It's no secret that we here at Musclefoundry.com are big fans of moving around -- getting off the couch (a pathetic 48 calories an hour) and DOING something -- going for a brisk walk, working in the yard or of course, lifting. Here is a smattering of everyday activities and how much leeway they'll buy you on the ol' Scales of Caloric Justice. For all the fancy diets and routines you'll find out there, frying your bodyfat boils down to simple math -- burn more calories than you consume, and the fat will melt off.
Do note that many of the aerobic activities listed burn more calories than do the resistance-training (weights) exercises. However, your metabolism rapidly returns to normal shortly after doing aerobic exercise.
Conversely, after training with weights your metabolism remains elevated (and hence burns even more calories), long after you've exercised. That's because your muscle needs energy to repair itself and grow; and it's denser than fat, meaning you burn more energy just by the fact that it's there and you're carrying it around. This is a good thing.
Happy calculating...
This chart gives approximate calories spent per hour by a 100-, 150- and 200- pound person doing a given activity.
| ACTIVITY | 100 lb | 150 lb | 200 lb |
| Aerobics, general |
310 |
464 |
619 |
| Aerobics, 6-8 inch step |
405 |
607 |
810 |
| Basketball (Vigorous) |
381 |
440 |
762 |
| Bicycling, 6 mph |
160 |
240 |
312 |
|
Bicycling, 12 mph |
270 |
410 |
534 |
| Chopping Wood, Yard work (heavy) |
286 |
440 |
572 |
| Gardening/Yard Work (light) |
191 |
330 |
381 |
| Hiking |
286 |
370 |
572 |
| Jogging, 7 mph |
610 |
920 |
1,230 |
| Jumping rope |
500 |
750 |
1,000 |
| Running 5.5 mph |
440 |
660 |
962 |
|
Running, 10 mph |
850 |
1,280 |
1,664 |
| Sex (Vigorous) |
71 |
107 |
143 |
| Swimming, 25 yds/min |
185 |
275 |
358 |
|
Sitting on toilet |
48 |
71 |
95 |
|
Swimming, 50 yds/min |
325 |
500 |
650 |
| Tennis singles |
265 |
400 |
535 |
| Walking, 2 mph | 160 | 240 | 312 |
| Walking, 3 mph | 210 | 320 | 416 |
|
Walking, 4.5 mph |
295 |
440 |
572 |
| Watching television |
48 |
71 |
95 |
| Weightlifting (Light Intensity) |
165 |
210 |
260 |
| Weightlifting (Vigorous) |
286 |
440 |
572 |
| Whitewater rafting, kayaking or canoeing |
285 |
350 |
435 |
