Calories Burned Watching TV

There is nothing wrong with spending time watching television, but think about how you might make better use of your time--and still catch your favorite shows. Consider combining exercise and television. Your days as a couch potato could be behind you.

Inactivity

You will burn calories by simply sitting on your favorite chair or reclining on the sofa as you watch television. For example, a 140-pound person will burn 64 calories an hour while watching TV. That's the same amount of calories you will burn with any type of general inactivity. What does burning 64 calories mean to your diet? Not much. It's the equivalent to burning off the calories consumed in one cup of fresh melon. There are bigger gains to be had here.

Combination

Consider adding movement during that one hour of television. If you ride a stationary bicycle at a leisurely 10 mph pace for one hour, you'll burn between 281-352 calories. Or, if you hop on the treadmill and walk a moderate 3.0 mph while watching TV, you'll burn 246 calories an hour. Grab that portable trampoline that's collecting dust under your bed, put it in front of the TV and get jumping. Sixty minutes later, you will have burned 222 calories--almost four times more than if you just sat there.

Benefits

In reality, burning 200 calories is not a lot for someone who eats a reasonable diet of 1,500 calories a day. It's an even smaller percentage to the person eating 2,000+ calories a day. But there are benefits to burning calories the active way. You'll improve your health and the activity will kick your metabolism into a higher gear. A faster metabolism helps you burn calories faster and makes it easier to lose weight.

Warning

On the flip side, there are negative consequences for spending long, sedentary hours in front of the television. In a study of adults between the ages of 26 and 36, it was found that those who spend more than three hours a day watching TV were more likely to carry excess weight around the middle than those who watch an hour of TV or less each day. This may be the result of someone choosing an inactive lifestyle. Or it could be that the person watching TV is more likely to snack than the person walking the treadmill while watching TV.

Inspire

If you still can't get moving while watching TV, at least turn to a show that can inspire you to get moving or eat healthier. There are weight loss shows like NBC's "The Biggest Loser," as well as cable programs that will show you how to eat well--like TLC's "Homemade Simple" and The Food Network's "Good Eats." Good health and TV can go together.

References

• Calorie counter
• Activity counter

Resources

• Activity list
• Calorie chart