Session 6

Tipping the Calorie Balance

Session 6-4

Burning Calories: The other side of “Tipping the Balance” in your favor

How to Create a Calorie Deficit
Although decreasing caloric intake is a big part of losing weight, that is only one side of tipping the calorie balance.

More physical activity increases the number of calories your body uses or “burns off” and tips the scale towards weight loss

In addition, evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity.

The amount of calories you burn depends on the type, intensity, duration and frequency of the activity you perform;
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Type

– whether the activity is aerobic (cardio), since these activities tend to burn the most calories.
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Intensity

– whether the activity is moderate or vigorous.
● The “talk test” is a simple way to measure relative intensity.
● Moderate-intensity activity: you can talk but not sing during the activity.
● Vigorous-intensity activity: No more than a few words without having to breathe.
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Duration

– how long a person does an activity in any one session
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Frequency

– how often a person does aerobic activity

Ways to Burn Calories

The amount of calories you burn also depends upon your current weight. Calories burned will be higher for people who weigh more and lower for people who weigh less. Your physical activity tracker adjusts for this when you enter your weight.

The chart below shows an example of approximately how many calories a person who weighs 154 pounds would burn while engaging in different activities.

Moderate Intensity Calories Burned in 30 mins Calories Burned in 1 hour
Hiking 185 cals 370 cals
Light gardening/yard work 165 cals 330 cals
Dancing 165 cals 330 cals
Golf (walking and carrying clubs) 165 cals 330 cals
Bicycling (<10 mph) 145 cals 290 cals
Walking (3.5 mph) 140 cals 280 cals
Weight training (general light workout) 110 cals 220 cals
Stretching 90 cals 180 cals
Vigorous Intensity Calories Burned in 30 mins Calories Burned in 1 hour
Running/jogging (5 mph) 295 cals 590 cals
Bicycling (>10 mph) 295 cals 590 cals
Swimming (slow freestyle laps) 225 cals 510 cals
Aerobics 240 cals 480 cals
Walking (4.5 mph) 230 cals 460 cals
Heavy yard work 220 cals 440 cals
Weight lifting (vigorous effort) 220 cals 440 cals
Basketball (vigorous) 220 cals 440 cals

Remember that to lose 1lb you need to tip the balance by 500 calories.

If you have been eating 2100 calories a day and reduce your calorie intake to 1800, how many calories would you have to burn off with exercise each day to lose 1lb in the next week?
100 calories
The correct answer is 200 calories. This is because you reduced your intake by 300 and need to burn 200 to reach the 500 calorie/day deficit necessary to lose 1lb.
200 calories
Correct!
300 calories
The correct answer is 200 calories. This is because you reduced your intake by 300 and need to burn 200 to reach the 500 calorie/day deficit necessary to lose 1lb.
400 calories
The correct answer is 200 calories. This is because you reduced your intake by 300 and need to burn 200 to reach the 500 calorie/day deficit necessary to lose 1lb.

Create A Positive Action Plan

Work toward reducing an average of 500 calories/day by decreasing the calories you eat and increasing the calories that you burn, to lose about 1lb/wk!
During the week, I will:
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1. Keep careful track of the calories I eat each day.

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2. Assess how many calories per day I have already reduced since starting the program. If I have not cut 500 calories/day, I will figure out how I am going to achieve that.

For example: If you currently eat 2300 calories and plan to
– cut 300 calories from your intake and
– walk off 200 calories

Then your total calories for the day will be:
2,300 – 300 –200 = 1,800

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3. Record my weight

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4. Keep track of my physical activity minutes

Learn More
About Cutting Calories: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/cutting_calories.html

How to manage your weight without being hungry: https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/Energy_Density.pdf

Calories burned with activity:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/calories-burned-in-30-minutes-of-leisure-and-routine-activities