lazy watching the world’s best athletes compete in the Olympics while sitting on your couch munching on snacks.

However, a new study suggests that there is no need to feel bad. In particular, research from Loughborough University claims that you can lose weight just by watching TV, as reported by MailOnline.

Spectators can burn up to 540 calories in a 90-minute period, according to research.

To give you an idea of ​​how much this is, this is the equivalent of a 45 minute run.

Burn calories with the ‘power of celebration’

Working with Dr Dale Eslinger, a sports scientist at Loughborough University, the team of researchers created a formula, dubbed ‘The Power of Celebration’.

This is a formula that allows you to calculate your energy expenditure when watching sports on TV and takes into account five key factors.

They are:

  1. your body weight,
  2. the way you watch sports,
  3. the base time,
  4. the intensity of the celebration
  5. the time of celebration

Based on this formula, a football fan weighing 176 pounds (80 kg) watching a 90-minute game while sitting and jerking and reacting violently by jumping, punching the air with both hands, or shouting for three-quarters of the game could burn up to 540 calories.

This could be the equivalent of a 45 minute run.

A tennis fan of the same weight watching a three-hour match while sitting and talking, celebrating moderately, clapping and cheering frequently, could burn up to 432 calories, the equivalent of 60 minutes of swimming.