Calories Burned For Different Activities

Calories measure energy. The body burns calories to keep up its basic functions and provide energy for daily activities. Calories are also how we measure individual energy intake, in terms of food. Knowing how many calories you are burning during physical activity is an important piece of information for anyone who is interested in monitoring his daily energy balance. Because calories are a measure of energy, it is important to remember that total number of calories burned is affected by the person's weight---more mass means it takes more energy to move it---and intensity level, meaning the more vigorous the effort, the more calories burned.

Daily Activities

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Dietary Guidelines list calories burned for common daily activities, and some are surprisingly effective calorie burners. For example, a 154-pound person gardening for one hour will burn about 330 calories. Pushing a lawn mower for an hour burns 270 calories, according to the American Heart Association. The USDA's guidelines show general yard work also burns 330 calories an hour. More intense yard work, such as chopping wood, burns 440 calories.

Recreational Activities

Recreational activities are a good way to incorporate physical activity and burn calories. Golf is a popular recreational activity. One hour of golf, while walking and carrying clubs, burns 330 calories, the same as doing an hour of yard work. If someone headed out to hike for an hour, she would burn around 370 calories. Based on research in the Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, an hour of bowling uses 219 calories, ballroom dancing 219, and softball or baseball burns 365.

Exercise

Focused exercise tends to burn calories at the highest rate. Running is one of the most powerful calorie-burning activities. Running for one hour, at 8 miles per hour, burns almost 1,000 calories for a 160-pound person, while running at 5 miles per hour for the same amount of time will burn 584. Cycling at a speed greater than 10 miles per hour burns 590 calories. This makes it a good calorie burner for those who prefer a nonimpact sport. Another nonimpact exercise activity is swimming. Swimming for an hour burns 511 calories. A well-rounded exercise plan also includes some strength training. Weightlifting at an intense effort burns 440 calories over an hour.