When it comes to burning calories, not all exercises are created equal. Some activities are more efficient at torching calories than others, and understanding which ones offer the most significant calorie burn can help you optimise your workout routine.
We at BOXROX are not scientists or fitness experts to make claims about the highest calorie-burning exercises. But Dr Eric Berg is knowledgeable and that is exactly what he shared.
Dr Eric Berg DC is a chiropractor, health coach, and author based in Alexandria, Virginia. He has a YouTube channel with over 11 million subscribers in which he shares videos on various health and wellness topics, including fitness.
This guide provides a detailed look at the highest calorie-burning exercises, based on an individual weighing approximately 155 lbs and performing the activities for one hour.
Table of Contents
The Ultimate Guide to the Highest Calorie-Burning Exercises
Calorie burn is a crucial aspect of any fitness regimen, especially for those aiming to lose weight or improve cardiovascular health. However, it’s important to remember that the goal isn’t just about burning calories; it’s also about improving overall fitness and health. Different exercises burn calories at varying rates, and this guide will walk you through some of the most effective workouts.
The Baseline: Everyday Activities
Before diving into more intensive exercises, let’s consider some everyday activities and their calorie-burning potential:
- Sleeping: Surprisingly, even sleeping burns calories. You can expect to burn around 50 calories per hour while catching some Z’s.
- Sitting: Sitting idle burns about 65 calories per hour.
- Standing: Standing burns slightly more at approximately 110 calories per hour.
- Sex: This intimate activity can burn about 200 calories per hour, although it’s unlikely most people engage in it continuously for that duration.
- Chewing Gum, Laughing, and Fidgeting: These minor activities can add a few more calories burned per hour, but their impact is minimal.
Moderate Calorie-Burning Activities
These exercises can be incorporated into daily routines and offer moderate calorie-burning benefits:
- Planks: Performing planks can burn about 240 calories per hour, though holding a plank for an hour is challenging.
- Walking: Walking at a moderate pace of 3 miles per hour burns about 240 calories.
- House Cleaning and Gardening: Vigorous house cleaning and yard work can burn around 250-270 calories per hour.
- Yoga: A standard yoga session burns approximately 280 calories per hour.
- Bowling and Golfing: These activities burn around 250-360 calories per hour.
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Higher Calorie-Burning Activities
For those looking to increase the intensity, these exercises burn a higher number of calories:
- Elliptical Training (Moderate): Burns about 400 calories per hour.
- Power Yoga: This more intense form of yoga burns around 400 calories per hour.
- Aerobics and Dance Workouts: These activities burn roughly 420 calories per hour.
- Volleyball and Tennis: Both burn about 450 calories per hour.
- Rowing (Moderate): Approximately 470 calories per hour.
Intense Calorie-Burning Activities
These activities are for those who want to maximise their calorie burn:
- Basketball, Soccer, and Running (5-6 mph): These can burn around 480 calories per hour.
- Swimming (Moderate): Swimming burns about 510 calories per hour.
- Cross Country Skiing: This intense activity burns around 550 calories per hour.
- Martial Arts and Jumping Rope: Both activities burn approximately 560 calories per hour.
- Rock Climbing and Vigorous Rowing: Each burns about 570 calories per hour.
The Most Intense Calorie-Burning Activities
For the highest calorie burn, these exercises are at the top:
- Kickboxing: Burns about 580 calories per hour.
- Vigorous Cycling (14-16 mph): Also burns around 590 calories per hour.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and CrossFit: These can burn up to 590 calories per hour.
- Running Uphill: Burns an impressive 800 calories per hour.
- Flat-Out Sprinting: At the peak, sprinting can burn around 1,200 calories per hour.
Related: Why Sprinting Will Get You a Ripped Physique
Key Considerations
While burning calories is important, it’s essential to focus on the type of calories being burned—whether from fat, sugar, or protein. For weight loss, burning fat calories is more beneficial. Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in ensuring you’re burning the right type of calories. Consuming sugar leads to burning sugar, whereas consuming fats without sugar helps in burning fat.
Another thing you should always take into consideration is the length at which you can do such exercise. Sure, sprinting might be the exercise that burns the most calories per hour, but no one can sprint at a high pace for one hour – on the other hand, a person could play basketball for an hour and, perhaps, burn more calories in the end.
In conclusion, selecting the right exercises based on your fitness goals and ensuring a balanced diet can significantly enhance your calorie-burning efficiency. Whether you’re aiming for moderate activity or high-intensity workouts, there’s an exercise suited for every fitness level.
Remember, consistency and proper nutrition are key to achieving and maintaining your fitness goals. So get your diet correct first, otherwise the results will not come.
Read Also: How to Do HIIT Cardio to Get To 10% Body Fat
u003cstrongu003eWhat is the best exercise for burning the most calories?u003c/strongu003e
The most intense calorie-burning exercise is flat-out sprinting, which can burn up to 1,200 calories per hour. However, this is extremely challenging to maintain for a full hour. Other high-calorie-burning exercises include running uphill (800 calories per hour) and vigorous activities like CrossFit and HIIT (590 calories per hour).
Can I burn a significant number of calories through everyday activities?
Yes, even everyday activities burn calories. For instance, standing burns about 110 calories per hour, and house cleaning can burn around 250 calories per hour. While these activities may not burn as many calories as intense workouts, they contribute to your overall calorie expenditure.
How many calories can I burn while sleeping?
Sleeping burns about 50 calories per hour. Although it’s not much, it’s important to remember that your body is still working to maintain essential functions even at rest.
u003cstrongu003eWhat moderate exercises are good for burning calories?u003c/strongu003e
Moderate exercises that effectively burn calories include walking at a moderate pace (240 calories per hour), yoga (280 calories per hour), and gardening or yard work (270 calories per hour). These activities are easier to sustain for longer periods and can fit well into daily routines.
u003cstrongu003eHow many calories does running burn?u003c/strongu003e
The number of calories burned while running depends on the intensity and speed. Running at a moderate pace (5-6 mph) burns about 480 calories per hour, while running at a faster pace (10 mph) can burn over 1,126 calories per hour.
u003cstrongu003eDoes the type of calorie I burn matter?u003c/strongu003e
Yes, the type of calorie burned matters, especially for weight loss. Ideally, you want to burn fat calories rather than sugar or protein calories. Consuming a diet high in sugar will lead to burning sugar calories, while a diet focused on healthy fats can help you burn fat calories.
u003cstrongu003eHow effective are aerobic exercises for burning calories?u003c/strongu003e
Aerobic exercises are highly effective for burning calories. Activities like aerobic dancing, Zumba, and moderate effort aerobics can burn around 420 calories per hour. These exercises also improve cardiovascular health and endurance.
u003cstrongu003eWhat are the benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT)?u003c/strongu003e
HIIT is highly effective for burning calories, improving cardiovascular fitness, and increasing muscle strength. It can burn up to 590 calories per hour. HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief rest periods, making it efficient for those with limited time.
u003cstrongu003eDo I need to exercise for a full hour to see benefits?u003c/strongu003e
Not necessarily. While the calorie counts provided are based on an hour of activity, shorter sessions can still offer significant benefits. High-intensity workouts like HIIT can be effective even with shorter durations due to their intensity.
What is the best exercise for someone who is new to fitness?
For beginners, moderate exercises like walking, yoga, and light house cleaning are good starting points. These activities are less intense and easier to maintain, gradually building up fitness levels before moving on to more strenuous workouts.
u003cstrongu003eHow does my weight affect the number of calories burned?u003c/strongu003e
Calorie burn depends on various factors, including body weight. Generally, the more you weigh, the more calories you will burn during physical activity because your body uses more energy to perform the same exercise.
Can I increase my calorie burn through diet?
Yes, diet plays a crucial role in your overall calorie burn. Consuming a balanced diet rich in nutrients and low in sugars can help your body burn fat more efficiently. Additionally, eating smaller, more frequent meals can keep your metabolism active throughout the day.
image sources
- Running uphill mountain: Unsplash
