Burning calories and weight loss go hand in hand, and the more energy you spend during the day – the more fats you use to fuel your physical activity.
Logically, you will begin asking yourself two fundamental questions: how much energy you spend during different activities and how to burn more calories in order to accelerate your fitness results.
Below, you will find a thorough list of calories you burn during the most popular sports and leisure activities, as well as a few hints on how to multiply their number safely and pleasurably.
How Many Calories Do You Burn With Different Physical Activities?
Your weight loss plan has a lot to do with your energy balance – or the correlation between the calories you take in with your meals and the calories you burn during the day.
If your intake is higher than your spending, not only you won’t lose weight, but you will probably store even more fat in different areas of your body.
In order to plan and achieve a good energy balance, you need two things: the number of calories you consume and the number of calories you burn. So, below, you will find the shortest answer to how many calories your body burns in 30 minutes during different exercises and activities, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
Calories Burned During Everyday Activities for 30 Minutes
Are you burning calories while sleeping? Yes, of course. You are also burning them as you breathe, as you speak, and as you’re reading this article.
Will you lose weight by sleeping all day? No, not really.
Still – in case you feel strangely satisfied to know what your body burns for a living, here it comes:
Type of Activity | Calories Burned for a 125-pound Person | Calories Burned for a 155-pound person | Calories Burned for a
185-pound person |
Sleeping | 19 | 22 | 26 |
Sitting Still | 34 | 40 | 47 |
Cooking | 57 | 70 | 84 |
Playing With Your Children | 114 | 141 | 168 |
Cleaning | 135 | 162 | 189 |
Moving Furniture | 170 | 211 | 252 |
Carrying Boxes | 210 | 252 | 294 |
How Many Calories Can You Burn Outdoors For 30 Minutes?
Spending time outdoors is among the greatest ways to burn calories and stay healthy. Interacting with nature is proven to boost your mood, reduce your stress levels, and help you stay in good shape without severe gym sessions and questionable diets.
What’s more – spending time in the open air can give you a chance to socialize, make good memories, or spend quality time with your family and children. So, here is what your body burns during different outdoor activities:
Type of Activity | Calories Burned for a 125-pound Person | Calories Burned for a 155-pound person | Calories Burned for a
185-pound person |
Gardening & Mowing The Lawn | 135 | 162 | 189 |
Shoveling Snow | 180 | 216 | 252 |
Walking – 3.5 mph | 107 | 133 | 159 |
Running – 5 mph | 240 | 288 | 336 |
Hiking | 170 | 216 | 252 |
Bicycling – 12 mph | 240 | 288 | 336 |
Horseback Riding | 57 | 70 | 84 |
Golfing | 105 | 126 | 147 |
30-Minute Sports & Trainings For a Good Calorie Burn
You don’t need to be a professional in order to enjoy yourself in sports. The number of calories per half an hour is generally the same for beginners and advanced sports lovers.
In the table below, you can see a calculation of what your body needs in order to get you going through for 30 minutes during exercise in different types of sports.
Type of Sport | Calories Burned for a 125-pound Person | Calories Burned for a 155-pound person | Calories Burned for a
185-pound person |
Dancing | 165 | 198 | 231 |
Volleyball | 90 | 108 | 126 |
Basketball | 240 | 288 | 336 |
Soccer | 210 | 252 | 294 |
Tennis | 210 | 252 | 294 |
Skiing | 180 | 216 | 252 |
Kayaking | 150 | 180 | 210 |
Swimming | 180 | 216 | 252 |
Martial Arts | 300 | 360 | 420 |
Rope Jumping (Fast) | 340 | 421 | 503 |
Calories Burned During 30-Minute Gym Workouts
The amount of calories burned during a gym session depends on your weight and the intensity of your workout. High intensity means more energy spent, and higher weight means more calories burned to fuel your body movements.
It’s important to have a balanced workout plan, preferably tailored to your experience, age, general health, and fitness goals. Not every fitness plan works equally well for everyone, and you can sometimes push yourself too hard while trying to achieve quick results.
In a smart fitness plan where weight training and cardio exercises are balanced thoughtfully, you can expect the following calculation:
Type of Exercise | Calories Burned for a 125-pound Person | Calories Burned for a 155-pound person | Calories Burned for a
185-pound person |
Moderate Intensity Weight Lifting | 90 | 108 | 126 |
High Intensity Weight Lifting |
180 | 216 | 252 |
Moderate Intensity
Bicycling & Rowing |
210 | 252 | 294 |
High Intensity
Bicycling & Rowing |
315 | 278 | 441 |
Low Impact Aerobics |
165 | 198 | 231 |
High Impact Aerobics |
210 | 252 | 294 |
Moderate Intensity
Calisthenics |
135 | 162 | 189 |
High Intensity
Calisthenics |
240 | 306 | 336 |
Stretching | 120 | 144 | 168 |
You Can Have Calories Burned When Walking Up Stairs
You don’t have time to hit the gym, but you аre in а desperate need of increasing your calorie burn to enhance your weight loss goals? Walking up and down the stairs is the easiest thing you can do if you’re located in an urban environment, and it actually helps a lot!
According to StepJockey, you can burn an average of 0.17 calories for every step up and an average of 0.05 calories for every step down the stairs. You can do the math and decide how much of your spare time you can spend “jogging” up and down the stairs to your apartment.
Of course, jogging all types of stairs that you encounter every day instead of taking the elevator is among the wiser decisions you can make for yourself and your body.
Engage in Daily Exercise for Better Health, And Do It With No Pressure
Of course, the number of burned calories is important for everyone who keeps an eye on their physical shape. But there is something even more important, and we call it a healthy body and a peaceful mind.
When you go out there doing sports and engaging in different activities, the thing that matters is to enjoy yourself instead of watching the timer and calculating numbers. Neither outdoor fun nor gym sessions are supposed to feel like punishment, and every weight loss plan works better with a calm mind and a balanced emotional realm.
This being said, each of the lists above is meant to give you a reasonable starting point and general awareness of how calorie-burning works. Afterward, you can safely consider that the exact number doesn’t matter as much as the process – and the process is supposed to make you feel inspired and happy!