Yes, you read it right. If you want to lose weight easily, you can watch horror movies. However, the weight loss method may not work if you gobble up cookies, popcorn, french fries and other edibles. Sitting on a couch and watching a scary movie can help you lose weight because you burn as many calories as a 30-minute walk. The scarier the movie is, the more it burns your calories. So what’s the catch?

In a study by film distribution company LOVEFiLM.com, scientists at the University of Westminster in the UK have found a new way to lose weight. They tested 10 people watching the horror film by assessing their pulse rate, heart rate, oxygen uptake and the amount of carbon dioxide they exhaled. They eventually found out how much energy they were using and gathered all the statistics they wanted to conclude that watching a 90-minute horror film people are likely to burn 113 calories, which is the equivalent of the half-hour hike.

dr Cell metabolism and physiology expert Richard Mackenzie explains

There are 10 movies that have proven to be the most effective calorie burners. 1980 film, The Glow proved to be the best, and it helped burn 184 calories. The list of top 10 horror movies about burning energy is as follows:

1. The Shining (1980) – 184 calories
2. Jaws (1975) – 161 calories
3. The Exorcist (1973) – 158 calories
4. Alien (1979) – 152 calories
5. Saw (2004) – 133 The calorie
6. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – 118 calories
7. Paranormal Activity (2007) – 111 calories
8. The Blair Witches Project (1999) – 105 calories
9. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) – 107 calories
10. [Rec] (2007 Spanish language) – 101 calories

Helen Cowley, editor of Lovefilm, advises that people who really want to lose weight shouldn’t hide behind the couches or pillows when a scary or hair-raising scene unfolds. Instead, they should definitely keep an eye on the screens.