How to Compare Activities for Calories Burned

Regular physical activity is associated with well-being, weight control and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. While there is no instrument yet that is scientifically accurate in measuring the exact number of calories burned for each activity, the approximations are likely to be accurate enough for comparison among activities.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. The longer a person exercises, the more calories he will burn. If a hundred and fifty pound person bicycles at 6 miles per hour for an hour he will burn approximately 240 calories. At 12 miles per hour, he will burn 410 calories.
2. By choosing to jog instead biking, the hundred and fifty pound person will use 920 calories. An hour of jogging (at 7 miles per hour) will burn 510 more calories for the same sized person than will an hour of biking.
3. Walking at 3 miles per hour will burn off 320 calories for the hundred and fifty pound person while running at 4.5 miles per hour will use 440 calories for the same one hundred and fifty pound person. For people who find running too difficult, walking at a fast pace will come quite close to running. Most people are able to walk longer than they can sustain running, so walking is a very good exercise for many.
4. A set of tennis singles, lasting an hour, will burn about 400 calories for the one hundred and fifty pound individual. This compares to an hour of bicycling at 12 miles an hour or jogging for half an hour. It is important to select an activity that you enjoy. The more you enjoy a particular physical activity, the more likely you are to continue to exercise.
5. Jumping rope, if sustained for the full hour by a hundred and fifty pound person, uses 750 calories. A half hour of jumping rope will burn about the same number of calories as an hour of walking. Most people will find the hour of walking less exhausting than thirty minutes of continuous jumping,

Tips & Warnings

• Activity does not have to be sustained for a full hour to reap the benefits.
• All exercise, even in short bursts, is good for muscle strength and stress management.
• Walk and take the stairs whenever you can.
• For older people, exercise helps delay or prevent chronic illness and disease.