Calories Burned During Workout
How many calories you burn during a workout depends on a slew of factors. Your age and weight, along with the activity you're doing and for how long, all play a part. In general, of course, the more you weigh and the faster you move, the more calories you burn. Among those activities that burn the most calories are running, bicycling and swimming.
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Types
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If you want to know how many calories you burn during a workout, think about whether your activity is aerobic or anaerobic.
Aerobic ("with oxygen") exercise is "any activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously and is rhythmic in nature," as defined by the American College of Sports Medicine. Think running, cross-country skiing or inline skating.
Anaerobic (means "without oxygen") exercise is brief, high-intensity activity. Think sprinting or jumping rope. Then there's strength training: using free weights, weight machines or your own body weight to build and tone muscle. Weightlifting is considered anaerobic exercise.
Considerations
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In general, anaerobic exercise burns more calories in a short amount of time, but aerobic exercise could burn more if you do it longer (like sprinting the 100-yard dash versus running a marathon.)
How many calories you burn depends on how much you weigh (and other things like your metabolism and gender, but your weight will provide a good estimate at which to start). Some examples: A 160-pound person running at an 8 mph pace for one hour, for instance, would burn about 986 calories, according to the Mayo Clinic. The same person taking part in an hour-long basketball game would burn 584 calories. Walking 3.5 miles in an hour would burn 277 calories in this same person.
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Potential
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The more you weigh, the more you burn. So if you're trying to lose weight, use that as motivation. A 240-pound person running at an 8 mph pace for an hour burns 1,472 calories, according to the Mayo Clinic.
This means that as you lose weight, you'll likely have to increase your exercise intensity or the time you spend working out to keep seeing similar results.
Changing activities also can help jump start a sluggish workout. Your body gets used to doing the same activity. If you normally walk briskly, try swimming or riding your bike.
Benefits
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Mixing aerobic and anaerobic exercise often leads to the best results.
Interval training involves short bursts of high-intensity activity, such as walking quickly for three minutes, then sprinting for one minute, then jogging for four minutes, then sprinting for one minute and so on.
Studies have suggested that doing interval training at least one day a week can, as The New York Times put it, "dramatically improve cardiovascular fitness and raise the body's potential to burn fat." And because you know the hardest parts of the workout don't last very long, it might be easier to motivate yourself to get through them. Just think about how you can walk for a few minutes after you sprint. Sure, you'll have to sprint again--and again--but at least you're not killing yourself running as fast as you can for 20 minutes straight.
Warning
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Experts advise that certain people not partake in interval training.
"Pushing your heart rate up very high with intensive interval training can put a strain on the cardiovascular system, provoking a heart attack or stroke in people at risk," Walter R. Thompson, professor of exercise science at Georgia State University in Atlanta, said in a New York Times article.
People older than 60, or anyone who has joint problems, high blood pressure or heart disease, should ask their doctor before beginning an interval training program, the paper said.
Features
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There are numerous online calculators that will estimate how many calories you've burned during your workout; just enter your weight, choose an activity and how long you did it.
Nutritiondata.com has a very detailed calculator, which allows you to enter your gender, whether you are pregnant or nursing, your age, height and lifestyle (such as sedentary or active), along with up to three activities.
Other sites, such as MayoClinic.com and Nutristrategy.com, list calories burned by activity and weight category.
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