1. Bicycling
Whether it’s a real bike, or a stationary one, cycling is a great way to get your heart pumping and those calories burning. Just cycling for 15 minutes a day will burn 119
calories. If you extend it to 30 minutes, you’ll burn 477 calories.
2. Stairs or Treadmills
Stairs are great for toning up those legs. They can also burn calories. Don’t have stairs near you? Use a treadmill! Just 15 minutes can burn 102 calories, or the equivalent of each of these:
• 1 tbsp. of mayonnaise
• 1 banana
• 1 oz. of pastrami
• 2 small chocolate chip cookies
3. Weight Lifting
Weight lifting burns calories as well. 15 minutes of pumping iron burns 51 calories. Not much, but if you extend your training to 30 minutes a day, you’ll burn 204 calories.
4. Running
Running is an all-around great calorie-burning exercise. Running 12 minutes at 5 mph burns 109 calories. If you kick it up a notch and run 15 minutes at 7 mph, you’ll burn 196 calories. If you’re really devoted and run for an hour a day, you’ll burn 784 calories.
5. Badminton
Hit that birdie! Badminton is a fun way to get in shape. A 20-minute game burns 102 calories, and an hour game burns 306 calories.
6. Basketball
A fun 20-minute game of basketball burns 137 calories. Challenge your teammates to a rematch and you burn 409 (for a 60-minute game).
7. Bowling
Bowling a 60-minute game will burn 205 calories. Extend the game to 90 minutes and you’ll burn 307 calories.
8. Football
A 30-minute game will burn 273 calories. That’s the equivalent of each of these:
• 2 oz. croissant
• 1 Hot dog
• ½ cup of ice cream
• 1 bratwurst sausage
9. Frisbee
Tossing a Frisbee for 30 minutes will burn 102 calories. Stay out a bit longer and burn 205 calories (in an hour).
10. Golf
A 30-minute game (without the golf cart of course) will burn 153 calories, or each of these:
• 2 slices of bread
• 2 tbsp. of ranch dressing
• 1 oz nacho chips
• 4 fried onion rings
11. Gymnastics
30 minutes of active gymnastics burns 136 calories. Double your workout and burn 278 calories.
12. Horseback Riding
Fancy the stables? Give horseback riding a try. A 30-minute ride will burn 131 calories. Keep Flicka out longer and burn 273 calories.
13. Martial Arts
A 30-minute session of karate will burn 341 calories. Kick it up a notch and burn 682 calories, or the equivalent of each of these:
• 4 pancakes with butter and syrup
• 6 oz. pork spareribs
• 7 oz. bag of tortilla chips
14. Racquetball
Grab that racquet and head for the courts! A quick 30-minute game of racquetball will burn 239 calories. Extend that game to 60 minutes, and you’ll burn 477 calories.
15. Roller Skating
30 minutes of roller-skating will burn 239 calories. Skate a bit longer and burn 477 calories (for 60 minutes).
16. Soccer
A 60-minute game
will burn 477 calories. If the game goes into overtime, you will burn 716 calories (for 90 minutes), or the equivalent of one of these:
• Homemade beef potpie
• 2 pieces of fried chicken
• 2 ½ cups of spaghetti
• 6.8 oz. can of pina colada
17. Baseball
A 60-minute game will burn 351 calories. If the game goes into overtime, you’ll burn 527 calories (90 minutes), and for a 2-hour game, you’ll burn 720 calories.
18. Tennis
A 60-minute game will burn 204 calories. Stretch it out to 90 minutes and you’ll burn 307 calories.
19. Volleyball
Volleyball is not only fun, it’s good for you. A 60-minute game will burn 204 calories, or the equivalent of each of these:
• 3 oz. fillet mignon
• 1 glazed donut
• 2 tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 slice of pepperoni pizza
20. Yoga and Pilates
Yoga and Pilates, are great choices for getting into shape. More than 11 million Americans practice Yoga. A 50-minute Yoga session will burn 144 calories. Two 50-minute sessions will burn 288 calories.
21. Calisthenics and Aerobics
Calisthenics or aerobics may be right for you. They’re fun, and they can really burn calories. A 20-minute workout burns 181 calories. If you work through the pain and make it a 45-minute workout, you’ll burn 409 calories.
22. Rock Climbing
Rock climbing is becoming more and more popular.Don’t live near mountains? Rock climbing gyms are easy to find. Just 30 minutes of rock climbing will burn 374 calories. Add 30 more minutes, and you’ll burn 747 calories.
23. Walking
Walking has been around since time began, and it’s just about the easiest way to burn calories. Just a leisurely 15 minute walk will only burn 60 calories, but if you walk a bit faster and longer (45 minutes at 2.5 mph), you’ll burn 153 calories.
24. Water Aerobics
This fun and wet way to exercise is a great way to burn those calories. A 30-minute workout will burn 144 calories. Keep going for an hour; you’ll burn 288 calories.
25. Rowing
Get out those paddles! Whether you’re on the water, or have a machine, rowing is a great way to build those arm muscles and burn calories. 30 minutes of rowing will burn 360 calories. Row for an hour, and you’ll burn 720 calories.
