It's not hard to figure out which exercises burn calories the fastest. You burn calories faster when you're constantly moving and exercising more intensely. Exercises that require constant movement such as bicycling are called aerobic exercises. They burn calories faster than stop-and-go exercises, which are called anaerobic exercises. Exercises such as running that require an intense effort, which can be measured by a faster heart rate, burn calories faster than less intense exercises such as walking.
Running
Fast running burns calories faster than any other exercise, and slow running burns more calories than most exercises, according to two studies of more than 100 exercises. Wisconsin's "Calories Burned Per Hour" study reports that running for one hour at a pace of 5.5 minutes per mile burns 1,553 calories if you weigh 190 lbs., 1,267 calories if you weigh 155 lbs., and 1,062 calories if you're 130 lbs. A Harvard Heart Letter study shows that running for one hour at a pace of 12 minutes per mile burns 596 calories if you're 155 lbs. This is more calories than you burn race walking, skating, wrestling, playing soccer and tennis, and dozens of other activities. However, sedentary people shouldn't run before undergoing a comprehensive medical examination because running causes more heart attacks than inactivity, according to "Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease."
Bicycling
Indoor and outdoor bicycling burn calories faster than most other exercises, according to the Harvard and Wisconsin studies. In fact, vigorous stationary bicycling burns more calories than any other gym activity. A 155-lb. person burns 782 calories per hour vigorously bicycling. You are bicycling vigorously if your heart rate is between 70 and 90 percent of your maximum heart rate or 220 beats each minute minus your age. Vigorous outdoor bicycling burns 704 calories per hour, according to the Wisconsin study. Well-known exercise expert Dr. Kenneth Cooper lists bicycling, either indoor or outdoor, as one of the five best exercises for your health along with cross-country skiing, swimming, running and walking.
Skiing
Cross-country skiing isn't as popular as many other exercises, but Cooper ranks it as the best exercise. The Merck Manual of Medical Information and the textbook "An Invitation to Health" also lists cross-country skiing as among the best exercises. You can cross country ski inside and outside because of the advent of skiing machines. Skiing burns calories fast and also exercises your upper body and your legs. Cross-country skiing uphill burns 1,161 calories per hour if you weigh 155 lbs., while vigorous cross-country skiing on a flat surface burns 633 calories.
Other Aerobic Exercises
"An Invitation to Health" recommends several aerobic exercises that require constant movement and are excellent weight-loss exercises. They include aerobic dancing, in-line skating, jumping rope, stair climbing and step training. Jumping rope vigorously burns 844 calories per hour if you weigh 155 lbs., according to the Wisconsin study Walking upstairs burns 563 calories and aerobic dancing while using a stair treadmill machine burns 422.
References
- State of Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services: Calories Burned Per Hour
- Harvard Heart Letter: Calories Burned in 30 Minutes for People of Three Different Weights
- "Dr. Dean Ornish's Program For Reversing Heart Disease"; Dr. Dean Ornish; 1996
- "Controlling Cholesterol The Natural Way"; Dr. Kenneth Cooper and William Proctor; 1999
- The Merck Manual of Medical Information; 2003
- "An Invitation to Health"; Dianne Hales; 2010
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