Stop counting calories & do these 8 fun things instead! (PHOTOS)

Every woman is responsible for monitoring their own diet, but it looks some of us spend way too much time doing so. According to a new survey, females spend a total of 127 hours a year counting calories!

Can you believe that?! That seems like a whole lot of time that could be spent doing more productive (and fun!) things.

Read more ¿Qué más?:  How to eat whatever you want & still look fabulous!

The survey found that women think about dieting for at least 21 minutes a day. Over a life span of 67 years (which would be considered relatively short these days), that comes to a total of 355 days–almost an entire year!!–spent counting calories and obsessing over our weight. Is that crazy or what?!

The truth is, I'm not altogether surprised by the results, but I do find them more than a little sad. Of course, every individual should be doing their best to stay healthy and maintaining a nutritious diet is certainly part of that. That being said, I can't help but think of all the much better and more enjoyable ways we could be spending our time instead of compulsively calculating whether just how much that mini-Snickers bar will throw off your diet.

And since I know it's easier said than done, here's a list of eight things we'd rather be doing than counting calories to get you started:

Image via Thinkstock

Hanging out with friends

pho4xim5ck1.jpg
Thinkstock

Chances are your day-to-day schedule is completely crammed with work, family, personal errands…so when you finally do have some downtime, would you rather spend it counting calories or finally catching up with your best friends? I'll give you a hint: only one will actually make you happier.

Going somewhere new

ph73dnak2s1.jpg
Thinkstock

It's summer–getaway season! So what better time to grab your family or a group of friends and go on a trip? Exploring somewhere new will benefit your mental health way more than plotting out your newest diet ever will.

Exercising

ph09ot0mck1.jpg
Thinkstock

Why waste time counting calories when you could actually be burning them? Besides, knowing you're doing your part to stay fit will make you feel good both physically and mentally.

Having sex

phm75jcu0w1.jpg
Thinkstock

Do I really need to explain this one? Besides, once again, you'll be burning calories instead of just thinking about doing so.

Sleeping

phwifa3kw01.jpg
Thinkstock

Getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep is crucial to your health and can strongly affect how you go about your daily life. Besides, as our own Ingrid Macher has told us, it even helps burn fat and reduce your waistline! Win-win.

Having a spa day

ph75xx77lw1.jpg
Thinkstock

Taking time for yourself and to de-stress is just as important to your quality of life as is eating healthy and exercising regularly.

Shopping for the perfect dress for your bod

phrpw1t7w41.jpg
Thinkstock

Even if you aren't 100 percent happy with it, you should still appreciate your body and know that everyone has their own hang-ups. Instead of dwelling on them, embrace those curves by getting a dress or another outfit that you look absolutely AWESOME in.

Actually enjoying food

phx87ics081.jpg
Thinkstock

Like I said, eating healthy should be a priority but not to the point, where you can't actually enjoy your delicous food.