Note: The less you weigh, the more minutes required, no matter what the activity. A lighter body requires fewer calories to move itself about.
|
Activities (from more to less vigorous) |
Number of minutes to burn 100 calories at the following body weights |
|||
|
125 lbs. |
150 lbs. |
175 lbs. |
200 lbs. |
|
|
Sitting or lying quietly or watching TV; getting a massage |
100.5 |
84 |
72 |
63 |
|
Standing (quietly) in church |
84 |
70 |
60 |
52.5 |
|
Typing at the computer; playing cards; sitting at a sporting event |
67 |
56 |
48 |
42 |
|
Folding clothes; playing the flute |
50.5 |
42 |
36 |
31.5 |
|
Grocery shopping |
44 |
36.5 |
31 |
27.5 |
|
Walking at 2 mph (slow pace); dusting; playing pool; playing catch |
40 |
33.5 |
28.5 |
25 |
|
Washing windows; bowling; ballroom dancing, slow (waltz, fox-trot) |
33.5 |
28 |
24 |
21 |
|
Walking at 3 mph (moderate pace); sweeping floors |
30.5 |
25.5 |
22 |
19 |
|
Vacuuming; playing golf (with cart) |
29 |
24 |
20.5 |
18 |
|
Ballroom dancing, fast (folk, polka); performing Tai Chi; bicycling at less than 10 mph; playing drums; giving a massage |
25 |
21 |
18 |
15.5 |
|
Shooting baskets; playing golf (walking and carrying clubs) |
22.5 |
18.5 |
16 |
14 |
|
Walking at 4 mph (very brisk pace); digging in the garden; playing softball |
20 |
17 |
14.5 |
12.5 |
|
Mowing the lawn (walking behind a power mower) |
18.5 |
15 |
13 |
11.5 |
|
Mowing the lawn (walking behind a non-power mower); playing tennis (doubles) |
17 |
14 |
12 |
10.5 |
|
Using a ski machine; climbing hills; swimming laps freestyle, slow |
14.5 |
12 |
10.5 |
9 |
|
Climbing hills with a 10 lb. load |
13.5 |
11 |
9.5 |
8.5 |
|
Jogging at 5 mph (12-min. mile); bicycling at 12-14 mph; playing tennis (singles); playing a game of basketball |
12.5 |
10.5 |
9 |
8 |
|
Jogging at 6 mph (10-min. mile); swimming laps freestyle, fast |
10 |
8.5 |
7 |
6.5 |
Some of the activities and what they provide from a caloric expenditure standpoint may surprise you. Notice the relatively high caloric expenditure provided by digging in the garden and lawn mowing. You will also note differences in those activities that use only part of the body’s musculature versus those that are whole body activities.
Take the time to look at your weekly activities as a whole and see where you can fit in more “exercise”. Use the steps instead of the elevator. Park at the far end of parking lots and walk instead of driving around for 10 minutes looking for that spot up front.
Use the few minutes of your lunch break not used for eating and go for a quick walk outside or around the hallways. Even better, walk up and down a few flights of stairs.
Use your imagination and you will find ways to fit in more active time. You will feel tons better and over the course of 365 days, and if your caloric intake stays the same, you will lose fat weight. Simple but effective.