Calorie Burning Tips

One of the things we all need to know is how to burn calories to reach our goals. Below is a chart of many activities we all do and the burn rate for each. Remember, we are talking about burning calories, not body fat. Only activities below marked with an asterisk (*) burn fat. To burn fat, one must be working out in an aerobic (with oxygen) manner for at least 20 to 30 minutes without stopping. When working out aerobically, the large muscle groups demand oxygen, which places an oxygen debt on the body. When large amounts of oxygen are breathed in, the body uses that oxygen to produce heat (thus the sweating). It's the heat your body produces that burns body fat.

If you are just beginning an aerobic type exercise program, work up slowly. It will take a few weeks or a couple of months to build up your cardiovascular system to enable you to work out for 20 - 30 minutes at your THR (Target Heart Rate). But it will come. Don't give up!
Activity(Calorie amounts are approximate - gender, age, ethnicity, muscle mass, and other individual characteristics aren't factored in these data)

Calories Used:
Bed rest, sleeping 60 per hour
Taking a shower 65 for 15 minutes
Eating a meal (sitting down) 70 per 30 minutes
Reading, Watching TV, Sitting (some brain activity) 75 per hour
Sewing (sitting down at a sewing machine) 80 per hour
Grocery Shopping and putting them away 90 per hour
Motel type work; making beds, cleaning rooms (not breaking a sweat) 95 per hour
Quietly standing in line 100 per hour
Leisurely frisby game with neighbor (some resting, talking) 105 per hour
Arguing on the phone or with neighbor (standing, swinging arms) 105 per hour
Sexual intimacy 108 per hour
Brain Work; study, desk job, accounting, computer work, some moving around 110 per hour
Playing with your dog; throwing rawhide, playing tag, playing fetch 115 per hour
Chasing after kids, wiping noses, fixing scrapes and bruised egos, picking up toys 120 per hour
Driving a vehicle in moderate to heavy traffic 120 per hour
Busily cleaning house, doing laundry, a lot of bending over and picking up items 130 per hour
Walking (moderate movement) in the park 130 per hour
Horseback Riding 130 per hour
*Cycling, (6 mph). Once warmed up, at your THR for 20 - 30 minutes, 135 per hour
Shopping; walking through stores, active pace, carrying packages, no rest benches, 135 per hour
Impatiently (nervously) standing in line (body twitching, stamping feet) 140 per hour
Bowling, steady, walking around between lanes, 145 per hour
Getting ready for a yard sale (going through closets & drawer, boxing items, ) 150 per hour
Wrestling 180 for a 10 - 15 minute match
Heavy housework; scrubbing floors, cleaning the garage. 225 per hour
Yoga, breaking a sweat 230 per hour
Weeding a garden, bagging up weeds, carrying them away, breaking a little sweat 230 per hour
Light exercise, walking 2 1/2 miles per hour, sweating somewhat 250 per hour
Playing Golf, riding in a golf cart between holes 250 per hour
Softball, soccer, free-style swimming 260 per hour
*Swim for pleasure, no time limits, no stress. Considered aerobic if 20 - 30 at THR 260 per hour
*Skateboarding (no rest breaks) 275 per hour
Line Dancing, Country Western Style, Square Dancing 280 per hour
Lawn mowing, using a push mower, gatheringing leaves, carrying them away 295 per hour
Playing golf, while pushing a bag cart, some sweating 300 per hour
Badmitton, Volleyball 340 per hour
Martial arts, Tai Chi, or Karate (no rest breaks) 345 for 1 hour
Tennis, Doubles, Square Dancing 350 per hour
*Water Aerobics, (working at your THR for 20 - 30 minutes without stopping) 360 per hour
*Low Impact Aerobic Dance (at your THR for 20 - 30 minutes without stopping) 385 per hour
*Bicycling, (12 mph), (working at your THR 20 - 30 minutes without stopping) 385 per hour
Hiking, Rock Climbing, uphill 390 per hour
Dancing to Rock and Roll Music 400 per hour
*Step Aerobics, (working at your THR 20 - 30 minutes without stopping) 400 per hour
*Power walking, 4 1/2 miles per hour (almost a jog), at your THR 20 - 30 minutes 400 per hour
*High Impact Aerobic Dance, (at your THR for 20 - 30 minutes witout stopping) 440 per hour
*Spinning class in a gym, (working at your THR for 20 - 30 minutes non stop) 440 per hour
Racquetball, football, hockey, basketball 460 per hour
*Jump Rope, Continuous for at least 20 - 30 minutes at your THR 480 per hour
*Cross Country Ski Machine, gym type (at your THR for 20 - 30 non stop) 500 per hour
Tennis, Singles 510 per hour
* Bicycling, (12 - 14 mph) (at your THR for 20 - 30 minutes non stopg) 530 per hour
Circuit Weight Training, heavy weights, 8 - 12 reps per set, 540 per hour
*Stair climbing in a gym, 125 - 140 sets of stairs at THR 20 - 30 minutes non stop 600 per hour
*Jogging (5 miles per hour) (at your THR for 20 - 30 minutes non stop) 600 per hour
Squash 650 per hour
*Vigorous running 10 mph, biking 14 mph, racquetball at THR for 20 - 30 minutes 700 per hour
*Exercising on Elliptial Rider or Rowing Machine at THR, 20 - 30 minutes 850 per hour