The foods you eat provide your body with the fuel it needs to function. In order to maintain a healthy weight, you must consume as many calories as your body and muscles burn in a day. In order to lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than your body burns. However, without knowing how many calories your body burns at rest or while exercising, you may be unknowingly consuming too many or too few calories to accomplish your fitness goals.
Daily Calories Burned
Numerous factors influence the number of calories your body burns daily, including muscle mass, activity level and overall fitness. According to Medline Plus, on average, when you are not actively exercising or if you are older than 55, your body burns 13 calories per pound daily. If you are very obese or do not move around at all in your daily routine, your body burns approximately 10 calories per pound per day.
Calories Burned During Aerobic Activities
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends a total of two and a half hours of moderate aerobic exercise per week or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise. However, if you are more closely monitoring your calorie consumption, you may prefer to calculate more precisely the number of calories burned in a workout.
According to Mayoclinic.com, low-impact aerobics burn approximately 365 calories per hour for someone weighing 160 pounds, 455 calories per hour for someone weighing 200 pounds and 545 calories for someone weighing 240 pounds. Walking at a leisurely pace of 2 mph burns 183, 228 or 273 calories per hour for a 160-pound, 200-pound or 240-pound person, respectively. Jogging at 5 mph burns 584, 728 or 872 calories per hour for a 160-pound, 200-pound or 240-pound person, respectively.
Calories Burned During Strength Training
In general, weightlifting does not burn as many calories as aerobic exercise. On average, any type of weightlifting, including using free weights and weight machines, burns 219 calories per hour for someone weighing 160 pounds, 273 calories per hour for someone weighing 200 pounds and 327 calories per hour for someone weighing 240 pounds.
Calories Burned Based on Activity Level
While the above figures allow you to calculate a precise number of calories burned, you may prefer estimating the calories you burn in your daily activity for convenience. If you regularly do moderate activity for 30 to 60 minutes per day, your body burns approximately 15 calories per pound. If you participate in vigorous physical activity for 60 minutes or more four to five days per week, you burn approximately 18 calories per pound per day.
Considerations
Calorie consumption is only one factor that influences weight loss. Consult a physician or nutritionist to discuss your weight-loss goals and to develop a personalized diet and exercise plan.
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