The amount of calories burned during exercise is known as energy expenditure. Tracking and planning one's caloric intake and expenditure during exercise can help an individual achieve weight-loss and maintenance goals. The amount of calories burned will vary depending on an individual's body mass, exercise intensity, exercise duration and frequency. Adults weighing less than 154 to 155 lbs. will typically burn less calories per similar activity, while those weighing more will burn increased calories per minute. Regular exercise, regardless of caloric expenditure, will help reduce cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes.
Aerobics
The ACSM classifies aerobic exercise modes by the varying skill demands of the activity. The rate of movement and step height correlate to caloric expenditure. For a 155-lb. person, low impact aerobics such as water aerobics burn approximately 149 calories per half hour. Moderate intensity aerobics and light step aerobics can burn around 260 calories per half hour. Higher impact aerobics, including step aerobics, may burn around 372 calories per 30 minutes. The CDC estimates that a traditional aerobics class burns 240 calories per 30 minutes of activity.
Swimming
In aquatic exercise, energy expenditure varies by stroke. A 155-lb. individual can burn anywhere between 233 and 409 calories per half hour. Harvard Medical School estimates that general play and light swimming will burn 233 calories per half hour. To increase caloric expenditure individuals who swim breaststroke, vigorous laps or tread water can burn approximately 272 calories per half hour. Strokes that burn the highest amount of calories include butterfly and front-crawl, both of which can burn approximately 409 calories per half hour.
Walking and Jogging
Walking is a low to moderate intensity exercise. Leisurely walking can burn approximately 149 miles per half hour. Harvard Medical School quantifies low intensity walk as 17 minutes per mile. To increase the caloric expenditure per half hour, increasing walking speed to 4.5 mph, or 13 minute miles, can burn 187 calories per half hour. Moderate to vigorous activity be accomplished through race walking, which can burn an upwards of 242 calories per 30 minute session. Jogging at a pace greater than 10 minute miles will significantly increase an individuals expenditure. A 155-lb, adult running 8-minute miles will burn 465 calories while an adult running greater than 6-minute miles will burn at least 614 calories per half hour session.
Team Sports
Team sports include volleyball, basketball, soccer, hockey, tennis and softball. Energy expenditure is difficult to calculate as it will depend on level of play and position. Heart rate may be a better indication of exercise intensity. Sports played at 50 to 70 percent of maximum heart rate are considered moderate level activity while intensities resulting in a heart rate of 70 to 85 percent maximal heart rate are vigorous activities. A competitive football game may burn 335 calories per half hour, while a recreational volleyball game may burn only 112 calories per half hour. On average soccer and tennis players will burn 260 calories per 30 minutes while basketball and hockey can burn 298 calories.
References
- ACSM; "Energy Expenditure in Different Modes Of Exercise"; 2007
- Harvard Heart News Letter; "Calories Burned In 30 Minutes For People of Three Different Weights"; July 2004
- CDC; "Physical Activity Intensity Table"; 2011
- CDC; "Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight"; February 2011
- CDC; "Target Heart Rate and Estimated Maximum Heart Rate"; March 2011
Member Comments