So many people wonder the amount of calories burned during sex. Even if you don’t have sex that often, or care about your fitness, it’s something that has probably crossed your mind at least once in your life. And, c’mon, it makes sense considering people huff and puff and even sweat a lot while getting down and dirty.

That said, for all those people who think using sex is the way to stay in shape, you might be a bit disappointed. That’s because, even those who find themselves feeling exhausted afterwards, with a heart rate that feels like it’s in full sprint mode aren’t really burning that many calories.

That’s according to Men’s Health, which reached out to Dr. Uchenna Ossai, a pelvic health physical therapist and sex educator for LifeStyles Condoms, who spilled the beans about the amount of calories you’re really burning during sex. Unfortunately, it’s not as many as we’d all like to think.

Are there a substantial amount of calories burned during sex?

Simply put, no. Even those people who have ridiculous stamina and think they’re putting all of their body’s muscles to work aren’t shedding calories like many would like to think. At least that’s what Dr. Ossai has us believe, as the average amount of calories burned during sex for males is a mere four per minute, with the average for females coming out around three per minute. When considering sex lasts, at best, about 10 minutes for normal people, that’s simple 30-to-40 calories total during naughty time.

Dr. Ossai goes on to explain things even more.

“With the average sexytime session lasting about 6 minutes, that only allows for 18 to 24 calories,” Ossai reasoned. “So if we are looking at a measure of heart rate, and your orgasms are lasting anywhere from 10 to 60 seconds, you can expect a maximum calorie burn of 4 calories [during an orgasm].”

That may not be the best news to hear, especially early on in the week, but don’t be discouraged, because there’s still some positive info for you. For instance, having an orgasm during sex might not help keep you slim, but they do carry other health benefits worth noting — like decreasing stress, helping you sleep and improving your memory. Added Dr. Ossaid, “Orgasms are stellar tools in the never-ending battle with stress and anxiety,” so that’s got to cheer you up a little bit.

Sex is great, and it might feel like you’re getting a workout when you’re both sweating and breathing heavily, but even though you’re using a good amount of muscles in your body, the amount of calories burned during sex are still minimal at best. So, remember, you can’t replace your workout routine with lots of sex, unfortunately.

(H/T Men’s Health)