From brushing your teeth in the morning to walking around the office, your body constantly needs energy to move each of the hundreds of muscles that it takes to perform even the smallest tasks. In order to provide energy for these muscles, your body burns calories from the foods you consume throughout the day. While exercising through running or biking burns significantly more calories per hour, daily activities can still go a long way toward creating a calorie deficit for losing or maintaining weight.
At the Office
Basic tasks burn calories. For example, typing at your computer burns an estimated 99 calories per hour for a 145-lb. person. Writing notes burns 118 calories per hour. Walking around the office at a leisurely 2 mph pace can burn 226 calories an hour. To burn more calories at work, make small changes in your workday such as taking breaks to stand up and stretch, walking or biking to work, using the stairs instead of the elevator, and walking around the office during your lunch break.
At Home
Even regular activities around your house can burn a substantial amount of calories over time. Folding laundry burns an estimated 132 calories per hour. Clearing dishes from the table or dusting burns 164 calories per hour. Making the bed burns 139 calories per hour and heavier cleaning such as washing windows burns 197 calories per hour. Cooking burns an estimated 139 calories per hour.
Self Care
Making yourself look presentable for work or keeping up on basic hygiene also burns calories. Taking a shower, brushing your teeth and washing your hands burn an estimated 132 calories per hour. Even at a beauty salon you can burn calories getting your hair cut or your nails manicured, at an estimated 66 calories per hour.
Shopping
Shopping for groceries or clothing can increase the amount of calories you burn during the day. Shopping with a cart or buggy burns an estimated 151 calories per hour. Getting rid of the cart burns an additional 13 calories per hour, or 164.
Considerations
The amount of calories you burn for any activity will vary depending on factors including your weight. In general, the more you weigh, the more calories you will burn for the same level of activity.
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