The Kardashians Can Help You Burn More Calories

Pop quiz, hot shot.

You begrudgingly pull yourself onto a treadmill and flip on the TV affixed to your machine. What do you choose to watch?

1. Jeopardy? Because there's just something uplifting about blurting out "What is Paraguay?" while sweat pours down your brow.
2. Fox News? Because staying informed and frightened can make for a great workout.
3. An NBA game? Hey, you're sweating as much as they are...you're basically the same!

The answer, according to a recent study, should be #3. It seems that watching someone engage in physical activity while you yourself are exercising burns more calories. A study published in the journal, Frontiers in Autonomic Neuroscience, showed that when participants watched a video of someone else running, the viewers' blood flow heart rate, respiration and sweat release all increased.

Further research showed that viewers had the same effect regardless of the activity they were watching, as long as it was physical. So how do the Kardashians fit into all this? Well the study found that even watching the Kardashian sisters Khloe and Kourtney do abs on their reality show Keeping Up With the Kardashians was shown to have the same effect. Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

The reasoning behind it is unclear, but it likely has to do with you being more focused and motivated because other people are sweating it out with you. So on your next cardio day, be sure to tune into something physical, and leave the game shows for post-workout.