Laundry burns calories.

I just read another study on the “AFTERBURN” effect of running. Researchers report that when you work out hard, post-exercise calorie consumption can be elevated to burn fifteen to twenty percent more calories than were burned during the actual workout. In other words, metabolism remains juiced up long after you’ve taken off your running shoes. The benefits are exponential when you’re trying to trim down. It’s a sort of physiological bonus round.

I agree with the immutable effect of afterburn. I just disagree with the cause. No offense to scientists, but afterburn is less a result of residual metabolic activity and more a function of laundry.

Yes, my friends. Changing sticky clothes, showering and generating soiled towels and washcloths, hauling clothes and bath linen to the washer, transferring wet stuff to the dryer, pulling stuff out of the dryer, folding, hanging, and hauling stuff back to closets and drawers … THIS is the true source of “afterburn.” And don’t talk to me about “residual.” I’m directly having to allocate extra time each day – fifteen to twenty percent more time -- to keeping my workout clothes in circulation.

Statistical coincidence??? I think not.

The magnetized sign on my washer obliquely reiterates my opinion: laundry=burn (or in the case of washing running clothes, AFTERBURN).

I’m a New York City Marathon runner, so I do extra laundry every day and bear it like a Kenyan. Silent. Stoic. Soapy.

Phil, there seems to be a fine line between “Run with the sun,” and “Run with the suds.”