If there’s one thing you must understand about maintaining a healthy body weight or getting down to that ‘dream’ weight while battling the bulge, it’s that calories matter.
At its core, in order to lose weight, you must burn off more calories than you consume through your daily diet. Likewise, to maintain your body weight, you must eat the same number of calories that you burn on a daily basis. If you consume more than you burn, you’ll likely end up gaining weight.
So, understanding how to successfully meet your desired body weight target begins with getting a firm grasp on the best ways to burn calories.
When you know this, you’ll be able to design a program that helps you burn body fat efficiently. Remember, the single most effective way to burn calories is to increase your basal metabolic rate. This way, you’re burning calories 24/7—who doesn’t want to burn fat while relaxing on the couch and watching your favorite TV show?
Boosting your metabolic rate is accomplished by building new lean muscle mass. This is why weight lifting, in the long term, is the best way to burn calories. While some activities we discuss below may burn more calories per minute than weight training, over time, weight training will still have the edge as long as muscle mass is built.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the top calorie-burning activities to help you get started.
Cardio-Based Activities
The first category of activities to assess is cardio-based exercises. Cardio tends to be the go-to workout for many people, as these exercises are well known for being great calorie burners.
But, is that really the case?
Let’s take a quick look at how some activities compare. The following numbers are based on an average 150-pound person performing the activity for 30 minutes:
- Cycling – 246 calories
- Jogging – 289 calories
- Walking – 186 calories
- Swimming (breaststroke) – 357 calories
- Skipping – 312 calories
- Rowing – 247 calories
- Using the elliptical – 312 calories
- Step-Aerobics – 270 calories
As you can see, activities that involve the whole body tend to burn more calories than those that don’t. It’s logical—the more muscles engaged, the more energy is required to fuel that activity.
Additionally, the more intense the exercise, the more calories it burns. For instance, jogging burns more calories than walking. Keep this in mind as you plan your workouts—how hard you push yourself plays a big role in how many calories you burn.
Sport-Based Activities
Now let’s turn our attention to some sport-based activities. You don’t have to be in the gym to burn calories. Any activity that gets you moving can help expend energy, so don’t overlook fun, recreational activities as part of your weight management routine.
Here’s how some popular sports compare:
- Basketball – 265 calories
- Football – 286 calories
- Soccer – 250 calories
- Tennis – 249 calories
- Badminton – 161 calories
- Skating/Rollerblading – 255 calories
Interestingly, many of these sports burn calories just as effectively as cardio-based activities. So, if you’re not feeling motivated to head to the gym, consider playing a sport instead. Breaking free from the mindset that you must be in the gym to lose weight is key to enjoying long-term physical activity.
Leisure-Based Activities
Finally, let’s consider leisure-based activities. These are the types of activities you may not think of as exercise, but they’re still burning calories.
Although you may not burn as many calories during these activities as you would with cardio or sports, everything adds up. If you dislike traditional workouts but love playing golf, for instance, that love of golf could help you maintain a healthy body weight.
Here’s how some leisure activities measure up:
- Rollerblading – 429 calories
- Frisbee – 107 calories
- Golf (without a cart) – 161 calories
- Gardening – 143 calories
- Cross Country Skiing – 345 calories
So, there you have it—some of the best ways to burn calories. The key takeaway is to always choose activities that you enjoy. Don’t pick one over another just based on calorie burn because, if you hate it, you likely won’t do it, and then you won’t be burning any calories at all. Instead, look for activities you enjoy, as they’ll help lead you to your weight goals.
