Losing or gaining weight is all a matter of energy balance. To lose weight you need to put out more energy in activity than you take in from food and fluids you consume. And you gain weight if you take in more than you put out.
Have you ever wondered how many calories you burn in activity? A general guideline is that the more you weight, the more calories will be expended. For a 100-pound person, here is the approximate number of calories burned in 30 minutes:
- Sleeping 27
- Reading 30
- Watching TV 30
- Walking (moderate) 75-100
- Playing hopscotch 120
- Skateboarding 150
- Playing softball 150
- Mowing the yard (power push) 165
- Swimming (moderate) 180
- Ice skating 210
- Frisbee 240
- Basketball 240
- Biking (moderate) 240
- Running (moderate) 270-330
- Soccer 300
If you're trying to lose weight, increase the amount of high-energy activities you do throughout the day to assure that you put out more energy than you take in.