We're talking counting calories, yes, but it's what you expend, not what you eat. Before setting yourself a daily calorie intake, and banishing the Oreos, it helps to know just how many calories you use up during everyday life, and how many more you can burn by being just a little more active.

 

How many calories you expend depends on your weight. If you go for a brisk walk, you'll burn up 90 calories in 30 miutes if you weigh 8 stone; 136 calories if you weigh 12 stone. That's because it takes more energy to move a larger mass or, simply put, if you weigh more you burn more. That's why exercise should never be overlooked when you're looking to lose weight.

 

We've calculated the average calorie expenditure for 30 minutes of the following activities based on a 10 stone (140 lb) individual. You'll be amazed at some of the results; it might even put a shine on the ironing!

 

Everyday activities

If you hate housework, the weight-loss benefits from doing those chores might just make it a bit more bearable...

 

● Just being alive, breathing and motionless: 30 calories

● Queueing: 38 calories

● Typing on a computer: 77 calories

● Preparing food: 63 calories

● Driving: 63 calories

● Making the bed: 63 calories

● Ironing: 73 calories

● Watering the plants: 80 calories

● Cleaning the house: 95 calories

● Washing the car: 95 calories

● Window-cleaning: 105 calories

● Hoovering: 111 calories

● Planting in the garden: 143 calories

● Mowing the lawn: 175 calories

● Climbing the stairs: 196 calories

 

Exercise / gym activities

As you'd expect, most fitness activities burn those calories at a higher rate. And if you have limited time/motivation, you can see which choices burn most calories

 

● Hatha yoga (gentle): 85 calories

● Aqua aerobics: 127 calories

● Table tennis: 127 calories

● Ashtanga yoga (higher intensity): 150 calories

● Brisk walking: 160 calories

● Aerobics: around 200 calories

● Badminton: 210 calories

● Elliptical trainer: 229 calories

● Running: 252 calories calories

● Swimming crawl: 254 calories

● Tennis singles: 254

● Cycling at a moderate speed: 255 calories

● Rowing: up to 270 depending on speed

● Swimming breaststroke: 318 calories

● Exercise bike, vigorous: 334 calories

● Running up a gradient: 477 calories

 

 

Life's little pleasures

Sometimes burning calories doesn't seem like such hard work...

 

● Sleeping: 28 calories

● Reading: 31.8 calories(turning those pages takes an extra 1.8 calories a half-hour!)

● Watching TV: 31.8 again

● Slow dancing: 77 calories

● Shopping: 84 calories

● Having sex: at least 85 calories depending on position and effort!

 

 

To calculate the calories per activity for your own weight try these handy online calorie calculators:

www.nutribase.com

http://primusweb.com

 

 

Ways to increase the calories you burn

 

There are some surprisingly simple ways to increase the calories you burn each day, primarily by boosting your metabolic rate.

 

Pumping iron

Building muscle may sound like a daunting undertaking, but just 20 minutes of light weight-training three times a week will make you look better and increase the amount of muscle on your body. As muscle is metabolically active, you don't to be moving for it to be working its magic. For every pound of muscle you build, your body uses around an extra 50 calories a day.

 

The spice of life

Eating spicy foods is a delicious way to increase your metabolic rate. Chilli in particular is said to continually speed up the burning of calories up to three hours after eating. Swapping your mid-morning cuppa for a green tea instead is also a proven method of upping your metabolic rate.

 

Take every opportunity to move

For those of us who spend a lot of the day sedentary, these extra little movements will make massive changes to your daily calories burned. When sitting down tap your foot or strum your fingers and stand while you're on the phone. When given the choice take the stairs rather than the lift and when parking the car, park further away from where you're heading.  

 

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Why not take a look at our fitness footwear selection? Let the shoes do the work!

 

 

 

 

 

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