Counting the calories: Ahmed Imam

Our body needs constant energy to maintain itself, so even when we're fast asleep, it is still burning up calories! However, most of us do not take enough exercise during our waking hours! Ideally, we should aim to take 20-45 minutes exercise a day. To see which exercise burns up what calories, see chart below.

Type of Exercise	Calories/hour
Sleeping	55
Eating	85
Sewing	85
Knitting	85
Sitting	85
Standing	100
Driving	110
Office Work	140
Housework, moderate	160+
Golf, with trolley	180
Golf, without trolley	240
Gardening, planting	250
Dancing, ballroom	260
Walking, 3mph	280
Table Tennis	290
Gardening, hoeing etc.	350
Tennis	350+
Water Aerobics	400
Skating/blading	420+
Dancing, aerobic	420+
Aerobics	450+
Bicycling, moderate	450+
Jogging, 5mph	500
Gardening, digging	500
Swimming, active	500+
Cross country ski machine	500+
Hiking	500+
Step Aerobics	550+
Rowing	550+
Power Walking	600+
Cycling, studio	650
Squash	650+
Skipping with rope	700+
Running	700+

 

Exercise for your health! It has been calculated that 1 pound of body fat is equal to 3500 calories. This means that in order to lose 1 pound we have to walk for about 12.5 hours. So don't expect fast weight loss and remember to eat sensibly.

Calorie Savings

There are two easy ways to reduce calories. Either swap a high-calorie food for a lower-calorie item (eg. choose a cup of skim milk - 90 calories - rather than whole milk - 150 calories). Or, cut out a small high-calorie eating habit. For example, if you drink one less 16 fl oz can of beer a day, you save 67,000 calories a year - equivalent to about 19 pounds of body fat.

Calorie-Intake Affects Weight But Check Nutrition Too

Although weight reduction is founded on the energy equation (energy expenditure must exceed energy intake), calorie-counting does have its limitations. Nutrition is also important. According to at least one world expert in fat-metabolism, food energy cannot be properly metabolised without sufficient minerals and vitamins. This is why a healthy calorie-controlled eating plan should be based on nutrient-dense meals and snacks.

Metabolic Rate Affects Calorie Burning

Our metabolism determines how rapidly our body burns calories while at rest. Some people have a relatively fast metabolic rate, so they burn energy faster than people with a slower metabolism. This is why they appear to be able to eat relatively large amounts of food without gaining weight.

Although our metabolic rate is part of our genetic inheritance, we can raise it somewhat by taking regular aerobic exercise and by increasing our muscle-to-fat ratio. We can also maintain an efficient metabolism by eating nutritious food, by ensuring our energy-intake does not fall below about 1200 calories a day, and by eating something every 3-4 hours.